UNIT 1

VOCABULARY

Problem or trouble? Affect or effect?

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse problem / trouble and affect / effect. Read these extracts from the Cambridge Advanced
Learner's Dictionary (CALD) and the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary (CLD). Then circle the correct word in sentences 1-4.

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TROUBLE or PROBLEM?

Problem, means 'a situation that causes difficulties and that needs to be dealt with'.
You can talk about a problem or problems.
Tell me what the problem is.
He's having a few problems at work.

Trouble, means 'problems, difficulties or worries' and is used to talk about problems in a more general way.
Trouble is almost always uncountable, so do not use the determiner a before it.
We had some trouble while we were on holiday.
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Affect or Effect?

Affect is a verb which means 'to cause a change'.

Pollution seriously affects the environment.

Effect, use the noun effect to talk about the change, reaction or result caused by something.
Global warming is one of the effects of pollution.
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1. They may have some problems / troubles, but usually they accept them.
2. They notice only the things that cause them a problem / trouble.
3. Feelings of disorientation and anxiety no longer affect I effect them.
4. These feelings may have the affect I effect of people rejecting the new culture.

2. - Five of these sentences contain a mistake made by IELTS candidates. Find and correct the mistakes.

1. Many students' studies are effected by difficulties with language. affected

2. Overseas students have accommodation problems.
3. Modern lifestyles have an affect on our health.
4. Other countries effect our customs.
5. Immigrants have an affect on the local economy.
6. Most children can deal with their own troubles.
UNIT 2

VOCABULARY

Teach, Learn or Study? Find out or know?

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse teach / learn / study and find out / know. Circle the correct words in these extracts from
the Reading passage.

1. This advertisement proves what comedians have known/ found out for years.
2. Over the past half-century, scientists have known / found out much about baby talk.
3. Children don't study/ learn to walk until their bodies are ready.
4. Knowing / Learning how to chat like an adult is a gradual process.
5. Yet we still do not understand this critical period or know / find out why it ends.

2. - Read these extracts from CLD to check your answers.

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LEARN, TEACH or STUDY?

To learn is to get new knowledge or skills.

Pollution seriously affects the environment.

When you teach someone, you give them new knowledge or skills.
My dad taught me how to drive. My dad learnt me how to drive.

When you study, you go to classes, read books, etc. to try to understand new ideas and facts.
He is studying biology at university.
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KNOW or FIND OUT?

To know something means to already have information about something.

Kelly knows what time the train leaves.

To find out something means to learn new information for the first time.
Can you find out what time the train leaves?
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3. - Work in pairs. Complete these questions with teach, learn, study, know or find out.

1. How many English words do you __know__ ?

2. Do you prefer to .....a language by talking to people or reading books?
3. If you worked in a school, which subject would you prefer to ..... ......... ?
4. How would you ..... where the best language schools are in your home town?
5. Did you. . ...... hard for your school exams?
UNIT 4

VOCABULARY

Cause, Factor and Reason

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse cause, factor and reason. Complete these sentences by writing one of the above words
in each gap.

1. Another key ____ in the process has been the mobile phone.
2. I think the main _____ of this change has been the Internet.
3. Newspapers only print a few of the thousands of letters they receive each day, and the ____ for this is that they just
don't have enough space.

2. - Check your answers by reading these extracts from CALD. Which words are often used before and after cause, factor
and reason?

CAUSE, FACTOR or REASON?

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Cause the reason why something, especially something bad, happens.

The police are still trying to establish the cause of the fire.
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Factor a fact or situation that influences the result of something:

Price will be a major/crucial factor in the success of this new product.
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Reason the cause of an event or situation or something which provides an excuse or explanation:
The reason for the disaster was engine failure, not human error.
The reason why grass is green was a mystery to the little boy.
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3. - Find and correct the mistakes made by IELTS candidates in these sentences.

1. Pollution is a reason of global warming. cause

2. A major reason which causes this serious problem is pressure on students.
3. The growth of big cities has its human, economic and political reasons.
4. This chart shows the main causes why agricultural land is losing productiveness.
5. We work hard throughout our student life in order to prepare for the future, although this is not the only cause.
UNIT 4

VOCABULARY

Nature, the environment or countryside? Tourist or Tourism?

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse nature, the environment and the countryside, and tourist and tourism. Match the words
(1- 5) with their definitions from CALD (a-e).

1 nature a [U] land where there are no towns or cities

2 the environment b [U] all the things in the world which exist naturally and were not created by people

3 countryside c [U] the land, water and air that animals and plants live in. It is usually used when talking about the
way people use or damage the natural world.

4 tourism d [C] someone who visits a place for pleasure and interest, usually while they are on holiday

5 tourist e [U]the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay Eco-holidays or entertainment
for people who are on holiday.

2. - Complete these sentences from the Listening section by writing the correct form of a word from Exercise 1 in each gap.
You will have to use one word twice.

I phoned you earlier about an eco-holiday, you know, one of those holidays where you don't damage
1. the environment at all and you get close to
2. ........................... .
You get to stay in a quite luxurious house or cabin built high up in a tree and surrounded by lovely
3. ........................... .
You go and stay with a local family in their house in a small mountain village away from other
4. ...........................
5. and the usual ............................ spots.
You might like it because international
6. ........................... hasn't spoilt it yet.

3. - Four of these sentences contain a mistake made by IELTS candidates in the exam. Find and correct the mistakes.

1. As far as I am concerned, the increase in the amount of tourist is inevitable. tourism

2. In conclusion, the nature we live in is very important to us and therefore we should all try to protect it.
3. There is also a very positive side to tourists because it brings money and business to places.
4. They live in a lovely old house surrounded by beautiful countryside.
5. People from the city leave their rubbish in the nature and spoil it as a result.
UNIT 7

VOCABULARY

Age(s) / Aged / Age group

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse these words: age(s) / aged / age group. Read these dictionary extracts. Then circle the
correct word in the sentences below from the Listening section.

CAUSE, FACTOR or REASON?

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Age a noun that refers to the number of years someone has lived, or that something has existed:
The show appeals to people of all ages.
She left India at the age of 12.
Children under ten years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
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Aged an adjective that means ‘having a particular age or age range’:

They have one daughter, aged three.
The toys are for children aged four to six.
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Age group a noun that refers to people of a particular age (note that the ages come first):
We should provide job training for people in the 16-24 age group.
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1. I want to do a survey and interview some people of different ages / age group.
2. Are you going to target a particular group of age / age group?
3. Even toddlers aged / age 18 months or under have relationships.
4. I could examine the 21- 30 age group / aged group.
5. It might be good to get some opinions from people over age / the age of 60.

2. - These sentences each contain a mistake made by IELTS candidates. Correct the underlined mistakes by reorganising,
changing or adding words.

1. I met the best friend at age of 16. I met the best friend at the age of 16.
2. People ages between 35 and 40 have a wide range of relationships.
3. Many babies 10-20 months begin to form strong relationships with siblings.
4. Most of the people I work with are in the 20-35 aged group.
5. Children in the age group 5 to 11 tend to change their friends quite frequently.
6. Relationships are very important for the group age 60 and above.
UNIT 8

VOCABULARY

Dress (uncountable) / Dress(es) (countable) / clothes / Cloth.

1. - IELTS candidates often confuse these words: dress I dresses I clothes I cloth. Circle the correct word in each of these two
sentences from the Reading passage. Then check your answers by reading the definitions below.

1. She was dressed in the most extraordinary cloth / clothes ever to have graced a British stage.
2. Zenzie loves historical dress / dresses because of the link with the past.

CAUSE, FACTOR or REASON?

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Cloth (n) [U] material that can be used to make clothes and furnishings:
The cloth used to make this dress was very expensive.
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Clothes (n) [plural] Items that are worn, such as skirt, trousers, socks, etc. Clothes is always plural:
I packed my clothes in the suitcase.
I need some new clothes.
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Dress (n) [C] an item of clothing worn by women

Dress (n) [U] a style of clothing, e.g. formal dress, traditional dress, etc.
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2. - Four of these sentences contain mistakes made by IELTS candidates; one is correct. Find and correct the mistakes.

1. Young men and women tent to wear similar dresses. Clothes.

2. People need shelter, cloth to wear and food to eat.
3. Famous people attract thousands of fans, who imitate their style of dresses.
4. People who travel may adopt the culture, dresses and customs of another country.
5. Indian saris are usually made using very colourful cloth.