Writing Task 1A: Data — Graphs, Charts & Tables
📖 Book Chapter 7Task 1 asks you to describe visual information — a graph, chart, table, map, or process diagram — objectively, in your own words, in at least 150 words. The whole Writing test lasts 60 minutes and Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1, so spend about 20 minutes here. This is not an essay: there is no opinion here, only accurate selection, description and comparison. This chapter is built around six specific tricks that turn raw data into a well-structured response, each with an instant example and a try-it, before we put all six together on a full timed task.
- know and apply six specific tricks for paraphrasing the prompt, writing an overview, grouping data, leading with the point rather than the numbers, using comparison language accurately, and matching vocabulary strength to the data
- structure a Task 1 response: introduction, overview, and supported body paragraphs
- write a complete, accurately structured Task 1 response within the time limit
Writing — the full task-type picture
Task 1 and Task 2 each cover more than one real sub-type. Here's the complete list, and where this course covers each one:
| Task | Type | Where it's covered |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Data — graphs, charts & tables | Chapter 7 (this chapter) |
| Task 1 | Maps | Chapter 8 (Maps) |
| Task 1 | Processes & flow-charts | Chapter 9 (Processes & Flowcharts) |
| Task 2 | Opinion (Agree/Disagree) | Chapters 10–13 |
| Task 2 | Discuss Both Views | Chapters 10–13 |
| Task 2 | Problem–Solution | Chapters 10–13 |
| Task 2 | Advantages–Disadvantages | Chapters 10–13 |
| Task 2 | Cause and Effect | Chapters 10–13 |
| Task 2 | Two-part (direct question) | Chapters 10–13 |
(Chapter 10 — Essay Planning & Type-Specific Structure — has the full breakdown of what each Task 2 type actually asks for; Chapter 14 covers grammar and spelling accuracy for both tasks.)
See the target first — a worked example
Before learning the technique, look at what a finished response actually looks like. Below is a sample prompt with dual pie charts, and a complete model answer with each part labelled.
IntroductionThe two pie charts compare the proportions of electricity that a particular country produced from five different sources in 2000 and 2020.
OverviewOverall, the country moved decisively away from coal over the twenty years, and renewable energy rose from a minor contributor to the largest single source, while the shares of nuclear power and other sources did not change.
Body 1In 2000, coal was by far the leading source, accounting for 45% of all electricity generated, followed by gas at 30%. Together, these two fossil fuels supplied three quarters of the total. Nuclear power contributed 15%, whereas renewables made up only 5%, the same share as the "other" category.
Body 2By 2020, however, the overall picture had changed considerably. Coal's share had fallen sharply to just 15%, a third of its earlier level, and gas had also declined, though more modestly, to 25%. Renewables, by contrast, had expanded eightfold to 40%, overtaking both fossil fuels. Nuclear power, meanwhile, remained at 15% in both years, and the share of other sources stayed at 5%.
Flow: Budget roughly 4 minutes per trick (state + example + attempt + reveal + discuss) = ~24 minutes for all six, then the data-table phase below puts them together in a full timed response.
Rewrite the question's own sentence in your introduction using synonyms and a different sentence structure — change the key noun and verb, but keep the meaning and add no data.
Words copied from the question are not counted towards your 150 words, and they give the examiner no evidence of your own vocabulary for Lexical Resource. A paraphrased opening shows control from the first line. Keep it to one sentence — the introduction earns little on its own, so the overview and the selected details matter far more.
Prompt: "The chart below shows the number of internet users per 100 people in three countries between 2000 and 2020." → Introduction: "The line graph illustrates how internet usage, measured per 100 people, changed across three nations over a twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020."
Prompt: "The table shows the percentage of households with access to clean drinking water in four regions in 1990 and 2020." Write one paraphrased introduction sentence.
| Year | Bd | Vn | SK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 44.7 |
| 2005 | 0.2 | 12.7 | 73.5 |
| 2010 | 3.7 | 30.7 | 83.7 |
| 2015 | 14.4 | 48.3 | 89.9 |
| 2020 | 39.6 | 70.3 | 96.5 |
Before writing anything else, look at the data as a whole shape, not individual numbers, and ask: what are the one or two most obvious things anyone would notice at a glance? Those become the Overview — no specific numbers yet.
The public Task Achievement descriptors are explicit: Band 7 needs "a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages", while an answer with no clear overview fits Band 5 — however accurate the numbers are. The overview may come straight after the introduction or at the end, but it must be easy to find, so give it its own short paragraph.
Looking at the shape of a table showing rising exam pass rates in three schools: "Overall, the pass rate improved at all three schools over the period, although School A remained ahead of the other two throughout."
Looking only at the shape of the chart above (ignore exact numbers for now) — what are the two most obvious overall features? Write one overview sentence.
Keep this flow in mind, then swap in a different expression each time so your writing never sounds fixed. (Tip: you can ask an AI tool to rephrase any of these into your own words — that is exactly how you avoid a rigid, over-used opening.)
| Stage | Alternatives you can rotate |
|---|---|
| Opening (say what the figure shows) | The chart illustrates… · The graph gives information about… · The table compares… · It can be seen from the graph that… |
| Overview (the 1–2 biggest trends, no numbers) | Overall, … · The most striking feature is… · In general, … · Broadly speaking, … |
| Body 1 (first main detail) | To begin with, … · Turning first to… · The clearest change is… · In [year], … |
| Body 2 (second main detail / contrast) | By contrast, … · Meanwhile, … · A different pattern appears in… · Over the same period, … |
🔑 বাংলায়: এই কাঠামো শুধু লেখার ধারা ঠিক রাখে। Band নির্ভর করে তথ্যের নির্ভুলতা, grammar আর শব্দচয়ন-এর উপর — মুখস্থ কাঠামোর চেয়ে নিজের ভাষায় লেখা একটি নির্ভুল report সবসময় এগিয়ে থাকে। প্রতিবার আলাদা expression বসিয়ে নিজের মতো করে লিখুন (দরকারে AI দিয়ে rephrase করে নিন)।
Never describe data in the order it's given — row by row, year by year. Instead, group data points that share a pattern (two similar countries, or a before-vs-after split) and describe the group together in one sentence.
The Task Achievement descriptors describe Band 5 as recounting detail "mechanically". Listing number after number shows you have not selected or compared anything, and it also weakens Coherence and Cohesion, because the paragraphs have no logical organisation — even if every number is accurate.
"In 2000 Bangladesh had 0.1, in 2005 it had 0.2, in 2010 it had 3.7…"
"Bangladesh's growth stayed close to zero until 2010, then accelerated rapidly, reaching almost 40 by 2020."
Looking at the chart above, Vietnam and South Korea both rise throughout the period, but from very different starting points and with different shapes. Write one grouped sentence contrasting them, without listing every year individually.
Comparison language isn't interchangeable. "More than double," "nearly triple," and "roughly half" each describe a specific mathematical relationship — pick the phrase that matches the actual ratio, not just a general sense of "a lot more" or "a lot less."
Examiners check for accuracy, not just vocabulary variety — using "double" for something that's actually triple is a factual error that directly costs Task Achievement marks, no matter how fluent the sentence sounds.
2010 data: Vietnam 30.7 vs. Bangladesh 3.7 — that's roughly 8 times, not "double." Correct: "Vietnam's figure was more than eight times higher than Bangladesh's."
2020 data: South Korea 96.5 vs. Bangladesh 39.6. Which comparison phrase is accurate — "nearly double," "more than double," or "roughly ten times"?
Every body-paragraph sentence should make a comparative point first, then use the number as evidence for it — not state a bare number with no framing.
Band 7 Task Achievement asks you to "clearly present and highlight key features". A point-first sentence does exactly that, and it naturally produces the comparison language and grouping that Tricks 3 and 4 depend on. The numbers still matter: key features must be supported with accurate data.
"Bangladesh was 0.1 in 2000 and 39.6 in 2020."
"In relative terms, Bangladesh's growth was by far the most striking of the three, rising almost 400-fold from a mere 0.1 users per 100 people in 2000 to 39.6 by 2020."
Rewrite this number-first sentence into a point-first sentence: "South Korea was 44.7 in 2000 and 96.5 in 2020."
Modifying a movement verb or noun with an intensity word — an adverb before the verb ("rose sharply") or an adjective before the noun ("a sharp rise") — must match how steep the actual change is on the chart. Use a three-tier scale: dramatic, moderate, or gentle.
This earns marks in two criteria at once: Task Achievement (a mismatched intensity word is a factual misrepresentation of the data) and Lexical Resource (varied, precise vocabulary scores higher than repeating "increased" five times).
a dramatic rise / a sharp decline
a steady rise / a marked decline
a slight increase / a stable trend
South Korea's rise from 83.7 to 96.5 (2010–2020) is a fairly small change on a line that is already near the top — gentle: "South Korea's growth slowed, and the figure rose only gradually to 96.5." Bangladesh's line, by contrast, changes angle sharply: almost flat until 2005, it then climbs more and more steeply (+3.5, +10.7, then +25.2 in 2015–2020 alone) — dramatic: "After a decade of almost no change, Bangladesh's usage accelerated dramatically, reaching 39.6."
Vietnam rose from 30.7 (2010) to 70.3 (2020) on the chart above — more than doubling over the decade, with similar gains in each half (+17.6, then +22.0) and no sudden change of angle. Is this dramatic, moderate, or gentle? Choose one adverb+verb pair AND one adjective+noun pair from the scale above.
- In contrast, / Whereas / While… — Whereas Country A rose steadily, Country B fluctuated.
- the most notable difference / the gap between… and… — for highlighting a key comparison
- fluctuated — went up and down repeatedly peaked at — reached its highest point
Prepositions for Task 1 — the small words that cost marks
Task 1 leans on a small set of prepositions again and again. Get these automatic and you stop losing easy accuracy marks.
| Use | Correct preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a year | in (not "on") | in 2009, in the 1990s |
| a day / a date | on | on Monday, on the first day |
| a month / season | in | in July, in summer |
| rise/fall of an amount | by | sales rose by 20% |
| reaching a level/point | at / to | peaked at 500 · fell to zero |
| a range of change | from … to | grew from 10% to 40% |
| a share of a whole | of | a third of households |
| comparison | compared with/to | higher than · compared with 2010 |
Advanced vocabulary glossary — for once the basics feel automatic
Everything above is enough to write an accurate, well-structured response. These additional terms add precision and lexical range once you're confident — use ONE well-chosen term per sentence; cramming several in at once reads as forced, not fluent.
- surged past — "Sales surged past $2 million."
- rocketed / skyrocketed — extremely fast rise
- plummeted / plunged / dropped sharply — extremely fast fall
- a meteoric rise / a precipitous decline — noun forms
- climbed steadily / crept up / edged higher — slow, continuous rise
- eased / tapered off / trended downward — slow, continuous fall
- a gradual upturn / a steady decline — noun forms
- hovered around / held steady / remained flat — stayed close to one value
- plateaued / levelled off / stabilised — stopped changing after a rise or fall
- a marginal fluctuation / a negligible change — noun forms
- peaked at / reached a high of / reached a peak of — highest point
- bottomed out at / hit a low of / reached a trough — lowest point
- an all-time high / a record low — noun forms
- overtook / outstripped / surpassed / eclipsed — one line or bar passing another
- converged (with) — two lines coming together diverged (from) — two lines moving apart
- caught up with / drew level with — closing a gap to become equal
- House prices ___ in the months right after the announcement, catching everyone by surprise. → surged / rocketed / skyrocketed (dramatic movement) এগুলো হঠাৎ, খুব বড় বৃদ্ধি বোঝায় — “catching everyone by surprise” সেই আকস্মিকতার clue। graph-এর রেখা খাড়াভাবে উঠে গেলে এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন, সামান্য বৃদ্ধিতে নয়।
- Wages ___ over the decade, rising by roughly 2% every year without exception. → climbed steadily / crept up (steady movement) এগুলো ধীরে কিন্তু নিয়মিত বৃদ্ধি বোঝায় — “roughly 2% every year without exception” মানে প্রতি বছর অল্প অল্প করে, কোনো লাফ নেই। রেখা সমান ঢালে ধীরে ধীরে উঠলে এগুলো বসান।
- After an early spike, the figure ___ at around 40 for the rest of the period. → plateaued / levelled off (minimal movement) এগুলো বোঝায় পরিবর্তনের পর সংখ্যাটা প্রায় একই জায়গায় স্থির হয়ে গেছে — “at around 40 for the rest of the period” সেই clue। ওঠা বা নামার পর রেখা সমান হয়ে গেলে এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন।
- Unemployment ___ 9% in 2009, its highest level in twenty years, before beginning a slow recovery. → peaked at / reached a high of (extremes) এগুলো সর্বোচ্চ বিন্দু বোঝায় — “its highest level in twenty years” ঠিক সেটাই বলছে। রেখার সবচেয়ে উঁচু বিন্দুর কথা বলতে এগুলো লাগে; খেয়াল করুন, দুটোর পরেই সরাসরি সংখ্যা বসে (peaked at 9%)।
- Online sales ___ in-store sales for the first time in 2021, and the gap has widened ever since. → overtook / outstripped (comparison & crossing) এগুলো বোঝায় একটি সংখ্যা অন্যটিকে ছাড়িয়ে গেছে — “for the first time” মানে দুই রেখা এখানে একে অপরকে অতিক্রম করেছে। দুটি জিনিসের তুলনায় যখন একটি অন্যটির উপরে উঠে যায়, তখন এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন।
Flow: Step 1 (4 min) → Step 2 (8 min) → Step 3 full timed response (20 min). Give written feedback focused on structure first, grammar second — a well-organised answer with minor errors scores better than a grammatically clean list.
| Year | Bangladesh | Vietnam | South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 44.7 |
| 2005 | 0.2 | 12.7 | 73.5 |
| 2010 | 3.7 | 30.7 | 83.7 |
| 2015 | 14.4 | 48.3 | 89.9 |
| 2020 | 39.6 | 70.3 | 96.5 |
- Using Trick 2, write one sentence naming the two clearest overall trends in the table above.
Model: Overall, internet use rose in all three countries over the period, with South Korea remaining far ahead throughout, while Bangladesh started from almost zero and only began to catch up in the final decade.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: এটা Trick 2-এর model-এর মতোই: সংখ্যা ছাড়া দুটি সবচেয়ে বড় বৈশিষ্ট্য — South Korea-র পুরো সময় অনেক এগিয়ে থাকা, আর Bangladesh-এর প্রায় শূন্য থেকে শুরু করে শুধু শেষ দশকে এসে উঠতে শুরু করা। সাথে সাধারণ trend-টাও আছে — তিন দেশেই বৃদ্ধি।
- Using Tricks 3–6, write one body paragraph (3–4 sentences) comparing Bangladesh and Vietnam only, with at least two accurate comparison phrases and at least one intensity-matched adverb or adjective.
Model: Vietnam's growth was considerably faster than Bangladesh's throughout most of the period, reaching 30.7 users per 100 people by 2010 — more than eight times Bangladesh's figure of 3.7 at the same point. The gap narrowed somewhat after 2015, as Bangladesh's growth accelerated dramatically, but Vietnam still finished the period roughly 1.8 times ahead, at 70.3 compared with 39.6.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: প্রথম বাক্য পয়েন্ট দিয়ে শুরু (“considerably faster … throughout most of the period”), তারপর সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে। দুটি comparison phrase-ই অনুপাত হিসাব করে বাছা: 30.7 ÷ 3.7 ≈ 8.3, তাই “more than eight times”; 70.3 ÷ 39.6 ≈ 1.8, তাই “roughly 1.8 times ahead”। Intensity word রেখার আকারের সাথে মেলানো — 2015-এর পর Bangladesh-এর রেখা হঠাৎ খাড়া হয়েছে, তাই “accelerated dramatically”। আর বছর ধরে তালিকা নেই — 2010 আর শেষ বছরের দুটি ছবি দিয়ে ব্যবধান কমে আসার পুরো গল্পটা group করে বলা।
- Use all six tricks together: a paraphrased introduction, an overview naming South Korea's lead and Bangladesh's late-but-fast growth, two grouped body paragraphs with accurate comparison language, and intensity-matched vocabulary. Try it first — reveal the full model answer below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model answer
The line graph illustrates how internet use, measured in users per 100 people, changed in Bangladesh, Vietnam and South Korea over the two decades from 2000 to 2020.
Overall, internet use rose in all three countries, with South Korea remaining far ahead throughout, while Bangladesh started from almost zero and only began to catch up in the final decade.
South Korea was already well connected in 2000, with 44.7 users per 100 people. Its figure climbed quickly to 73.5 by 2005, after which growth slowed considerably, and it reached 96.5 in 2020, close to universal access. Vietnam followed a steadier upward path from a much lower base, rising from just 1.9 to 70.3 over the period; by 2015 it had already passed South Korea's starting level.
Bangladesh's trajectory was markedly different. Usage remained close to zero until 2005 and stood at only 3.7 in 2010, before accelerating sharply to 39.6 by 2020. Although this represented a more than tenfold increase in a single decade, Bangladesh still finished well behind the other two countries, at roughly two fifths of South Korea's level.
- Which is the better overview sentence?
A) In 2010, coal produced 45% of the electricity and gas produced 30%.
B) Overall, coal remained the main source throughout the period, while renewables grew the fastest.✓ Answer: B Why: An overview states the main trends with no detailed figures (Tricks 2 and 5). Trap: A is accurate data, but it belongs in a body paragraph. Overview-তে থাকে মূল প্রবণতা, খুঁটিনাটি সংখ্যা নয় (Trick 2 ও 5)। Trap: A-র তথ্য ঠিক, কিন্তু এর জায়গা body paragraph-এ। - Spending on food was ________ spending on transport.
A) twice as high as
B) twice higher than
C) two times more high✓ Answer: A Why: The correct pattern is twice as + adjective + as (Trick 4). B is non-standard in formal writing and C is ungrammatical — both can cost marks for Grammatical Range and Accuracy. সঠিক গঠন হলো twice as + adjective + as — তাই twice as high as (Trick 4)। B formal writing-এ মানসম্মত নয়, আর C ব্যাকরণগতভাবে ভুল — দুটোতেই Grammatical Range and Accuracy-তে নম্বর কাটতে পারে।
- Find one chart a week (news sites have many) and write only the overview: two sentences, no numbers.
- Write five comparison sentences from the same chart, each with a different structure.
- Grade your intensity words: slightly → gradually → considerably → sharply → dramatically.
- Read one model answer and highlight every comparison structure it uses.
- Once a week, write a full report in 20 minutes and check it for an overview and grouped data.
Self-practice: Pick 5 terms from today's glossary that you haven't used before — one from each category — and write one original example sentence for each, using any real or invented data.
- apply six specific tricks — paraphrasing the prompt, spotting the biggest trends, grouping data, using precise comparison language, writing point-first sentences, and matching vocabulary intensity to the data — to produce a well-structured Task 1 response
| Museum | 2010 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Museum A | 4.2 | 6.8 |
| Museum B | 2.0 | 5.9 |
| Museum C | 5.0 | 5.2 |
-
1. Trick 1 — Paraphrase. Which is the best introduction sentence for this task?
Answer: C. It keeps the meaning but changes the wording — “shows the number of visitors” → “compares attendance, in millions”. A copies the prompt, and copied words do not count towards your 150. B slips a key feature into the introduction; that belongs in the overview. D looks like a paraphrase but has two typical Band 5–6 errors: “amount of” with a countable noun, and “between 2010 and 2022”, which suggests continuous data when the table gives only two years. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — অর্থ একই রেখে শব্দ বদলেছে: “shows the number of visitors” হয়েছে “compares attendance, in millions”, আর দুটি আলাদা বছর (2010 and 2022) ঠিক রাখা হয়েছে। A prompt হুবহু কপি — কপি করা শব্দ 150-এর মধ্যে গোনা হয় না। B একটা মূল বৈশিষ্ট্য (B-র সবচেয়ে দ্রুত বৃদ্ধি) introduction-এ ঢুকিয়েছে — সেটা overview-এর কাজ। Trap: D দেখতে paraphrase, কিন্তু এতে Band 5–6-এর দুটি সাধারণ ভুল — countable noun (visitors)-এর সাথে “amount of”, আর “between 2010 and 2022”, যা শুনে মনে হয় প্রতি বছরের তথ্য আছে, অথচ table-এ মাত্র দুটি বছর। -
2. Trick 2 — Overview. Which sentence is the best overview?
Answer: A. It summarises the whole table — growth everywhere, B’s stand-out rise, C’s near-flat figure — without detailed numbers. B is accurate but is really body-paragraph detail; it reports figures instead of the big picture. C misreads the data: by 2022 Museum A (6.8) and even Museum B (5.9) had overtaken C (5.2). D gives a reason that the table does not show; Task 1 reports data and never explains it. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — বিস্তারিত সংখ্যা ছাড়াই পুরো table-এর সারাংশ: তিনটিতেই বৃদ্ধি, B-র বৃদ্ধি সবচেয়ে চোখে পড়ার মতো, আর C প্রায় বদলায়নি। B তথ্য ঠিক, কিন্তু এটা সংখ্যা দিয়ে লেখা body-র detail, বড় ছবি নয়। Trap: C শুনতে ভালো overview, কিন্তু data ভুল পড়েছে — 2022-এ A (6.8) আর B (5.9) দুটোই C (5.2)-কে ছাড়িয়ে গেছে, তাই C “throughout” সবচেয়ে জনপ্রিয় ছিল না। D এমন কারণ বলছে যা table-এ নেই — Task 1-এ শুধু data বর্ণনা, ব্যাখ্যা নয়। -
3. Trick 4 — Comparison accuracy. Museum B rose from 2.0 million (2010) to 5.9 million (2022). Which phrase describes this change most accurately?
Answer: D. 5.9 ÷ 2.0 ≈ 2.95 — just under three times, so “almost tripled” is exact. C is the near-miss: “more than tripled” would need over 6.0 million. B is the classic percentage trap: the increase was 3.9 million, which is about 195% of 2.0, not 300% — “three times as many” is not the same as “300% more”. A understates the change. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — 5.9 ÷ 2.0 ≈ 2.95, তিন গুণের সামান্য কম, তাই “almost tripled” একদম ঠিক। Trap: C খুব কাছাকাছি — কিন্তু “more than tripled” হতে 6.0 million-এর বেশি লাগত। B হলো percentage-এর ক্লাসিক ভুল: বৃদ্ধি 3.9 million, যা 2.0-এর প্রায় 195%, 300% নয় — “তিন গুণ” আর “300% বেশি” এক কথা নয়। A পরিবর্তনটাকে অনেক কমিয়ে বলছে।
1 Paraphrase the Prompt, Don’t Copy It 5 drills
Prompt: “The graph below shows the number of overseas students enrolled at universities in Canada between 2005 and 2020.”Which is the best introduction?
Answer: C. “overseas” → “international”, “enrolled at universities in Canada” → “studying at Canadian universities” — same facts, new wording. A is a copy. B adds a trend the prompt never gives (that is overview material, and it may not even be true). D tries to paraphrase but makes three errors: “amount of” + countable noun, “Canada universities”, and “during 2005 and 2020”. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — তথ্য একই, শব্দ নতুন: “overseas” হয়েছে “international”, আর “enrolled at universities in Canada” হয়েছে “studying at Canadian universities”। A হুবহু কপি। B এমন একটা trend যোগ করেছে যা prompt-এ নেই — এটা overview-এর বিষয়, আর সত্যি কি না তাও জানা নেই। Trap: D paraphrase-এর চেষ্টা করেছে, কিন্তু তিনটি ভুল — countable noun-এর সাথে “amount of”, “Canada universities” (হবে Canadian universities), আর “during 2005 and 2020”।Prompt: “The table gives information about the average weekly hours worked by full-time employees in four countries in 2015.”Which is the best introduction?
Answer: A. The structure changes (“average weekly hours worked” → “how long … typically worked each week”), not just single words. B is the “synonym swap” trap — two words changed, the rest copied. C invents a detail that is not in the prompt. D has a tense error (“spend” for 2015) and a wrong preposition (“spend for working”). 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — শুধু শব্দ নয়, বাক্যের গঠনও বদলেছে: “the average weekly hours worked” হয়েছে “how long … typically worked each week”। Trap: B হলো “synonym swap” — দুটি শব্দ বদলে বাকিটা কপি, তাই নিজের ভাষার প্রমাণ খুব কম। C prompt-এ নেই এমন detail (Japan) বানিয়েছে। D-তে tense ভুল (2015-এর জন্য “spend”) আর ভুল preposition (“spend for working”)।Prompt: “The pie charts show the proportion of household waste that was recycled, burned or sent to landfill in one city in 2000 and 2020.”Which is the best introduction?
Answer: D. “show the proportion of household waste that was…” → “compare the ways in which one city dealt with its household rubbish” — a genuine rewording. A changes one word only. B states a finding the prompt does not give. C adds an opinion — Task 1 is objective. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — সত্যিকারের rewording: “show the proportion of household waste that was recycled, burned or sent to landfill” হয়েছে “compare the ways in which one city dealt with its household rubbish”, আর দুটি বছরও ঠিক আছে। Trap: A দেখতে নিজের লেখা, কিন্তু শুধু একটি শব্দ বদলেছে (proportion → percentage), বাকিটা কপি। B এমন ফলাফল বলছে যা prompt-এ নেই। C মতামত যোগ করেছে (“a serious environmental problem”) — Task 1 পুরোপুরি objective।Phrase in a prompt: “the percentage of adults who smoke”Which paraphrase keeps the meaning exactly?
Answer: B. “percentage” → “proportion” and “who smoke” → “who are smokers” — same meaning. A is the most common slip: a percentage is not a number, and the examiner will treat it as misreporting the data. C uses “amount” with a countable noun. D adds “daily”, which changes what is being measured. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — “percentage” হয়েছে “proportion”, আর “who smoke” হয়েছে “who are smokers” — অর্থ হুবহু এক। Trap: A সবচেয়ে সাধারণ ভুল — percentage আর number এক জিনিস নয়, তাই examiner এটাকে data ভুলভাবে উপস্থাপন হিসেবে দেখবেন। C countable noun-এর সাথে “amount”। D “daily” যোগ করে কী মাপা হচ্ছে সেটাই বদলে দিয়েছে।Prompt: “The bar chart shows the amount of money spent on research and development by five companies in 2010 and 2020.”Which is the best introduction?
Answer: C. Accurate rewording that keeps the two separate years. A is the subtle trap: “from 2010 to 2020” suggests figures for every year, but the chart gives only two. B uses the present perfect with finished past dates and the wrong preposition (“spent for”). D is a copy. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — নতুন শব্দে (“spent on” → “invested in”) নির্ভুল rewording, আর “in 2010 and in 2020” দিয়ে দুটি আলাদা বছর ঠিক রাখা। Trap: A সূক্ষ্ম — “from 2010 to 2020” পড়ে মনে হয় প্রতি বছরের তথ্য আছে, অথচ chart-এ শুধু দুটি বছর। B-তে শেষ হয়ে যাওয়া অতীতের তারিখের সাথে present perfect (“have spent”) আর ভুল preposition (“spent for”)। D হুবহু কপি।
2 Spot the Two Biggest Trends (for the overview) 5 drills
Line graph, one country, millions: cinema tickets sold — 2000: 120, 2005: 135, 2010: 150, 2015: 110, 2020: 40. Streaming subscriptions — 2000: 0, 2005: 2, 2010: 15, 2015: 60, 2020: 95.Which is the best overview?
Answer: B. It captures the shape of both lines: cinema rose, peaked, then collapsed; streaming started at zero and ended higher. A lists start and end figures and misses the cinema peak. C is inaccurate — cinema sales rose until 2010, so “decreased steadily throughout” misreports the data. D explains a cause the graph does not show. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — দুটি রেখার আকারই ধরেছে: cinema বেড়ে 2010-এ peak, তারপর তীব্র পতন; streaming শূন্য থেকে শুরু করে শেষে cinema-কে ছাড়িয়ে গেছে — কোনো সংখ্যা ছাড়াই। A শুধু শুরু আর শেষের সংখ্যা দিয়েছে, cinema-র peak বাদ পড়েছে। Trap: C শুনতে overview-এর মতো, কিন্তু ভুল — 2010 পর্যন্ত cinema-র বিক্রি বেড়েছে, তাই “decreased steadily throughout” data ভুল বলছে। D এমন কারণ বলছে যা graph-এ নেই।Bar chart — % of adults doing 150+ minutes of exercise a week. Age 18–29: men 62, women 55 · 30–49: men 48, women 45 · 50–64: men 39, women 38 · 65+: men 25, women 27.Which is the best overview?
Answer: D. Two key features — the age trend and the gender difference — with the one exception noted. A is the near-miss: “in every age group” is false, because women over 65 (27%) were more active than men (25%). B picks out two extreme figures instead of describing the pattern. C draws a conclusion the data cannot prove. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — দুটি মূল বৈশিষ্ট্য (বয়স বাড়লে activity কমে, আর সাধারণত পুরুষেরা বেশি সক্রিয়), সাথে একমাত্র ব্যতিক্রমটাও উল্লেখ করা। Trap: A প্রায় ঠিক, কিন্তু “in every age group” ভুল — 65+ বয়সে নারীরা (27%) পুরুষদের (25%) চেয়ে বেশি সক্রিয়। B প্যাটার্ন না বলে শুধু সর্বোচ্চ আর সর্বনিম্ন সংখ্যা তুলে এনেছে। C এমন সিদ্ধান্ত টেনেছে যা data প্রমাণ করতে পারে না।A student’s overview for the electricity pie charts in this chapter: “Overall, in 2000 coal accounted for 45% and gas for 30%, while in 2020 renewables accounted for 40%.”What is the main weakness?
Answer: A. It is three data points with “Overall” in front; it never says what changed (the shift from coal to renewables). B is a myth — “Overall” is a perfectly normal signal. C is a myth — one or two sentences are enough. D is a myth — the overview may come after the introduction or at the end. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — এটা আসলে সামনে “Overall” বসানো তিনটি সংখ্যা; কী বদলেছে (coal থেকে renewables-এ সরে আসা) সেটা কোথাও বলেনি। বাকি তিনটি option প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা: B — “Overall” একদম স্বাভাবিক signal word; C — overview-এর জন্য 1-2 বাক্যই যথেষ্ট; D — overview introduction-এর পরে বা শেষে, দুই জায়গাতেই দেওয়া যায়। Trap: এই myth-গুলোর দিকে চোখ গেলে আসল সমস্যাটা (overview-এ সংখ্যা) নজর এড়িয়ে যায়।Table — average house price (£000), 2010 → 2020: Leeds 150 → 210 · Bristol 200 → 320 · Glasgow 130 → 150 · Cardiff 160 → 240.Which is the best overview?
Answer: C. General trend plus the clearest comparison, with no figures. A is a list of details, not an overview. B overstates: no city doubled (Bristol rose by 60%, Glasgow by only about 15%). D is a judgement the data does not support. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — সাধারণ trend (চার শহরেই দাম বেড়েছে) আর সবচেয়ে স্পষ্ট তুলনা (Bristol দুই বছরেই সবচেয়ে দামি, Glasgow সবচেয়ে সস্তা), কোনো সংখ্যা ছাড়া। A detail-এর তালিকা, overview নয়। Trap: B শুনতে বিশ্বাসযোগ্য, কিন্তু বাড়িয়ে বলছে — কোনো শহরেই দাম দ্বিগুণ হয়নি (Bristol 60%, Glasgow মাত্র প্রায় 15%)। D এমন মূল্যায়ন (“the best city”) যা data সমর্থন করে না।Line graph — unemployment rate (%), one country: 2008: 5.0 · 2010: 9.0 · 2012: 8.0 · 2015: 6.0 · 2018: 4.5.Which is the best overview?
Answer: D. One clear shape — up, then down, finishing a little lower — without figures. A is wrong: the rate ended below its 2008 level, so it did not increase over the period. B is accurate detail, but it is a run of numbers, not a summary. C misreads a clear rise-and-fall as random movement. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — সংখ্যা ছাড়াই একটি স্পষ্ট আকার: আগে তীব্র বৃদ্ধি, তারপর ধারাবাহিক পতন, শেষে শুরুর চেয়ে সামান্য কম। Trap: A peak ঠিক ধরেছে, কিন্তু “increased over the period” ভুল — শেষে হার (4.5%) 2008-এর (5.0%) চেয়ে কম। B তথ্য ঠিক, কিন্তু এটা সংখ্যার সারি, সারাংশ নয়। C স্পষ্ট ওঠা-নামাকে এলোমেলো পরিবর্তন বলেছে।
3 Group, Don’t List 5 drills
Table — % of homes with internet access, 2020: Norway 98 · Denmark 97 · Poland 86 · Portugal 84 · Romania 72.Which body sentence organises the data best?
Answer: A. Three natural groups, each supported by a figure. B lists every number in table order — the “mechanical” recounting described at Band 5. C over-groups: lumping 72% with 98% as “very high” hides the main difference. D gives a reason that is not in the data. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — তিনটি স্বাভাবিক group (প্রায় 100%-এর কাছে Norway ও Denmark, প্রায় 85%-এ Poland ও Portugal, সবার নীচে Romania), প্রতিটির সাথে সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে। B table-এর ক্রমে সব সংখ্যা — Band 5-এর “mechanical” বর্ণনা। Trap: C group করেছে ঠিকই, কিন্তু group অনেক বড় — 72% আর 98%-কে একসাথে “very high” বলে মূল পার্থক্যটাই লুকিয়ে ফেলেছে। D এমন কারণ দিয়েছে যা data-তে নেই।Average monthly rainfall (mm), one city: Jan 20 · Feb 25 · Mar 30 · Apr 90 · May 180 · Jun 300 · Jul 320 · Aug 290 · Sep 150 · Oct 60 · Nov 25 · Dec 15.Which sentence organises the data best?
Answer: C. It groups the dry months together and contrasts them with the wet season, using figures as evidence. A is a month-by-month list. B is inaccurate — the wettest month had over twenty times the rain of the driest. D is the near-miss: the direction is right, but “steadily” is wrong, because rainfall barely moved from January to March and then jumped. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — শুকনো মাসগুলো (November থেকে March) এক group-এ, তার বিপরীতে বর্ষার মাসগুলো, আর সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে (মাসে 30 mm বা কম, July-তে 320 mm-এর peak)। A মাস ধরে তালিকা। B ভুল — সবচেয়ে বৃষ্টির মাসে সবচেয়ে শুকনো মাসের বিশ গুণেরও বেশি বৃষ্টি, তাই “fairly evenly” নয়। Trap: D-র দিক ঠিক, কিন্তু “steadily” ভুল — January থেকে March প্রায় বদলায়নি, তারপর হঠাৎ লাফ।Bar chart — visitors (millions) to five tourist attractions in 2010 and 2020. Two attractions gained visitors; three lost them.Which plan for the two body paragraphs is most logical?
Answer: B. Grouping by pattern (risers vs fallers) makes comparison automatic. A and D follow the chart order, which produces a list. C dumps the data and then speculates about causes — Task 1 never asks for reasons. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — প্যাটার্ন অনুযায়ী group (যে দুটির visitor বেড়েছে বনাম যে তিনটির কমেছে) করলে তুলনা নিজে থেকেই চলে আসে। Trap: A দেখতে সাজানো plan, কিন্তু আসলে chart-এর ক্রম ধরে ভাগ — D-র মতোই শেষে তালিকা হয়ে যায়। C সব সংখ্যা ঢেলে দিয়ে তারপর কারণ অনুমান করে — Task 1-এ কখনো কারণ চাওয়া হয় না।Pie chart — how students travel to school, 2023: walk 34% · bus 31% · car 28% · bicycle 5% · train 2%.Which sentence groups the data most effectively?
Answer: D. Two groups: three similar main methods and two minor ones. A is a list. B exaggerates — walking (34%) was only slightly ahead of the bus (31%), so “by far” misreports the data. C reverses the facts. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — দুটি group: প্রায় সমান জনপ্রিয় তিনটি প্রধান উপায় (প্রায় 30% করে), আর খুব কম ব্যবহৃত দুটি উপায়। A তালিকা। Trap: B group করেছে, কিন্তু বাড়িয়ে বলেছে — হাঁটা (34%) bus-এর (31%) চেয়ে সামান্যই বেশি, তাই “by far” data ভুলভাবে উপস্থাপন করে। C তথ্যই উল্টে দিয়েছে।Line graph — phone sales (millions), 2018 → 2023: Brand X 10 → 30 · Brand Y 11 → 31 · Brand Z 40 → 15. X and Y rose evenly every year.Which sentence groups the data best?
Answer: A. X and Y share a pattern and are described together; Z is the contrast. “Roughly tripling” is accurate (10 → 30, 11 → 31). B lists without any figures or comparison. C hides the main contrast. D judges “success” from one year and ignores Z’s fall. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — X আর Y-এর প্যাটার্ন এক, তাই একসাথে বলা; Z বিপরীত চিত্র। “roughly tripling”-ও নির্ভুল (10 → 30, 11 → 31)। B কোনো সংখ্যা বা তুলনা ছাড়া শুধু তালিকা। Trap: C সব brand-কে এক group-এ ফেলে মূল পার্থক্যটাই (Z-এর পতন) লুকিয়ে ফেলেছে। D এক বছরের data দেখে “সফল” বলেছে, Z-এর পতন উপেক্ষা করেছে।
4 Choose the Right Comparison Word 5 drills
Coffee consumption per person, 2022: Finland 12.0 kg · Italy 6.2 kg.Which sentence is accurate and grammatically correct?
Answer: D. 12.0 ÷ 6.2 ≈ 1.94 — just under double, so “almost twice as much”. B is the near-miss: “more than double” would need over 12.4 kg. A uses the common error “twice more” (correct form: “twice as much as”). C uses “many” with an uncountable noun. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — 12.0 ÷ 6.2 ≈ 1.94, দ্বিগুণের সামান্য কম, তাই “almost twice as much”; আর uncountable “coffee”-র সাথে “much” ঠিক। Trap: B খুব কাছাকাছি — কিন্তু “more than double” হতে 12.4 kg-এর বেশি লাগত। A-তে প্রচলিত ভুল “twice more” (সঠিক রূপ: “twice as much as”)। C-তে uncountable noun-এর সাথে “many”।The price of a train ticket rose from £40 to £50.Which sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. The rise was £10 on a starting price of £40: 10 ÷ 40 = 25%, a quarter. C is the base trap — 10 ÷ 50 = 20% calculates the change from the new price. A confuses £10 with 10%. D overstates. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — শুরুর দাম £40-এর উপর £10 বৃদ্ধি: 10 ÷ 40 = 25%, অর্থাৎ এক-চতুর্থাংশ (a quarter)। Trap: C হলো ভিত্তির ভুল — 10 ÷ 50 = 20%, অর্থাৎ নতুন দাম দিয়ে ভাগ করা হয়েছে। A £10-কে 10% ভেবেছে। D বাড়িয়ে বলছে। মনে রাখুন: পরিবর্তনের হার সব সময় শুরুর মান দিয়ে ভাগ করে বের করবেন।Forest cover in a region: 12% of land in 2010, 6% in 2020.Which sentence is accurate?
Answer: C. 12% → 6% is half the original share and a fall of six percentage points. A is the classic error: a fall from 12% to 6% is a 50% decrease, not “6%”. B and D get the size wrong. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — 12% থেকে 6% মানে আগের অংশের অর্ধেক (halved), আর ছয় percentage points কমা। Trap: A ক্লাসিক ভুল — 12% থেকে 6% হলো 50% কমা, “6%” নয়; দুটি percentage-এর পার্থক্য বোঝাতে “percentage points” লাগে। B (এক-তৃতীয়াংশ) আর D (বারো points) — দুটোই পরিমাণ ভুল বলেছে।Annual exports: Country P $84 billion · Country Q $21 billion.Which sentence is accurate?
Answer: A. 84 ÷ 21 = 4. C is the trap: four times as large means 300% higher, not 400%. B should be “a quarter”. D gets the ratio wrong and uses the unclear “times more” form. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — 84 ÷ 21 = 4, তাই “four times those of Country Q”। Trap: C — চার গুণ মানে 300% বেশি, 400% নয় (21-এর উপর বাড়তি 63 = 300%)। B-তে হওয়া উচিত “a quarter”, “a third” নয়। D-তে অনুপাত ভুল, আর “times more” রূপটাও অস্পষ্ট।Survey: 47% of men and 49% of women did voluntary work last year.Which comparison is accurate?
Answer: B. A two-point gap is real but small — “marginally” fits. A exaggerates; C erases a real difference; D misreads the figures entirely. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — দুই point-এর পার্থক্য সত্যিই আছে, কিন্তু ছোট, তাই “marginally”। A (“far more likely”) বাড়িয়ে বলে। Trap: C শুনতে নিরাপদ, কিন্তু একটা আসল পার্থক্য মুছে দেয় — 47 আর 49 “exactly the same” নয়। D সংখ্যা পুরো ভুল পড়েছে।
5 Numbers Support, They Don’t Lead 5 drills
Library loans (thousands): 2010: 850 · 2015: 620 · 2020: 310.Which is the best body-paragraph sentence?
Answer: C. The point (a steady decline) comes first, and the figures prove it. A is number-led with no point. B draws a conclusion about young people that the data cannot support. D makes a point but gives no evidence, and “dramatically and significantly … period of time” is padding. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — আগে পয়েন্ট (ধারাবাহিক পতন), তারপর সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে (850,000 থেকে মাত্র 310,000)। A শুধু সংখ্যা, কোনো পয়েন্ট নেই। B তরুণদের নিয়ে এমন সিদ্ধান্ত যা data সমর্থন করে না। Trap: D-তে পয়েন্ট আছে, শুনতেও জোরালো — কিন্তু কোনো প্রমাণ নেই, আর “dramatically and significantly … period of time” শুধু অপ্রয়োজনীয় শব্দ।Share of electric cars in new-car sales, Norway: 22% in 2015, 79% in 2022.Which sentence follows the “point first, figure as evidence” pattern?
Answer: D. The point (“came to dominate”) leads; the figures back it up. A has no clear subject and no point. B leads with the numbers. C has a vague “point” (“interesting”) and no evidence at all. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — আগে পয়েন্ট (“came to dominate”), তারপর সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে (22% থেকে 79%)। A-তে স্পষ্ট subject নেই, পয়েন্টও নেই। Trap: B-তে পয়েন্ট আছে, কিন্তু উল্টো ক্রমে — সংখ্যা দিয়ে শুরু, এই trick ঠিক যা বদলাতে বলে। C-র “interesting” অস্পষ্ট পয়েন্ট, কোনো প্রমাণও নেই।Average one-way commute (minutes): City X 52 · City Y 31 · City Z 29.Which is the strongest body sentence?
Answer: A. Point first (“by far the longest”), figures as proof, and Y and Z grouped. B is a bare list. C speculates about causes. D has the right idea but joins three clauses with commas (a comma splice), a typical Band 5–6 grammar error. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — আগে পয়েন্ট (“by far the longest”), সংখ্যা প্রমাণ হিসেবে, আর প্রায় সমান Y ও Z-কে এক group-এ (“about 30”)। B শুধু তালিকা। C কারণ অনুমান করেছে। Trap: D-র ধারণা ঠিক, কিন্তু তিনটি clause শুধু comma দিয়ে জোড়া (comma splice) — Band 5–6-এর সাধারণ grammar ভুল।A student’s body paragraph: “Sales went up. Then they went down. At the end they went up again.”What is the main problem?
Answer: B. Without figures (or times), the key features are not supported, which keeps Task Achievement low. A is wrong — the past simple is correct for past data. C is wrong — Task 1 does not ask for reasons. D is wrong — “Moreover” adds ideas; it is not a linker for a sequence of changes. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — সংখ্যা (বা সময়) ছাড়া মূল বৈশিষ্ট্যগুলোর কোনো সমর্থন নেই, তাই Task Achievement কম থাকে। A ভুল — অতীতের data-র জন্য past simple-ই সঠিক। C ভুল — Task 1-এ কারণ চাওয়া হয় না। Trap: D শুনতে উন্নতির মতো, কিন্তু “Moreover” নতুন idea যোগ করে — ধারাবাহিক পরিবর্তন বোঝানোর linker নয়।Pie chart — household spending, 2020: housing 35% · food 20% · transport 15% · leisure 10% · other 20%.Which sentence uses the figures most effectively?
Answer: D. A clear comparative point supported by two figures. A lists every slice. B has no data and says nothing. C starts well but adds an opinion. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — একটা স্পষ্ট তুলনামূলক পয়েন্ট (housing সবচেয়ে বড় খরচ, food-এর চেয়ে অনেক এগিয়ে), দুটি সংখ্যা দিয়ে সমর্থিত। A সব অংশের তালিকা। B-তে কোনো data নেই, কার্যত কিছুই বলে না। Trap: C-র শুরুটা ভালো, কিন্তু শেষে মতামত (“far too high”) যোগ করেছে — Task 1-এ মতামতের জায়গা নেই।
6 Match the Intensity Word to the Actual Steepness 5 drills
New car sales: 2.0 million in 2019, 1.1 million in 2020.Which sentence matches the change?
Answer: A. A 45% drop in one year is dramatic — “plunged”. B and C badly understate it. D is the near-miss: the size is right, but “steadily” describes a gradual change over time, not a single steep fall. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — এক বছরে 45% পতন dramatic, তাই “plunged”, আর “almost half” পরিমাণটাও ঠিক। B (“dipped slightly”) আর C (“declined gradually”) অনেক কমিয়ে বলেছে। Trap: D-তে পরিমাণ ঠিক, কিন্তু “steadily” মানে সময় নিয়ে ধীরে ধীরে পরিবর্তন — এক বছরের একটা তীব্র পতন নয়।Population of a town: 48,000 (2000) · 49,000 (2010) · 50,500 (2020).Which sentence matches the change?
Answer: C. About 5% growth in 20 years is a slight rise. A and B exaggerate. D goes too far the other way — there was a small but real increase. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — 20 বছরে প্রায় 5% বৃদ্ধি (48,000 থেকে 50,500) সামান্যই, তাই “grew only slightly”। A (“soared”) আর B (“rose sharply”) বাড়িয়ে বলেছে। Trap: D উল্টো দিকে বেশি গেছে — ছোট হলেও বৃদ্ধি সত্যিই হয়েছে, তাই “completely unchanged” ভুল।Price of rice (pence per kg): Jan 40 · Feb 41 · Mar 40 · Apr 42 · May 41 · Jun 40.Which sentence matches the data?
Answer: B. Small ups and downs within a narrow band = “fluctuated slightly”. A exaggerates the size. C is wrong — the price ended where it started. D is wrong — 42p was reached only once. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — 40p থেকে 42p-এর সরু পরিসরে ছোট ছোট ওঠা-নামা = “fluctuated slightly”। Trap: A ঠিকই ধরেছে যে দাম ওঠা-নামা করেছে, কিন্তু “wildly” বলে পরিমাণটা অনেক বাড়িয়ে দিয়েছে। C ভুল — দাম যেখানে শুরু (40p), সেখানেই শেষ। D ভুল — 42p মাত্র একবার ছুঁয়েছে।On one graph: Site 1 rose from 2,000 to 2,100 visitors a month; Site 2 rose from 1,000 to 9,000.Which verb best describes Site 1?
Answer: D. A 5% rise beside Site 2’s ninefold jump is small — “edged up”. A and B belong to Site 2. C is the near-miss: the line looks almost flat, but there was a real increase, so “remained flat” misreports it. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — Site 2-এর নয় গুণ লাফের পাশে Site 1-এর 5% বৃদ্ধি ছোট, তাই “edged up”। A আর B Site 2-এর জন্য মানানসই, Site 1-এর জন্য নয়। Trap: C — একই graph-এ রেখাটা প্রায় সমান দেখায়, কিন্তু সত্যিই বৃদ্ধি হয়েছে, তাই “remained flat” data ভুল বলে।A student wrote: “Between 2015 and 2020, membership increased dramatically from 400 to 420, and then it rocketed slightly to 430.”What is wrong with this sentence?
Answer: A. A 5% rise is not “dramatic”, and “rocketed” cannot be “slight”. Wrong intensity misrepresents the data (Task Achievement) and shows imprecise word choice (Lexical Resource). B: past data takes past tenses. C: actual numbers are fine. D is the myth this trick exists to correct. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — 400 থেকে 420 মাত্র 5% বৃদ্ধি, “dramatic” নয়; আর “rocketed” কখনো “slight” হতে পারে না — শব্দ দুটো পরস্পরবিরোধী। ভুল তীব্রতা data ভুলভাবে দেখায় (Task Achievement) আর শব্দচয়নে নির্ভুলতার অভাব দেখায় (Lexical Resource)। B ভুল — অতীতের data-য় past tense। C ভুল — আসল সংখ্যা দেওয়াই ঠিক। Trap: D হলো সেই ভুল ধারণা — জোরালো শব্দ মানেই বেশি score — যা ঠিক করতেই এই trick।
Writing Task 1B: Maps
📖 Book Chapter 8Task 1 sometimes shows two maps of the same place at different times, and asks you to describe what changed. This uses the same three-part structure as data description, but the language is completely different — location and direction instead of numbers, and passive voice for changes instead of comparison words. This chapter is built around five specific tricks for handling maps accurately, plus a dedicated vocabulary bank for location and change.
- know and apply five specific tricks for describing map changes: fixed reference points, tense/voice patterns, area-based organisation, a whole-map overview, and precise location language
- use a working vocabulary of location and change language (addition, removal, conversion, modification)
- write a complete, accurately structured map-comparison response
Flow: Budget roughly 5 minutes per trick (~25 minutes for all five), then the practice phase below puts them together in a full timed response.
- Before Trick 1, give pairs 90 seconds with the two Rivermouth maps: each pair names three changes and one thing that stayed the same. Collect them on the board — you will reuse the list for Tricks 3 and 4 and the Warm-up.
- Point out the compass on the maps before the trick work: every location sentence today uses north, south, east and west — never "top" or "left of the map" (Trick 5).
See the task first — a complete map answer
Before the tricks, see what a finished answer to these maps actually looks like — the Rivermouth maps above, written up in full with every part labelled. The five tricks that follow teach you how to build each piece.
IntroductionThe two maps illustrate how the town of Rivermouth changed over the twenty years between 2000 and 2020.
OverviewOverall, the town became far more developed and better connected, as farmland, parkland and industry gave way to leisure, shopping and housing, and a road bridge replaced the ferry. The river, Mill Road, the school, the woodland and the shops, however, stayed as they were.
Body 1 (west of the river)On the western bank, the farmland in the north-west was replaced by a sports centre with playing fields. Just south of this, a new road, Bridge Street, was built across the town, crossing the river on a bridge immediately north of the school, and the ferry that had run just south of the school was removed. The school and the woodland in the south-west were unaffected.
Body 2 (east of the river)East of the river, the tree-lined park in the north-east was cleared for a shopping mall, with a car park on its southern side beside Bridge Street. Further south, the factory was demolished and replaced by a housing estate, and a riverside footpath was laid along the bank to link the new homes with the bridge. Only the shops beside Mill Road stayed the same.
Before describing any change, identify the 2–3 fixed features that appear unchanged in the SAME position on both maps — a river, a main road, a landmark. These become your reference points for locating everything else ("to the north of the river," "next to the school").
Without fixed reference points, location language becomes vague ("something changed near the middle") — Task Achievement rewards key features that are reported accurately, and on a map a change is only accurate if the reader can tell where it happened. Fixed reference points are what make precise location possible.
"The river running through the town and the main road remain unchanged across both maps, providing clear reference points for the changes described below."
Looking at the maps above, which two features run through the whole town and work purely as background reference points — not reportable changes themselves?
Describe the earlier map's features in ordinary past simple ("A park was situated in the north"), then switch to passive past for what happened to them ("...it was converted into a shopping mall"). Passive voice puts the FEATURE first, not an unnamed "someone" who changed it.
One more case — a map that changes up to NOW. If the second map shows the present (labelled now / present day / today, not a past year), report the change in the present perfect passive: "The school that was located near the theatre has now been replaced with a garage." ⛔ Use the present perfect only when the newer map is the present situation. If both maps are in the past (e.g. 1990 → 2010), stay in past simple + passive past — do not use the present perfect.
Answers written in the active voice often invent an agent the map never shows ("the council built a mall"). The passive keeps you accurate to what the diagram actually shows — WHAT changed, not who changed it — and a correct mix of tenses and passives also counts towards Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
"In 2000, a park was situated in the north-east of the town, on the eastern bank of the river. By 2020, however, it had been replaced by a shopping mall and a car park." — past simple sets the old scene, passive past reports the change.
Using the maps above, describe what happened to the factory in one sentence, using passive past.
Keep this flow in mind, then swap in a different expression each time so your writing never sounds fixed. (Tip: you can ask an AI tool to rephrase any of these into your own words — that is exactly how you avoid a rigid, over-used opening.)
| Stage | Alternatives you can rotate |
|---|---|
| Opening (say what the maps show) | The maps show a [place] before and after… · The two maps illustrate the changes to… · The diagrams compare [place] in [year] and [year]… |
| Overview (the biggest overall change, no detail) | Overall, the area became far more built-up… · On the whole, the area grew greener / more developed… · The most noticeable change is that… |
| Body 1 (first area — or, if you organise by time, the earlier map) | In [year], … · To the north there was… · Originally, the site contained… · At first, … |
| Body 2 (second area — or what had changed by the later map) | By [year], …had been replaced by… · A new … had been built… · …was converted into… · …had disappeared, and in its place… |
Group your description by geographic zone (north side / south side, or "near the river" vs. "further inland") rather than jumping between unrelated changes in random order — describe everything in one area fully before moving to the next.
Coherence and Cohesion rewards information that is logically organised with clear progression. An answer that hops between corners of the map loses marks under this criterion, even if every individual change is accurately described.
"The factory became housing. A bridge was added. The farmland became a sports centre. The park became a mall."
"On the eastern bank, the former park in the north-east was converted into a shopping mall with a car park. Further south on the same side of the river, the old factory was demolished and replaced by a housing estate, which a new riverside footpath now links to the bridge."
The school (unchanged), the new bridge and the old ferry crossing are all beside the river on the western side of the town. Write one organised sentence that groups them together, rather than describing them as three separate, unrelated points.
Before writing the overview, step back from the individual buildings and ask two questions: (1) what is the overall character of the change — did the place become more built-up, more residential, more commercial, greener, better connected? (2) what major features were left untouched? Answer both in one or two sentences, with no single building, position or date-by-date detail. The individual changes belong in the body paragraphs.
Task Achievement at Band 7 needs "a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages". On a map, the most common failures are an overview that simply lists every change (which is detail, not a trend) or no overview at all. Saying what stayed the same is part of the big picture too — it shows the examiner you have compared the whole map, not just spotted the new buildings.
"Overall, a sports centre, a bridge, a road, a shopping mall, a car park, a housing estate and a footpath were built."
"Overall, Rivermouth became far more developed and better connected, as open and industrial land gave way to leisure, shopping and housing, while the river, Mill Road and several older features were unaffected."
Which TWO of these words best describe the overall change in Rivermouth: greener, more developed, more industrial, better connected? Then write your own one-sentence overview that names no single building.
Describe positions as if you were standing in the real place, not looking at a sheet of paper. Use compass zones (in the north-east of the town, in the south-west) and prepositions anchored to features (just north of the school, on the eastern bank, between the river and Mill Road, beside Mill Road, across the river from). Avoid "at the top of the map", "on the left side" or "in the corner of the picture" — they describe the page, not the place. Watch one small but important difference: in the north of the town = inside it; to the north of the town = outside it.
On a map, a change is only reported accurately if the reader knows where it happened — that is Task Achievement. Precise location vocabulary is also exactly what Lexical Resource rewards in this task type, while "top/bottom/left" reads as imprecise, picture-describing language, and a wrong in/to can move a building out of the town altogether.
"At the top on the right, the park became a mall, and a bridge was built in the middle on the left."
"In the north-east, between the river and Mill Road, the park was replaced by a shopping mall, while a bridge was built across the river just north of the school."
Rewrite this sentence about the maps above with precise location language (and formal verbs): "At the bottom of the map on the right, the factory was knocked down and houses were put there, and a path was made next to the water."
Vocabulary glossary — location & change language
- located in the north-east of / situated along the riverbank
- adjacent to / in the vicinity of / on the outskirts of
- in the centre of / overlooking
- was constructed / was built
- a new X was added / X was introduced
- was demolished / was removed
- X disappeared / was cleared
- was converted into / was transformed into
- was replaced by / gave way to
- was extended / was widened / was relocated / was expanded — a partial change
- remained unchanged / stayed the same / was unaffected — no change at all
- The new stadium is ___ the north of the city centre, close to the ring road. → located to / situated to (location & position) এগুলো কোনো জিনিস কোথায় আছে তা বোঝায় — পরিবর্তন নয়, শুধু অবস্থান। বাক্যে আগেই “is” আছে আর কিছু বদলানোর কথা নেই, তাই map-এ জায়গা বোঝানোর শব্দ লাগবে: “is located/situated to the north of …”।
- A new car park ___ next to the station to serve the growing number of commuters. → was constructed / was built (addition) এগুলো বোঝায় নতুন কিছু তৈরি হয়েছে — আগের map-এ ছিল না, পরেরটায় এসেছে। কে বানিয়েছে তা জরুরি নয়, তাই passive past (was + V3)। নতুন building, road বা car park যোগ হলে এগুলো লিখুন।
- The old cinema ___ in 2015 to make way for a housing development. → was demolished / was removed (removal) এগুলো বোঝায় কিছু ভেঙে বা সরিয়ে ফেলা হয়েছে — “to make way for” মানে পুরোনোটা সরিয়ে নতুন কিছুর জায়গা করা হয়েছে। আগের map-এ ছিল কিন্তু পরেরটায় নেই, এমন জিনিসের জন্য এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন।
- The abandoned warehouse ___ a modern apartment complex over the following decade. → was converted into / was transformed into (conversion) এগুলো বোঝায় একটা জিনিস বদলে অন্য কিছু হয়ে গেছে — warehouse-টা এখন apartment complex। একই জায়গার পুরোনো জিনিস নতুন রূপ বা ব্যবহারে বদলে গেলে এগুলো লিখুন; খেয়াল করুন, পরে “into” লাগে।
- The main road ___ to accommodate more traffic, but the park itself ___ throughout the period. → was widened; remained unchanged (modification & no change) প্রথম ফাঁকা জায়গায় আংশিক পরিবর্তন — রাস্তাটা আছে, শুধু চওড়া করা হয়েছে (was widened)। দ্বিতীয়টায় কোনো পরিবর্তন নেই — park আগের মতোই (remained unchanged); এটা passive নয়, কারণ park-এর উপর কেউ কিছু করেনি।
Flow: Step 1 (4 min) → Step 2 (8 min) → Step 3 full timed response (20 min).
- Using the maps above, list every change and every built or natural feature that stays the same (ignore the river and Mill Road — those are only reference points), in one short phrase each. Then mark each item W (west of the river) or E (east of the river) — that is your paragraph plan.
Model — changes: farmland → sports centre + playing fields (W); new road, Bridge Street (W and E); new bridge just north of the school (centre); ferry removed (centre); park → shopping mall (E); car park added (E); factory → housing estate (E); riverside footpath added (E). Unchanged: school (W), woodland (W), shops (E).Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: প্রতিটি পরিবর্তন এক লাইনে, আর পাশে W/E দেওয়া — তাই body কীভাবে ভাগ হবে তা আগেই ঠিক হয়ে গেছে। bridge আর ferry নদীর ওপরেই, তাই এদের “centre” ধরা হয়েছে, আর Bridge Street দুই পাড়েই গেছে। অপরিবর্তিত জিনিসগুলোও আলাদা করে লেখা — overview-তে এগুলো লাগবে।
- Using Tricks 2, 3 and 5, write one paragraph describing the changes on the eastern bank of the river (the mall and car park, the housing estate and the riverside footpath), grouped together, using passive past and precise location language.
Model: On the eastern bank, the most striking change was in the north-east, where the tree-lined park between the river and Mill Road was cleared and a shopping mall was built, with a car park on its southern side. Further south, the factory was demolished and replaced by a housing estate, and a riverside footpath was laid along the bank, connecting the new homes with the bridge. Only the row of shops beside Mill Road was left as it was.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: পুরো paragraph eastern bank-এ থাকে আর উত্তর থেকে দক্ষিণে নামে — আগে north-east-এর mall, তারপর “Further south” দিয়ে housing estate আর footpath। প্রতিটি পরিবর্তন passive-এ (was cleared, was built, was demolished and replaced, was laid), কোনো কর্তা নেই। শেষ বাক্যে যা বদলায়নি (Mill Road-এর পাশের shops) সেটাও এসেছে, তাই ওই এলাকার ছবি সম্পূর্ণ।
- Use all five tricks together: reference points named early, past simple for the 2000 map and passive past for the changes, paragraphs organised by area rather than change-by-change, an overview of the whole transformation (including what stayed the same), and compass-based location language. Try it first — reveal the full model answer below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model answer
The maps compare the town of Rivermouth in 2000 and 2020, showing how its layout changed over twenty years.
Overall, the town was extensively redeveloped and became far better connected, as farmland, parkland and industry gave way to leisure facilities, shops and homes, and a road bridge took the place of the ferry. The River Wye, Mill Road, the school, the woodland and the shops all remained unchanged.
West of the river, the farmland in the north-west had disappeared by 2020, and a sports centre with playing fields had been built on the land. Immediately south of it, a new road, Bridge Street, had been laid across the town, crossing the river on a bridge just north of the school, while the ferry that had once run just south of the school had been removed.
On the eastern bank, the park in the north-east had been cleared to make way for a large shopping mall and an adjoining car park beside Bridge Street. In the south-east, the factory had been demolished and replaced by a housing estate, which a new riverside footpath linked to the bridge.
- Compare an old and a new map of your own area (or two satellite images) and list five changes.
- Write each change as a passive sentence: "A car park was built to the south of the school."
- Group your changes by area and write one paragraph for each area.
Self-practice: Pick one term from each of the 5 glossary categories above and write one original sentence for each, describing any place you know well (your neighbourhood, school, or hometown).
- identify fixed reference points, use the correct tense/voice pattern for old features vs. changes, organise a map-comparison response by area, write an overview of the whole transformation, and locate every change with compass points and anchored prepositions — using accurate location and change vocabulary
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1. Tenses. The second map shows the town today. Which sentence correctly describes the change to the cinema?
Answer: C. When the later map shows the present, a completed change is reported in the present perfect passive — has been converted. A drops “been”, so it becomes active and ungrammatical; B uses the present simple with “since”, a typical Band 5 error; D reverses the meaning (the hotel replaced the cinema, not the other way round). 🔑 বাংলায়: দ্বিতীয় map যদি “today” দেখায়, পরিবর্তন বোঝাতে present perfect passive — “has been converted”। A-তে “been” নেই, B-তে “since”-এর সাথে present simple ভুল, আর D-তে অর্থ উল্টে গেছে। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: B-তে “since” থাকায় সময়ের হিসাব ঠিক মনে হয়, কিন্তু since-এর সাথে present simple চলে না। -
2. Overview. Which is the best overview of these two maps?
Answer: A. An overview states the main trend across the whole map — open land (the car park and the farmland) has been built on. B picks one detail and wrongly calls it the main change; C simply lists every change, which belongs in the body; D is an opinion the map cannot show, so it adds nothing to Task Achievement. 🔑 বাংলায়: overview-তে পুরো map-এর মূল প্রবণতা বলতে হয় — খোলা জমিতে নির্মাণ হয়েছে। B একটি ছোট detail, C সব পরিবর্তনের তালিকা (এটা body-র কাজ), D নিজের মতামত — map তা দেখায় না। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: C-র প্রতিটি তথ্যই সঠিক, তাই ভালো মনে হয় — কিন্তু সব পরিবর্তনের তালিকা overview নয়। -
3. Organise by area. Which body sentence follows “group by area, not change by change” best?
Answer: D. It moves through the map in a clear spatial order (“further south… beyond it”), so the reader always knows where each change is. A jumps north → south → river with no location words; B numbers the changes instead of locating them; C compares sizes, which the description never gives — an invented detail. 🔑 বাংলায়: D map-এর ওপর দিয়ে একটি স্পষ্ট দিকক্রমে এগোয় (“further south… beyond it”), তাই প্রতিটি পরিবর্তন কোথায় তা বোঝা যায়। A-তে অবস্থানের শব্দ নেই, B শুধু Firstly/Secondly দিয়ে গোনে, C আকারের তুলনা করে যা দেওয়াই নেই। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A-র তথ্য ঠিক, কিন্তু অবস্থানের কোনো শব্দ নেই, তাই পাঠক বোঝেন না কোন পরিবর্তন কোথায়।
1 Establish Your Reference Points First 5 drills
Maps for Q4–5 — Lakeside Park, 2005 and now. Unchanged: the lake in the centre and the main entrance on the south side. Changes: a café has been added on the lake's northern shore; the tennis courts east of the lake have become a playground.
1. (Hallam) Which sentence locates the new school most precisely?
Answer: B. It anchors the school to a fixed feature (“west of the railway line”), so the location is exact. A is not wrong but vague (“the western part”, “where farms were”); C uses informal, imprecise “middle-left”; D puts the school in the wrong place — the trap of linking two new features to each other instead of to a fixed point. 🔑 বাংলায়: B একটি অপরিবর্তিত বৈশিষ্ট্যের (railway line) সাপেক্ষে অবস্থান দেয় — তাই সবচেয়ে নির্ভুল। A ভুল নয়, কিন্তু অস্পষ্ট (“the western part”, “where farms were”); C-র “middle-left” অনানুষ্ঠানিক আর অস্পষ্ট; D-তে school-এর অবস্থানই ভুল। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: D দুটো নতুন জিনিসকে (school আর car park) একে অপরের সাপেক্ষে বসায় — অবস্থান সবসময় কোনো স্থির জিনিসের সাপেক্ষে বলুন।2. (Hallam) Which two features should you present as fixed reference points rather than as changes?
Answer: A. Only features that appear in the same place on both maps can serve as reference points. The car park (B) and the school (C) are new, and the farm (D) has disappeared — each is a change you must report, not a landmark. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটো map-এই একই জায়গায় থাকা বৈশিষ্ট্যই reference point হতে পারে — railway আর church। car park ও school নতুন, farm সরে গেছে — এগুলো report করার মতো পরিবর্তন। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B-তে church ঠিক আছে, কিন্তু car park নতুন — একটা অংশ ঠিক থাকলেই পুরো option ঠিক হয় না।3. (Hallam) A student writes: “In 1995 there was a railway, a church and a farm. In 2015 there was a railway, a church, a school and a car park.” What is the main weakness?
Answer: D. Two inventories side by side never say where anything changed. A is a myth — both maps are in the past (1995, 2015), so past forms are right; B asks for information a map cannot show; C confuses the overview (main trends) with a full list. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটো map-এর তালিকা পাশাপাশি দিলে কোথায় পরিবর্তন হলো তা বোঝা যায় না। দুটো map-ই অতীতের, তাই past tense ঠিক আছে (A ভুল); কে বানাল তা map দেখায় না (B ভুল); overview মানে সব কিছুর তালিকা নয় (C ভুল)। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A শুনতে নিয়মের মতো, কিন্তু present perfect শুধু তখনই, যখন দ্বিতীয় map বর্তমানের।4. (Lakeside Park) Which sentence about the café is accurate?
Answer: C. The second map shows the present, so “has been added” fits, and the location uses two fixed points (the lake, the southern entrance across from it). A dates the café to 2005, but it does not appear on the 2005 map; B moves the tennis courts to the north (they were east); D puts the entrance on the wrong side. 🔑 বাংলায়: দ্বিতীয় map বর্তমানের, তাই “has been added” ঠিক; অবস্থানও lake আর entrance-এর সাপেক্ষে নির্ভুল। A-তে café-কে 2005-এ বসানো হয়েছে, B-তে tennis court-এর দিক ভুল, D-তে entrance-এর দিক ভুল। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: A-র অবস্থান ঠিক, কিন্তু café 2005-এর map-এ নেই — তাই “In 2005… was built” ভুল।5. (Lakeside Park) Which is the best overview?
Answer: B. It gives the big picture — limited redevelopment around an unchanged core — without detail. A is really body-paragraph detail; C is an assumption the map cannot support; D describes the present layout but says nothing about change, which is what the task is about. 🔑 বাংলায়: B পুরো ছবিটা দেয় — park-এর কিছু অংশ নতুন করে সাজানো হয়েছে, আর মূল অংশ (lake, entrance) একই আছে — কোনো detail ছাড়া। A আসলে body-র detail; C এমন অনুমান যা map দেখায় না; D শুধু বর্তমান layout বলে, পরিবর্তনের কথা নেই — অথচ task-টাই পরিবর্তন নিয়ে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: A “Overall” দিয়ে শুরু হলেও ভেতরে দুটো নির্দিষ্ট পরিবর্তন — শুরুর শব্দ দেখে overview ধরে নেবেন না।
2 Past Simple for the Old Map, Passive Past for the Changes 5 drills
1. Maps of a harbour in 1980 and 2010: the fishing harbour has become a marina for yachts. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. Both maps are in the past, and “By 2010” looks back from a past point, so the past perfect passive is needed. A uses the present perfect, which only fits when the later map is “now”; B is active, as if the harbour converted itself; D (past continuous) suggests the work was unfinished. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটো map-ই অতীতের, আর “By 2010” অতীতের একটি সময় পর্যন্ত বোঝায় — তাই past perfect passive “had been converted”। A-র present perfect শুধু “now” map-এ চলে, B active, D কাজ অসমাপ্ত বোঝায়। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: A দেখতে ঠিক passive, কিন্তু দুটো map-ই অতীতের হলে present perfect চলে না।2. First map 1998, second map labelled “Present day”: a warehouse is now a block of flats. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: D. A change that leads up to the present takes the present perfect passive (“has since been turned into”). A uses the past perfect with “the present day”, a tense clash; B dates the conversion to 1998, when the map still shows a warehouse; C drops “been”, so the sentence becomes active. 🔑 বাংলায়: বর্তমান পর্যন্ত আসা পরিবর্তনে present perfect passive — “has since been turned into”। A-তে tense-এর গরমিল, B-তে সাল ভুল (1998-এ তো warehouse-ই ছিল), C-তে “been” নেই। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A-তে passive ঠিক আছে, কিন্তু “the present day”-এর সাথে past perfect মেলে না।3. The 1990 map shows a forest on the hillside north of a village. Which sentence describes the old map correctly?
Answer: B. Describing what was there on an old map needs the ordinary past simple. A is a very common error — “exist” cannot be passive; C uses the present perfect with a finished past year; D uses the present tense for 1990. 🔑 বাংলায়: পুরোনো map-এ কী ছিল তা বলতে সাধারণ past simple। “exist”-এর passive হয় না (A ভুল), নির্দিষ্ট অতীত সালের সাথে present perfect চলে না (C), আর 1990-এর জন্য present tense ভুল (D)। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: A-র “was existed” শুনতে formal লাগে, কিন্তু exist-এর passive হয় না।4. Maps of 2000 and 2020: a riverside factory has become a housing estate. Which sentence adds information the maps cannot show?
Answer: A. A map shows what changed, never who did it or why — “the council” and “to provide homes for workers” are invented. B, C and D all report the same change accurately, using the passive or a verb that needs no agent (“made way for”, “appeared”). 🔑 বাংলায়: map দেখায় কী বদলেছে — কে বা কেন বদলেছে তা নয়। A-তে “the council” (কর্তা) আর “to provide homes for workers” (উদ্দেশ্য) দুটোই বানানো। B, C, D একই পরিবর্তন নির্ভুলভাবে বলে — passive দিয়ে, বা এমন verb দিয়ে যার কর্তা লাগে না (made way for, appeared)। তাই প্রশ্নের উত্তর A — এটাই সমস্যাযুক্ত বাক্য। Trap: A-র ইংরেজি সাবলীল আর বাস্তবসম্মত শোনায়, কিন্তু map-এ নেই এমন তথ্য যোগ করলে Task Achievement-এ ক্ষতি হয়।5. Maps of 1970 and 2000: a two-lane road has become four lanes, and the petrol station beside it is gone. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. The past perfect passive suits “By 2000”, and “had disappeared” is correct because disappear needs no object. A uses the present perfect for two past maps; B has the classic error “was widen” (needs the past participle widened); D's “had removed” is active, as if the petrol station removed something. 🔑 বাংলায়: “By 2000”-এর সাথে past perfect passive; আর “disappear”-এর object লাগে না, তাই “had disappeared” ঠিক। A-তে present perfect ভুল, B-তে “was widen” ভুল (widened হবে), D-তে “had removed” active। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: D দেখতে প্রায় C-র মতো, কিন্তু “had removed”-এ been নেই — তাই বাক্যটা active হয়ে গেছে।
3 Organise by Area, Not Change by Change 5 drills
1. Which body-paragraph plan is best?
Answer: A. The motorway splits the map into two clear zones, so one paragraph per zone gives logical progression. B wastes a paragraph on something that did not change; C mixes the two sides in each paragraph; D produces four thin paragraphs in random order — all weaker for Coherence and Cohesion. 🔑 বাংলায়: motorway map-কে দুই ভাগে ভাগ করেছে — তাই প্রতি ভাগে একটি paragraph সবচেয়ে যৌক্তিক। B অপরিবর্তিত জিনিসে পুরো paragraph খরচ করে, C দুই দিক মিশিয়ে ফেলে, D এলোমেলো। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: C-তে দুটো paragraph আছে বলে গোছানো মনে হয়, কিন্তু প্রতিটিতে দুই পাশের জিনিস মেশানো।2. Which sentence best opens the paragraph about the east?
Answer: B. It names the area first, then sums up the character of the change before giving detail. A has no location and a vague “Also”; C starts with a minor detail and a mechanical “Secondly”; D uses the present tense for a 2020 map and explains a difference without reporting any change. 🔑 বাংলায়: B আগে এলাকার নাম বলে (East of the motorway), তারপর সেখানকার পরিবর্তনের ধরন (industrial), এরপর detail। A-তে অবস্থান নেই, শুধু অস্পষ্ট “Also”; C ছোট একটা detail আর যান্ত্রিক “Secondly” দিয়ে শুরু; D 2020-এর map-এর জন্য present tense ব্যবহার করে, আর কোনো পরিবর্তন report না করে শুধু পার্থক্য বলে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: D-তে east আর west দুটোরই কথা আছে বলে organised মনে হয়, কিন্তু এতে কোনো পরিবর্তনই নেই।3. Choose the best linker: “West of the motorway, the woodland was cleared for housing. ______, the farmland was turned into an industrial park.”
Answer: D. The second sentence is about a different area, so the linker should signal a change of place. A and C claim a cause the map never shows — a common misuse of linkers; B is grammatical but only adds, so the reader loses track of where the farmland is. 🔑 বাংলায়: দ্বিতীয় বাক্যটি অন্য এলাকার, তাই linker-কে জায়গা বদল বোঝাতে হবে — “Across the motorway”। A আর C এমন কারণ দাবি করে যা map-এ নেই; B শুধু যোগ করে, অবস্থান বলে না। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: B ব্যাকরণে ঠিক বলে সবচেয়ে নিরাপদ মনে হয়, কিন্তু অন্য এলাকায় যাওয়ার কোনো সংকেত দেয় না।4. A student writes: “In the west, woodland was replaced by housing. In the east, an industrial park was built. In the west, a school was also added. In the east, the station closed.” What is the main weakness?
Answer: C. Every sentence is accurate, but the writing zig-zags west → east → west → east, which weakens progression. A is a myth (both maps are past); B asks for numbers the map does not give; D is false — every significant change should be reported. 🔑 বাংলায়: প্রতিটি বাক্য ঠিক, কিন্তু লেখা west → east → west → east করে ঘুরছে — এক এলাকা শেষ করে পরেরটায় যাওয়া উচিত। A একটি ভুল ধারণা, B-র সংখ্যা map-এ নেই, D ভুল — সব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পরিবর্তনই বলতে হবে। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: প্রতিটি বাক্য নির্ভুল বলে মনে হয় কোনো সমস্যা নেই — কিন্তু এখানে সমস্যা তথ্যে নয়, সাজানোয়।5. Where do the motorway and other unchanged features belong in this answer?
Answer: A. What stayed the same is a key feature too, so it can be mentioned briefly in the overview and then used to locate changes. B over-describes it; C leaves out a key feature; D is wrong twice — Task 1 needs an overview, not an opinion-based conclusion. 🔑 বাংলায়: যা বদলায়নি সেটাও গুরুত্বপূর্ণ তথ্য — overview-তে সংক্ষেপে বলুন, আর body-তে অবস্থান বোঝাতে ব্যবহার করুন। B অতিরিক্ত বর্ণনা, C তথ্য বাদ দেয়, D ভুল — Task 1-এ মতামতসহ conclusion নয়, overview লাগে। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: C শুনতে কড়া নিয়মের মতো, কিন্তু বড় অপরিবর্তিত জিনিস বাদ দিলে একটা key feature বাদ পড়ে।
4 The Overview Is the Overall Transformation 5 drills
Maps for Q4–5 — Northpoint seafront, 1995 and now. Unchanged: the coastline, the pier and the promenade. Changes: the fish market has become a restaurant; the beach huts have been replaced by a children's play area; the car park beside the pier is now a hotel.
1. (Greyford) Which is the best overview?
Answer: D. It sums up the character of the change (more built-up, more residential) and what stayed the same, with no single building. A is the commonest trap — a full list of changes is body detail, not a trend; B is an opinion the map cannot show; C picks out one detail and calls it the main change. 🔑 বাংলায়: D পরিবর্তনের ধরন (বেশি built-up ও residential) আর কী একই আছে — দুটোই বলে, কোনো একক building ছাড়া। B মতামত, map তা দেখায় না; C একটি detail-কে মূল পরিবর্তন বানিয়েছে। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A সবচেয়ে common Trap — সব পরিবর্তনের তালিকা overview নয়, body-র detail।2. (Greyford) Which of these should be kept OUT of the overview and saved for the body paragraphs?
Answer: B. Precise locations of individual new buildings are details, so they belong in the body, organised by area. A and D are the overall trend — the heart of an overview; C is the trap: unchanged major features are part of the big picture and can be mentioned briefly in the overview. 🔑 বাংলায়: নতুন building-গুলোর নির্দিষ্ট অবস্থান detail — তাই body-তে যাবে, এলাকা অনুযায়ী। A আর D হলো overall trend, overview-এর মূল কথা। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: C — অনেকে ভাবেন যা বদলায়নি তা overview-তে বলা যায় না; আসলে বড় অপরিবর্তিত বৈশিষ্ট্য big picture-এরই অংশ, overview-তে সংক্ষেপে বলা যায়।3. (Greyford) A student writes the overview: “Overall, there were many changes in Greyford between 1980 and 2010.” What is the main weakness?
Answer: A. Every pair of maps shows “many changes”, so the sentence tells the examiner nothing about the main trend. B is a myth — both maps are in the past, so past forms are right; C is false — one or two sentences is normal; D confuses the overview with an essay conclusion. 🔑 বাংলায়: “many changes” যেকোনো map-এর জন্যই সত্য — মূল প্রবণতা কী, তা এতে নেই। B ভুল ধারণা — দুটো map-ই অতীতের, তাই past tense ঠিক; C ভুল — overview এক-দুই বাক্যই যথেষ্ট; D essay-র conclusion-এর সাথে গুলিয়ে ফেলেছে। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: বাক্যটা ব্যাকরণে নির্ভুল, তাই সমস্যা চোখে পড়ে না — কিন্তু এতে কোনো তথ্যই নেই।4. (Northpoint) Which overview is accurate?
Answer: C. A restaurant, a play area and a hotel replaced working and parking uses, so the trend is towards tourism and leisure, and the second map is “now”, so the present perfect fits. A reverses the trend (the fish market went); B is false — the pier and promenade are unchanged; D is two body details with “Overall” in front. 🔑 বাংলায়: restaurant, play area আর hotel — সবই পর্যটন ও অবসরের দিকে ঝোঁক বোঝায়; দ্বিতীয় map “now”, তাই present perfect ঠিক। A প্রবণতা উল্টে দেয়, B ভুল — pier আর promenade একই আছে, D শুধু দুটি body detail। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: D “Overall” দিয়ে শুরু, tense-ও ঠিক — কিন্তু ভেতরে শুধু দুটো body detail।5. (Northpoint) Which “overview” sentence wrongly includes detail that belongs in a body paragraph?
Answer: B. The “for example” clause drops one specific change into the overview — that detail belongs in the body. A, C and D each give the overall shift (or what stayed the same) without naming a single building’s change; C and D also show that “Overall” is not the only way to open an overview. 🔑 বাংলায়: “for example”-এর পরে একটি নির্দিষ্ট পরিবর্তন overview-তে ঢুকে গেছে — এটা body-র কাজ। A, C, D শুধু মূল পরিবর্তন (বা কী একই আছে) বলে, কোনো একক building-এর নাম ছাড়া; C আর D দেখায় “Overall” ছাড়াও overview শুরু করা যায়। তাই সমস্যাযুক্ত বাক্য B। Trap: B-র প্রথম অংশ (now serves tourists) সত্যিই overview — “for example”-এর পরের অংশটাই সমস্যা।
5 Locate with Compass Points and Prepositions 5 drills
1. Which sentence gives the cinema’s location most precisely?
Answer: D. It uses a compass-based bank and a fixed landmark (“across the river from the library”), so the reader can place it exactly. A describes the page (“right-hand side of the map”); B is too vague; C is the near-miss — “near the library” is fine, but “towards the top” is page language and the cinema is not at the northern end. 🔑 বাংলায়: D-তে পাড়ের দিক (eastern bank) আর একটি স্থির landmark (across the river from the library) — তাই অবস্থান নিখুঁত। A কাগজের বর্ণনা (“right-hand side of the map”), B খুব অস্পষ্ট। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: C প্রায় ঠিক — “near the library” ঠিক আছে, কিন্তু “towards the top” কাগজের ভাষা, আর cinema শহরের উত্তর প্রান্তেও নয়।2. Complete the sentence correctly: “The hospital, which stood ______ the town, was extended.” (The hospital is inside the town.)
Answer: C. “In the north-west of the town” places the hospital inside the town. A is the trap — “to the north-west of the town” means outside it; B describes the page; D uses the wrong preposition, as “on” is not used with compass zones. 🔑 বাংলায়: “in the north-west of the town” = শহরের ভেতরে, তাই C সঠিক। B কাগজের ভাষা; D-তে “on” ভুল preposition — compass দিকের সাথে on বসে না। Trap: A — “to the north-west of the town” মানে শহরের বাইরে; একটা preposition-এর ভুলে hospital শহর থেকে বেরিয়ে যায়।3. Which sentence describes the supermarket change with precise location language?
Answer: A. It names the zone of the town and reports the change with a precise passive. B has good verbs but locates the change on the page; C mixes a compass word with “of the picture”, which still describes the page; D is both vague and informal, and “turned into” hides the demolition. 🔑 বাংলায়: A শহরের দিক বলে আর passive দিয়ে নির্ভুলভাবে পরিবর্তন জানায়। B-র verb ভালো কিন্তু অবস্থান কাগজের; C-তে compass শব্দ থাকলেও “of the picture” কাগজকেই বোঝায়; D অস্পষ্ট আর ঘরোয়া। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B-র verb (demolished and replaced) চমৎকার, তাই ঠিক মনে হয় — কিন্তু অবস্থানটা কাগজের ভাষায়।4. A student writes: “The library is on the left of the river.” What is the best correction?
Answer: B. “Western bank” is a compass-based position, and “beside the High Street” anchors it to a fixed feature. A keeps the page language; C moves the library outside the town (“to the west of the town”); D keeps “left-hand” and adds the error “opposite of” (it should be simply “opposite”). 🔑 বাংলায়: “western bank” compass-ভিত্তিক, আর “beside the High Street” একটি স্থির বৈশিষ্ট্যের সাথে জুড়ে দেয়। A-তে কাগজের ভাষা রয়ে গেছে, C library-কে শহরের বাইরে নিয়ে গেছে, D-তে “opposite of” ভুল। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: C-তে “located” শুনতে formal, কিন্তু “to the west of the town” library-কে শহরের বাইরে বসিয়ে দেয়।5. Why is “just north of the school” better than “above the school” in a map answer?
Answer: D. “Above” describes where something is on the paper (or even suggests height), while “just north of” describes the real place. A is a half-truth — “above” is a normal word, just imprecise here; B is invented; C is false — length beyond 150 words does not raise the band by itself. 🔑 বাংলায়: “above” কাগজে অবস্থান বোঝায় (এমনকি উচ্চতাও বোঝাতে পারে), আর “just north of” আসল জায়গা বোঝায়। A আংশিক সত্য — “above” সাধারণ শব্দ, শুধু এখানে অস্পষ্ট; B বানানো নিয়ম; C ভুল — 150 শব্দের বেশি লিখলেই band বাড়ে না। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A আংশিক সত্য বলে লোভনীয় — কিন্তু “above” ভুল শব্দ নয়, শুধু এখানে অস্পষ্ট।
Writing Task 1C: Processes & Flowcharts
📖 Book Chapter 9Task 1 sometimes shows a natural process or a man-made procedure instead of data or a map. This uses the three-part structure, but the language is almost entirely passive voice, with sequencing connectors doing the organisational work that comparison words do for data. This chapter is built around five specific tricks for handling processes accurately, plus a dedicated vocabulary bank for sequence and transformation.
- know and apply five specific tricks for describing processes: passive voice as the default, varied sequencing connectors, recognising linear vs. cyclical structure, a counted start-to-end overview, and turning labels into verbs without inventing detail
- use a working vocabulary of sequence connectors and passive process verbs
- write a complete, accurately structured process-description response
Flow: Budget roughly 5 minutes per trick (~25 minutes for all five), then the practice phase below puts them together in a full timed response.
- Read the title: what is being made or what changes?
- Find where the process starts and where it ends.
- Count the stages, and check whether the last stage loops back to the first.
- Group the stages into two or three broad phases for your overview.
A man-made process diagram shows WHAT happens to a material, not WHO does it — so the passive ("the paper is collected," "the pulp is then heated") is the natural, accurate way to describe most stages, not just a style option. Natural processes and life cycles are different: verbs such as evaporate, hatch, grow, flow take no object and stay active ("the eggs hatch", not "the eggs are hatched"). Many diagrams need both.
Inventing an agent the diagram never shows ("workers collect the paper") adds information that isn't there, which weakens Task Achievement. The passive keeps the description accurate to what is shown, and using active and passive forms correctly side by side is also evidence of range under Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
Stage 4: "Shredding — cut into small strips"
"Workers shred the paper."
"The paper is then shredded into small strips."
Using the flowchart above, describe the "Sorting" stage in one sentence using passive voice.
Make the order of the stages clear, and vary how you mark it: connectors (first/initially, once this is complete, following this, subsequently, finally), time clauses ("after being sorted, …") and relative clauses ("…a vat, where it is mixed with water"). Don't just list stages with commas or repeat "then" for every stage — but don't force a connector into every sentence either.
Coherence and Cohesion rewards cohesive devices that are used appropriately; missing, repetitive or mechanical linking ("Firstly… Secondly… Thirdly…") is typical of Band 5–6. Sequencing language is what turns a list of stages into a described PROCESS, not just a set of facts.
"Then it is sorted. Then it is shredded. Then it is pulped."
"Once it has been sorted, the paper is shredded into small strips, which are then mixed with water and chemicals in a pulper."
Using the flowchart above, write ONE sentence connecting the "Screening" and "De-inking" stages without using "then."
Keep this flow in mind, then swap in a different expression each time so your writing never sounds fixed. (Tip: you can ask an AI tool to rephrase any of these into your own words — that is exactly how you avoid a rigid, over-used opening.)
| Stage | Alternatives you can rotate |
|---|---|
| Opening (say what the diagram shows) | The diagram illustrates the process by which… · The flowchart shows how … is made / produced… · The diagram outlines the stages involved in… |
| Overview (number of stages, start → end) | Overall, there are [N] main stages, beginning with… and ending with… · In general, the process can be divided into [N] steps… · Broadly, it starts with… and finishes with… |
| Body — the steps in sequence (keep the passive) | First, … · Next, … · Following this, … · Once … has been …, … · After that, … · Finally, … |
| Ending (match linear vs cyclical) | …resulting in the finished product. · …before the whole cycle begins again. · …at which point the process is complete. |
Some processes are a one-way flow (raw material → finished product, ends) — others are a cycle that returns to the start (the water cycle, a recycling loop). State which it is in your overview, and make your final sentence match: a linear process ends with the finished product ("…emerging as new paper"), while a cyclical one returns to the start ("…at which point the cycle begins again"). Task 1 does not need a separate conclusion paragraph.
Calling a cyclical process linear, or vice versa, misreports a key feature of the diagram, which affects Task Achievement — it is not just a style issue. Check the diagram's own arrows before you write the overview and the final sentence.
Linear (paper recycling, as shown above): "…the sheet is pressed and dried, and finally wound onto large reels as new paper." Cyclical (imagine the water cycle instead): "...before falling as rain and returning to the rivers and oceans, at which point the cycle begins again."
Is the flowchart above linear or cyclical? Look carefully at the dashed arrow from stage 8 back to stage 5 — does it change your answer? Then write the final sentence of the description to match.
Before writing the overview, count the stages (use the diagram's own numbers if it has them) and find the first and the last. Your overview then says: how many stages, where the process starts and where it ends, whether it is linear or cyclical (Trick 3), and — in a second sentence if you like — the two or three broad phases it falls into. Keep every temperature, material and by-product out of the overview; they belong in the body.
Task Achievement at Band 7 needs "a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages". In process answers the usual mistakes are jumping straight into stage 1 with no overview at all, or squeezing every stage into the overview so that it becomes a list. Counting the stages and naming the phases gives you a real summary in two sentences.
"Overall, the paper is collected, transported, sorted, shredded, pulped, screened, de-inked, drained, pressed and reeled."
"Overall, paper recycling is a linear, ten-stage process that begins with the collection of used paper and ends with reels of new paper. Broadly, the paper is first gathered and prepared, then turned into a pulp that is cleaned, and finally formed into new sheets."
A different diagram shows how instant noodles are made: (1) flour, water and salt mixed into a dough → (2) rolled into thin sheets → (3) cut into strands → (4) steamed → (5) fried in oil → (6) cooled → (7) packed in cups with flavour sachets. Write a two-sentence overview: stages + start/end + linear/cyclical first, then the broad phases.
Diagram labels are usually nouns ("Collection", "De-inking") — turn them into verbs ("the paper is collected", "the ink is removed") and vary the forms so you are not copying the labels in order. Every sub-label is information you should report: temperatures, times, materials added and anything removed. But report only what is shown — no people, sizes, reasons or results that the diagram does not give. Technical terms on the diagram (a pulper, molasses) may be used as they are; paraphrase the everyday words around them.
Task Achievement rewards key features that are accurately reported — leaving out the 90°C or the removed ink loses detail, while adding "by skilled workers" or "to make it whiter" adds information the examiner can see is not there. Changing word forms accurately (collection → collected, separating → separate) is also direct evidence for Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
"Stage 9: pressing and drying. Skilled workers press the paper to make it strong."
"Next, the sheet is pressed and dried between heated rollers at approximately 90°C."
Write ONE sentence for stage 7 of the paper diagram, using every piece of information in its box and nothing else.
Vocabulary glossary — sequence & transformation language
- first / initially / to begin with
- once this stage is complete / following this / subsequently
- after being [past participle] — after being sorted...
- finally / eventually / at the last stage
- is heated / is melted
- is converted into / is broken down into
- is transferred to / is transported to
- is combined with / is mixed with
- the cycle then repeats
- returns to the first stage / begins again
- ___, the raw cotton is cleaned and separated from any remaining seeds or debris. → First / Initially (sequence connector) এটা process-এর প্রথম ধাপ, তাই ক্রম বোঝানোর connector লাগবে — First বা Initially। শুরুর ধাপ লিখতে এগুলো বাক্যের শুরুতে, পরে comma দিয়ে বসান।
- The plastic granules ___ at a high temperature before being moulded into shape. → are heated / are melted (transformation verb) এখানে granules-এর রূপ বদলাচ্ছে — তাপে গলে তারপর ছাঁচে আকার পাচ্ছে, তাই transformation verb। subject “The plastic granules” plural, তাই “are”; আর man-made process বলে passive।
- The mixture ___ the next machine, where it is filtered and cooled. → is transferred to / is transported to (movement verb) mixture এক machine থেকে পরের machine-এ যাচ্ছে — রূপ বদলাচ্ছে না, শুধু জায়গা বদলাচ্ছে, তাই movement verb। subject “The mixture” singular, তাই “is”; আর পরে “the next machine” আছে বলে “to” লাগবে।
- Once the finished bottles are sold and recycled, the extraction process ___. → begins again (cyclical language) — "the cycle then repeats" cannot fit here, because the sentence already has its subject ("the extraction process") এটা cycle-এর শেষ বাক্য — bottle recycle হওয়ার পর পুরো process আবার শুরু হয়। কিন্তু “the cycle then repeats” বসবে না: বাক্যে subject আগেই আছে (the extraction process), তাই ফাঁকা জায়গায় শুধু verb লাগবে, আরেকটা subject নয়।
Flow: Step 1 (3 min) → Step 2 (8 min) → Step 3 full timed response (20 min).
- Using the flowchart above, write one overview sentence stating the number of stages and the start/end points.
Model: Overall, recycling paper is a linear process made up of ten stages, beginning with the collection of used paper and card and ending with reels of new paper.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: এক বাক্যেই আকার (linear), ধাপের সংখ্যা (ten), শুরু (used paper ও card সংগ্রহ) আর শেষ (নতুন কাগজের reel) — overview-এর জন্য যা দরকার সবই আছে, কিন্তু কোনো তাপমাত্রা বা মাঝের ধাপের detail নেই।
- Using Tricks 1, 2 and 5, describe stages 1–4 (Collection, Transport, Sorting, Shredding) in one paragraph, using passive voice, varied sequencing connectors and every sub-label in those boxes.
Model: The process begins with the collection of used paper and card in recycling bins, after which the material is taken by lorry to a recycling plant. There, it is graded by type on a conveyor belt, and any plastic and metal are removed. Following this, the sorted paper is shredded into small strips, ready to be pulped.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: চারটি ধাপের প্রতিটি ছোট label-এর তথ্য আছে — recycling bins, lorry, conveyor belt, plastic ও metal বাদ দেওয়া, small strips। ক্রম বোঝাতে প্রতিবার আলাদা উপায় — “after which”, “There,”, “Following this” — একবারও “then” লাগেনি। সব man-made ধাপ passive-এ (is taken, is graded, are removed, is shredded), কোনো কর্মী বানানো হয়নি।
- Use all five tricks together: passive voice for the man-made stages, varied sequencing connectors, a counted overview with the start, the end and the broad phases, every sub-label reported without invented detail, and a final sentence matching the diagram's linear structure (no separate conclusion). Try it first — reveal the full model answer below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model answer
The flowchart illustrates how used paper is recycled to make new paper.
Overall, the process is linear and consists of ten stages, beginning with the collection of waste paper and ending with reels of new paper. Broadly, the paper is first gathered and prepared, then turned into a pulp that is cleaned, and finally formed into new sheets.
At the start, used paper and card are put into recycling bins and taken by lorry to a recycling plant. There, the material is graded by type on a conveyor belt, and any plastic and metal are removed, before it is shredded into small strips. These strips are then mixed with water and chemicals in a pulper.
Once the pulp has been produced, it is forced through screens to remove staples, glue and grit, after which air bubbles lift the ink to the surface so that it can be skimmed off. The clean pulp is spread on a moving wire mesh, where water drains away to be re-used in the pulper. Finally, the sheet is squeezed between heated rollers at about 90°C to dry it and wound onto large reels as new paper.
- Which ending suits the life cycle of a frog?
A) Finally, the process ends when the frog is fully grown.
B) The adult frog then lays eggs, and the cycle begins again.✓ Answer: B Why: A life cycle loops back to its first stage, so the description should end by returning to the start (Trick 3). Trap: A treats a cycle as a linear process. Life cycle আবার প্রথম ধাপে ফিরে আসে, তাই বর্ণনাও শেষ হবে শুরুর ধাপে ফিরে গিয়ে (Trick 3)। Trap: A একটা cycle-কে linear process হিসেবে লিখেছে। - Diagram label: Stage 4 – pulp dried on heated rollers. Which sentence reports it accurately?
A) Next, the pulp is dried on heated rollers.
B) Next, the pulp is carefully dried on heated rollers for several hours to remove all moisture.✓ Answer: A Why: Every word in A comes from the label (Trick 5: report every sub-label, invent nothing). Trap: "carefully", "for several hours" and "to remove all moisture" are not in the diagram. A-র প্রতিটি শব্দ label থেকেই নেওয়া (Trick 5: প্রতিটি sub-label লিখুন, নিজে কিছু বানাবেন না)। Trap: “carefully”, “for several hours”, “to remove all moisture” — এগুলোর কোনোটাই diagram-এ নেই।
- Choose a process you know well (making tea, recycling a bottle) and draw it as five labelled stages.
- Write one passive sentence per stage, using a different sequencing connector each time.
- Add a two-sentence overview: the start, the end and the number of stages.
Self-practice: Pick one term from each of the 4 glossary categories above and write one original sentence for each, describing any simple process you know (making tea, washing clothes, a school routine).
- use passive voice as the default for process description, connect stages with varied sequencing language, correctly match linear/cyclical structure to the diagram shown, write a counted start-to-end overview, and turn labels and sub-labels into accurate sentences without inventing detail
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1. Passive voice. Which sentence describes the first stage in the most appropriate way?
Answer: D. The diagram shows what happens to the bottles, not who handles them, so the present simple passive (are collected… taken) fits. A invents “workers”; B drops “are”, a very common Band 5 error; C uses an active -ing form, which means the bottles are doing the collecting. 🔑 বাংলায়: diagram দেখায় bottle-এর কী হয়, কে করে তা নয় — তাই present simple passive “are collected… taken”। A-তে “workers” বানানো, B-তে “are” নেই, C-তে অর্থ দাঁড়ায় bottle-ই কাজটা করছে। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A ব্যাকরণে নির্ভুল, কিন্তু “workers” diagram-এ নেই। -
2. Sequencing. Which sentence links the middle stages most effectively?
Answer: A. It combines three stages smoothly with a time clause (“After being cleaned”) and a relative clause (“which are then melted”). B repeats “then” mechanically; C wrongly claims that cleaning causes crushing — a misused linker; D stacks ordinal words in a way no fluent writer would. 🔑 বাংলায়: A একটি time clause আর একটি relative clause দিয়ে তিনটি ধাপ সুন্দরভাবে জোড়ে। B-তে “then” যান্ত্রিকভাবে বারবার, C ভুলভাবে কারণ-ফল বোঝায়, D-তে ক্রমবাচক শব্দ জমানো। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B-তে ক্রম ঠিক আছে, কিন্তু “then” বারবার — এটাই যান্ত্রিক linking। -
3. Cyclical or linear? Which is the best overview for this diagram?
Answer: C. The arrow from “used again” back to collection makes this a cyclical process, and a good overview says so along with the broad sequence. A misreads the arrows — the trap of stopping at the shops; B ranks a stage by importance, which is an opinion; D adds benefits the diagram never shows. 🔑 বাংলায়: শেষ ধাপ থেকে collection-এ ফেরার arrow আছে — তাই এটি cyclical, আর overview-তে সেটাই বলতে হয়, সাথে মোটামুটি ক্রম। B কোন ধাপ বেশি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ তা বলে — এটা মতামত; D diagram-এ নেই এমন উপকারিতা যোগ করেছে। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: A — shops-এ গিয়ে থেমে গেছে, ফেরার arrow-টা খেয়াল করেনি।
1 Passive Voice Is the Default, Not a Choice 5 drills
1. An instant-coffee diagram: stage 2 shows freshly picked beans inside a roasting drum. Which sentence is best?
Answer: A. A man-made stage with no agent shown takes the passive. B invents both the agent (“farmers”) and the manner (“carefully”); C mixes an active verb with “by”, which makes no sense; D has no main verb, so it is not a sentence. 🔑 বাংলায়: কর্তা দেখানো নেই এমন man-made ধাপে passive। B কর্তা আর ধরন দুটোই বানায়, C-তে active verb-এর সাথে “by” অর্থহীন, D-তে মূল verb নেই। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B-র ইংরেজি সাবলীল, কিন্তু “farmers” আর “carefully” দুটোই diagram-এ নেই।2. A diagram shows the life cycle of a frog: eggs → tadpoles → froglets → adult frogs. Which sentence is best?
Answer: C. In a natural process, verbs such as hatch, develop, grow describe what the living thing does itself, so they stay active. A and B over-apply the “always passive” rule — a very common mistake after learning this chapter; D invents behaviour the diagram does not show. 🔑 বাংলায়: প্রাকৃতিক process-এ hatch, develop, grow — এগুলো জীবটি নিজেই করে, তাই active থাকে। D এমন আচরণ বানিয়েছে যা diagram-এ নেই। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: A আর B — এই অধ্যায় পড়ার পর অনেকে “সবসময় passive” নিয়মটা প্রাকৃতিক process-এও খাটিয়ে ফেলেন; “are hatched / are grown” এখানে ভুল।3. A cement diagram: limestone and clay are crushed, then mixed. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Answer: B. The passive needs be + past participle, and two subjects (“limestone and clay”) take the plural are. A uses base forms instead of participles; C has a subject–verb agreement error; D drops the auxiliary and shifts to the past continuous. 🔑 বাংলায়: passive = be + past participle, আর দুটি subject থাকায় plural “are”। A-তে participle নেই, C-তে subject–verb agreement ভুল, D-তে auxiliary নেই আর tense বদলে গেছে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: C প্রায় ঠিক — শুধু “is”; কিন্তু limestone আর clay দুটো জিনিস, তাই are।4. A chocolate diagram: stage 4 shows roasted cocoa beans being ground into a paste. Which sentence adds information that is not in the diagram?
Answer: D. “Skilled workers”, “by hand” and “for several hours” are all invented — exactly what the active voice tempts you to do. A, B and C describe the same stage accurately in three different ways, which is also a useful model of how to vary your sentences. 🔑 বাংলায়: D-তে “skilled workers”, “by hand”, “several hours” — সবই বানানো; active voice-এ লিখলে এই ভুলটাই বেশি হয়। A, B, C একই ধাপ তিনভাবে নির্ভুলভাবে বলে। তাই সমস্যাযুক্ত বাক্য D। Trap: প্রশ্নটা উল্টো — কোন বাক্য বাড়তি তথ্য যোগ করে সেটা খুঁজতে হবে; নির্ভুল তিনটির কোনোটা বেছে নেবেন না।5. A diagram of rainwater collection for a house: rain falls on the roof → flows into gutters → is filtered → is stored in a tank. Which sentence is best?
Answer: A. This diagram mixes both kinds of stage: natural movement (falls, flows) stays active, while the man-made treatment (is filtered, stored) is passive. B makes intransitive verbs passive, which is impossible; C makes the water filter and store itself; D invents a homeowner. 🔑 বাংলায়: এখানে দুই ধরনের ধাপই আছে — প্রাকৃতিক চলাচল (falls, flows) active, আর মানুষের করা কাজ (is filtered, stored) passive। B-তে intransitive verb-এর passive অসম্ভব, C-তে পানি নিজেই filter হচ্ছে, D-তে homeowner বানানো। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B-তে passive বেশি বলে “বেশি academic” মনে হয় — কিন্তু fall আর flow-এর passive হয় না।
2 One Sequencing Connector Per Stage 5 drills
1. Which sentence links stages 3 and 4 best?
Answer: B. “Once … has been shaped” marks the order precisely and includes the drying time from the diagram. A rushes four stages with repeated “then”; C uses “consequently”, which claims a cause rather than a sequence; D has no finite verb. 🔑 বাংলায়: “Once … has been shaped” ক্রমটা নিখুঁতভাবে বোঝায় আর diagram-এর সময়টাও রাখে। A-তে “then” বারবার, C-তে “consequently” কারণ বোঝায়, ক্রম নয়, D-তে মূল verb নেই। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: C-তে connector আছে, কিন্তু “consequently” ক্রম নয়, কারণ বোঝায়।2. Which version shows the most natural, Band 7-style sequencing?
Answer: D. It joins three stages in one controlled sentence, using a participle clause and a single “then”. A is the mechanical “Firstly… Fourthly” pattern that examiners describe as cohesion that is “mechanical”; B doubles up connectors; C has no linking at all, so it reads as a list. 🔑 বাংলায়: D একটি participle clause আর একবার “then” দিয়ে তিনটি ধাপ এক বাক্যে জোড়ে। A যান্ত্রিক “Firstly… Fourthly”, B-তে connector দ্বিগুণ, C-তে কোনো সংযোগই নেই — শুধু তালিকা। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: A দেখতে গোছানো, কিন্তু Firstly… Fourthly ঠিক সেই যান্ত্রিক linking, যা নীচের band-এর লক্ষণ।3. Fill the gap: “The bricks are fired in a kiln at 1,000°C. ______, they are cooled and packaged for delivery.”
Answer: A. The second sentence is simply the next stage, so a sequencing linker is needed. B is the most tempting trap — firing does not cause packaging; C signals a contrast and D an example, neither of which exists here. 🔑 বাংলায়: দ্বিতীয় বাক্যটি শুধু পরের ধাপ, তাই sequencing linker লাগবে — “Following this”। C বৈপরীত্য আর D উদাহরণ বোঝায় — এখানে কোনোটাই নেই। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B সবচেয়ে লোভনীয় — firing-এর ফলে packaging হয় না; এটা শুধু পরের ধাপ, কারণ-ফল নয়।4. Which sentence uses a relative clause correctly to combine stages 5 and 6?
Answer: C. “Where” refers to the place (the kiln) and is followed by a full clause with its own subject (“they are fired”). A omits the subject; B needs “in which”; D uses “that” after a comma, which is not possible in a non-defining clause. 🔑 বাংলায়: জায়গা (kiln) বোঝাতে “where”, আর তার পরে নিজের subject-সহ পূর্ণ clause — “they are fired”। A-তে subject নেই, B-তে “in which” লাগত, D-তে comma-র পরে “that” বসে না। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: B-তে relative clause আছে, কিন্তু kiln একটা জায়গা — “which”-এর আগে “in” লাগত।5. A student starts seven of the eight sentences in a process answer with “Then”. Under which criterion is this most likely to lose marks?
Answer: B. How ideas are linked is assessed under Coherence and Cohesion, where repetitive or mechanical use of cohesive devices is a lower-band feature. A is not the issue — every stage may be covered; C is a half-truth (“then” is not informal, just over-used); D is simply false. 🔑 বাংলায়: বাক্যগুলো কীভাবে জোড়া হয়েছে তা Coherence and Cohesion-এ দেখা হয় — একই linker বারবার ব্যবহার নীচের band-এর লক্ষণ। A সমস্যা নয়, C আংশিক সত্য (“then” informal নয়, শুধু অতিরিক্ত), D ভুল। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: C আংশিক সত্য বলে লোভনীয় — “then” informal নয়, সমস্যা হলো বারবার ব্যবহার।
3 Cyclical or Linear? Check Before You Write the Ending 5 drills
1. A diagram of the salmon life cycle: eggs are laid in a river → young fish → they migrate to the ocean and grow into adults → adults return to the same river to lay eggs. Which is the best overview?
Answer: C. It gives the number of stages and the key feature — the return to the starting river. A stops at the ocean and misses the loop; B is a personal opinion; D is partly true but leaves out the cycle, which is the most important feature of this diagram. 🔑 বাংলায়: C ধাপের সংখ্যা আর মূল বৈশিষ্ট্য — জন্মস্থানের নদীতে ফিরে আসা — দুটোই বলে। A loop-টা বাদ দেয়, B মতামত, D আংশিক সত্য কিন্তু cycle-টাই বাদ। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: D-র দুটো তথ্যই সত্য, তাই ঠিক মনে হয় — কিন্তু diagram-এর আসল বৈশিষ্ট্য, অর্থাৎ cycle-টাই বাদ।2. A diagram of orange-juice production: oranges are picked → washed → squeezed → the juice is pasteurised → bottled. No arrow returns to the start. Which final sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. The process is linear, so it ends with the finished product. A turns it into a cycle because harvests happen every year — real-world knowledge the diagram does not show; C invents a stage; D adds an opinion about prices. 🔑 বাংলায়: process-টি linear, তাই শেষ হয় তৈরি পণ্যে। A বাস্তব জ্ঞান থেকে cycle বানিয়েছে (diagram-এ তা নেই), C একটি ধাপ বানিয়েছে, D দাম নিয়ে মতামত দিয়েছে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: A — বাস্তবে প্রতি বছর ফসল হয় বলে cycle মনে হয়, কিন্তু diagram-এ ফেরার কোনো arrow নেই।3. A diagram shows aluminium cans being recycled: used cans are collected → melted → rolled into sheets → made into new cans → sold in shops. There is no arrow from the shops back to the start. How should you treat it?
Answer: D. You report what the diagram shows. The word “recycling” tempts many candidates to call any recycling diagram cyclical (A), but the arrows decide. B adds an opinion to Task 1; C reaches the right answer but adds an energy claim that is not in the diagram. 🔑 বাংলায়: diagram যেভাবে আঁকা, সেভাবেই বর্ণনা করুন। “recycling” শব্দ দেখেই cyclical ধরে নেওয়া (A) একটি সাধারণ ভুল — arrow-ই আসল প্রমাণ। B-তে মতামত, C-তে diagram-এ নেই এমন তথ্য। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: C-র linear ঠিক, কিন্তু energy সাশ্রয়ের কথা যোগ করায় উত্তরটা নষ্ট হয়েছে।4. Where should a Task 1 process answer state that the process is cyclical?
Answer: A. Whether a process is linear or cyclical is one of its main features, and main features belong in the overview. B is a myth — Task 1 needs a clear overview, not a conclusion; C ignores that you are assessed on what you write; D copies the prompt, which earns no credit. 🔑 বাংলায়: linear না cyclical — এটা process-এর প্রধান বৈশিষ্ট্য, তাই overview-তে বলুন। B ভুল ধারণা — Task 1-এ conclusion বাধ্যতামূলক নয়, overview দরকার; C-তে যা লেখেননি তার নম্বর নেই; D-তে prompt কপি করলে কোনো credit নেই। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: B — essay-র অভ্যাসে অনেকে Task 1-এও conclusion লেখেন; Task 1-এ আসল দরকার overview।5. Which sentence best closes a description of the water cycle?
Answer: D. It closes the loop and keeps the natural verb (“flows”) active. A treats a cycle as if it had an end; B makes intransitive verbs passive (“is fallen”, “is flowed”); C gives an opinion, which Task 1 does not ask for. 🔑 বাংলায়: D loop-টা সম্পূর্ণ করে আর প্রাকৃতিক verb “flows” active রাখে। A cycle-কে শেষ হয়ে যাওয়া process বানায়, B-তে “is fallen/is flowed” ভুল, C মতামত — Task 1-এ চাওয়া হয় না। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: B-তে cycle-এর কথা ঠিক, কিন্তু “is fallen / is flowed” — fall আর flow-এর passive হয় না।
4 Count the Stages — Start, End and Phases in the Overview 5 drills
Diagram for Q4 — the life cycle of a mosquito: eggs laid on water → larvae → pupae → adults emerge and fly; adult females return to water to lay eggs.
1. (Tomatoes) Which is the best overview?
Answer: B. It gives the count, the start, the end and the linear shape in one sentence. A is the classic trap — every stage in order is a list, not a summary; C ranks one stage as “most important”, an opinion the diagram does not give; D adds facts about price and storage that are not shown. 🔑 বাংলায়: B এক বাক্যে ধাপের সংখ্যা, শুরু, শেষ আর linear আকার বলে। C একটি ধাপকে “সবচেয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ” বলে — এটা মতামত; D দাম আর সংরক্ষণের কথা বানিয়েছে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: A সবচেয়ে পরিচিত Trap — সব ধাপ পরপর লেখা একটা তালিকা, overview নয়।2. (Tomatoes) Which of these should be left OUT of the overview?
Answer: C. The 100°C figure is a detail of one stage, so it belongs in the body. A, B and D are exactly what an overview should contain. The trap is thinking the overview must include “the important numbers”, as in a data chart — in a process, the numbers are stage details. 🔑 বাংলায়: 100°C একটি ধাপের detail — তাই body-তে যাবে। A, B, D-ই overview-এর আসল উপাদান। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: chart-এর মতো ভেবে “গুরুত্বপূর্ণ সংখ্যা” overview-তে বসানো — process-এ সংখ্যাগুলো ধাপের detail।3. (Tomatoes) A student’s overview is: “Overall, there are eight stages.” What is missing?
Answer: A. A count alone does not summarise the process; the reader also needs where it begins and ends and its shape. B asks for detail (and reasons the diagram never gives); C asks for an opinion, which Task 1 does not want; D would turn the overview into a list. 🔑 বাংলায়: শুধু ধাপের সংখ্যা দিলে process-এর সারাংশ হয় না — কোথায় শুরু, কোথায় শেষ আর আকার কী, তাও লাগে। B detail চায় (আর এমন কারণ যা diagram-এ নেই), C মতামত চায়, D overview-কে তালিকা বানায়। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: D — overview পূর্ণ করতে সব ধাপ যোগ করলে সেটা তালিকা হয়ে যায়।4. (Mosquito) Which overview is accurate?
Answer: D. It gives the count and the key feature — the return to the water — that makes it a cycle. A misses the loop and calls it linear; B adds a claim about harm that the diagram does not show; C is the near-miss: the stages are right, but it is a list and leaves out the cycle. 🔑 বাংলায়: D ধাপের সংখ্যা আর মূল বৈশিষ্ট্য — ডিম পাড়তে পানিতে ফেরা, অর্থাৎ cycle — দুটোই বলে। A loop বাদ দিয়ে linear বলেছে, B ক্ষতির কথা বানিয়েছে। তাই D সঠিক। Trap: C প্রায় ঠিক — ধাপগুলো সঠিক, কিন্তু এটা একটা তালিকা, আর cycle-টাই নেই।5. (Tomatoes) Which sentence works best as the SECOND overview sentence, giving the broad phases?
Answer: C. It groups the eight stages into three phases without any single detail. A is body-paragraph detail with mechanical ordinals; B is detail and invents a reason (“dirt and insects”); D gives an opinion and invents a factory size. 🔑 বাংলায়: C আটটি ধাপকে তিনটি পর্বে ভাগ করে, কোনো একক detail ছাড়া। A body-র detail আর যান্ত্রিক Firstly/secondly; B detail, সাথে বানানো কারণ (“dirt and insects”); D মতামত আর বানানো তথ্য। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: B-তে passive আর linker ঠিক, কিন্তু “dirt and insects” কারণটা diagram-এ নেই।
5 Turn the Labels into Verbs — Report Every Sub-label, Invent Nothing 5 drills
1. Which sentence turns the stage 3 label into an accurate description?
Answer: C. The label becomes a passive verb (“is clarified”), and both pieces of information — heating with lime, impurities settling — are reported. A copies the label with no verb; B invents workers and a tank; D uses the wrong forms (“is clarifying” is active and continuous, and “settle” here needs no passive). 🔑 বাংলায়: label হয়েছে passive verb (“is clarified”), আর দুটো তথ্যই আছে — lime দিয়ে গরম করা আর impurities থিতিয়ে পড়া। A-তে verb নেই, B-তে কর্মী আর tank বানানো, D-তে verb form ভুল। তাই C সঠিক। Trap: B-তে passive নেই আর কর্মী বানানো — তবুও সাবলীল ইংরেজি বলে ভালো মনে হয়।2. Stage 2 includes a by-product. Which sentence reports it accurately?
Answer: B. It keeps the diagram’s technical term and reports exactly what happens to the fibre. A contradicts the diagram (the fibre is used, not thrown away); C invents a buyer and a use; D reverses the process (the juice is extracted from the cane, not bagasse from the juice) and invents the location. 🔑 বাংলায়: B diagram-এর technical শব্দ (bagasse) রেখে fibre-এর ঠিক কী হয় তা বলে। A diagram-এর উল্টো, C ক্রেতা আর ব্যবহার বানিয়েছে, D প্রক্রিয়া উল্টে দিয়েছে আর জায়গা বানিয়েছে। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: D-তে technical শব্দ (bagasse) আছে বলে নির্ভুল মনে হয়, কিন্তু প্রক্রিয়ার দিক উল্টো।3. Which sentence ADDS information that is not in the diagram?
Answer: D. “Several days” and “a lot of energy” are invented — the diagram gives no time or energy figure for stage 4. A, B and C each report stages accurately, and B and C show how to turn a label (“Crystallising”, “Drying and packing”) into verbs. 🔑 বাংলায়: “several days” আর “a lot of energy” বানানো — stage 4-এ এমন কোনো তথ্য নেই। A, B, C নির্ভুল; B আর C দেখায় কীভাবে label-কে verb বানাতে হয়। তাই সমস্যাযুক্ত বাক্য D। Trap: D-র প্রথম অংশ ঠিক — বাড়তি তথ্যটা আসে বাক্যের শেষে, তাই পুরো বাক্য পড়ে বিচার করুন।4. Which sentence changes the word form of the stage 6 label correctly?
Answer: A. “Separating” becomes the verb “to separate” inside a clear passive sentence. B makes the process itself the thing that is spun, which is illogical; C copies the label as a list; D uses the noun “separation” where a past participle (“separated”) is needed. 🔑 বাংলায়: “Separating” হয়েছে verb “to separate”, পুরো বাক্যটি স্পষ্ট passive। B যুক্তিহীন, C label কপি করা তালিকা, D-তে past participle (“separated”)-এর জায়গায় noun “separation”। তাই A সঠিক। Trap: D-তে passive-এর গঠন (are + …) আছে, কিন্তু past participle-এর বদলে noun বসেছে।5. What should you do with “50 kg bags” in stage 7?
Answer: B. Sub-labels are data on the figure, so a full answer reports them. A is a myth — process diagrams often carry figures (temperatures, times, weights); C loses accuracy for no reason; D asks you to invent a reason the diagram does not give. 🔑 বাংলায়: ছোট label-ও diagram-এর তথ্য — তাই সংক্ষেপে উল্লেখ করুন। A ভুল ধারণা — process diagram-এ প্রায়ই সংখ্যা থাকে; C অকারণে নির্ভুলতা হারায়; D এমন কারণ বানাতে বলে যা diagram-এ নেই। তাই B সঠিক। Trap: A — অনেকে ভাবেন সংখ্যা শুধু chart-এ লাগে, তাই process-এর সংখ্যা বাদ দেন; ছোট label-এর সংখ্যাও report করতে হয়।
Writing Task 2: Essay Planning & Type-Specific Structure
📖 Book Chapter 10Most weak Task 2 essays don't fail because of grammar — they fail because they don't precisely answer the exact question asked, or because they follow the wrong internal structure for that essay type. This chapter is entirely about what happens BEFORE you write a single sentence: reading the prompt like an examiner would, planning your content in two minutes, and knowing exactly what each body paragraph needs to contain for the specific type of essay in front of you. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 towards your Writing band, so this planning phase — often skipped by rushed students — deserves real attention.
- know and apply a prompt-analysis technique that identifies exactly what a prompt is asking before you plan anything
- create a 2-minute sketch before writing any essay, so you never run out of ideas mid-paragraph
- match your body paragraphs' content to the structure each of the six essay types actually needs
See the target first — a full sample essay
Before learning the technique, look at what a finished Task 2 response actually looks like. Below is a sample prompt with a complete model answer, each part labelled — Introduction, Body 1, Body 2, and Conclusion — so you know exactly what you're building towards before the tricks below teach you how.
"Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of every high school student's education. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
IntroductionIt is sometimes suggested that every secondary school student should complete a period of unpaid community service before leaving school. I strongly agree with this proposal, because such a scheme develops practical skills and a sense of civic responsibility that classroom lessons alone rarely provide.
Body 1The main benefit is that community work gives teenagers real responsibilities that schools cannot easily simulate. A student who helps at a care home or runs a recycling project for a local council must arrive on time, communicate with adults of very different ages and backgrounds, and deal with problems that have no answer in a textbook. These are precisely the interpersonal and organisational skills that employers often say school leavers lack, and they are learned far more effectively through experience than through instruction.
Body 2Making the scheme compulsory is also essential to its value. When volunteering is optional, it tends to attract students who are already motivated, often from families with free time and useful contacts, while those who would gain most never take part. A requirement for all ensures that every young person, whatever their background, sees the needs of their community at first hand. Critics argue that forced volunteering is a contradiction and that pupils' time is better spent preparing for examinations. However, a modest commitment of two or three hours a week is unlikely to harm academic results, and many students who begin reluctantly discover an interest in public service that lasts into adulthood.
ConclusionIn conclusion, I firmly believe that a compulsory period of unpaid community service would give all secondary students practical skills and civic awareness that ordinary lessons cannot deliver, and the limited time it demands is a price well worth paying.
Quick reference — six essay types & what they ask
| Type | What it actually asks |
|---|---|
| Opinion (Agree/Disagree) | State and defend ONE clear position throughout — don't switch sides |
| Discuss both views | Explain BOTH sides fairly AND give your own opinion — make it clear from the introduction and keep it consistent to the conclusion (not hidden until the last line) |
| Problem–Solution | Explain the causes/problems, then propose realistic solutions |
| Advantages–Disadvantages | Weigh both sides. If the prompt asks "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?", you MUST give a clear judgement; if it only says "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages", no personal opinion is required (read the prompt carefully) |
| Cause and Effect | Explain WHY something happens, then what RESULTS from it — no solution is asked for; don't confuse with Problem-Solution |
| Two-part (direct question) | Answer BOTH questions the prompt asks — one body paragraph per question; give an opinion only if a question explicitly asks for one |
Keep this flow in mind, then swap in a different expression each time so your writing never sounds fixed. (Tip: you can ask an AI tool to rephrase any of these into your own words — that is exactly how you avoid a rigid, over-used opening.)
| Stage | Alternatives you can rotate |
|---|---|
| Opening (paraphrase the prompt) | It is often argued that… · Many people believe that… · It is sometimes claimed that… · There is an ongoing debate about whether… |
| Position (say where you stand) | I largely agree that… · In my view, … · I firmly believe that… · While there are arguments on both sides, I would argue that… |
| Body openers (start each point) | The main reason for this is… · Firstly, … · A further point is… · On the other hand, … |
| Example (support the point) | For instance, … · A clear illustration of this is… · This can be seen in… · To take one example, … |
| Conclusion (restate your stand) | In conclusion, … · To sum up, … · On balance, … · Overall, then, … |
Flow: Budget roughly 4–5 minutes per trick (~18 minutes for all four), then the practice phase below applies planning to two new prompts.
Before planning anything, identify three things in the prompt: the TASK VERB PHRASE (what you're actually asked to do — this also tells you the essay type: "to what extent do you agree" = Opinion; "discuss both views" = Discuss-both; "causes...and solutions" = Problem-Solution; "advantages and disadvantages" = Adv-Dis; two separate direct questions, e.g. "why is this happening? is it a positive development?" = Two-part), the TOPIC NOUNS (the exact subject), and any ADJECTIVES/ADVERBS that narrow the scope (e.g. "increasingly," "solely," or a specific group like "young people," not everyone).
Essays that drift into a generic version of the topic, or use the wrong structure for the task verb, lose Task Response marks even with flawless English — the prompt's own words are your checklist for staying exactly on-topic.
"Some people believe that social media has had a mostly negative effect on face-to-face communication among young people. To what extent do you agree?" → Task verb: "to what extent do you agree" → Opinion essay. Topic nouns: social media, face-to-face communication, young people. Key qualifier: "mostly negative" (the specific claim to evaluate) and "young people" (not everyone — stay focused on this group).
Identify the task verb (+ essay type), topic nouns, and key qualifiers: "Many banks are increasingly closing their local branches and moving their services online. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this development."
Before writing a single sentence, jot a brief skeleton: your position (if Opinion/Discuss-Both) plus one line per body paragraph naming its main point. This takes 2 minutes and prevents running out of ideas mid-paragraph or drifting off-topic.
A rushed start without a plan is the most common reason a student's Body 2 paragraph is noticeably weaker or shorter than Body 1 — planning both paragraphs' content BEFORE writing either one prevents this imbalance.
Sketch for the social media prompt above: "Position: partly agree — negative for depth, but not eliminating contact. B1: reduces face-to-face DEPTH (easy shallow contact online replaces meaningful conversation). B2: BUT can also strengthen distant relationships (keeps in touch with friends who moved away)."
Write a 3-line sketch (position + 2 body points) for: "Some people think the best way to reduce the amount of energy that households use is to increase the price of electricity and gas. Do you agree or disagree?"
Body 1 and Body 2 don't contain the same KIND of content for every essay type. Opinion needs two reasons (or a reason plus a rebuttal) for your view. Discuss-Both needs a View-A paragraph, then a View-B paragraph. Problem-Solution needs a causes paragraph, then a solutions paragraph. Advantages-Disadvantages needs an advantages paragraph, then a disadvantages paragraph. Cause and Effect needs a causes paragraph, then an effects/consequences paragraph — easy to confuse with Problem-Solution, but no solution is ever asked for. Two-part (direct question) needs one body paragraph answering each of the prompt's two direct questions — for example, one paragraph on why a trend is happening and a second on whether it is a positive or negative development.
For an agree/disagree prompt (whether it says "Do you agree or disagree?" or "To what extent do you agree?"), you may agree completely, disagree completely, or take a qualified position ("I agree in most cases, but not when…"). All three can reach a high band — what loses marks is an unclear position, such as "there are good points on both sides" with no actual answer. Whatever you choose, state it in the introduction and keep it the same to the end. If you mention the opposing view (useful, but not compulsory), handle it as a counter-argument and rebut it, then reaffirm your own side. A simple mini-outline for "Do you agree that the sale of energy drinks to children under 16 should be banned?":
| Paragraph | What it does |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase + state your side clearly ("I firmly agree…") |
| Body 1 | Your strongest reason FOR your side, fully explained |
| Body 2 | Acknowledge the opposing view, then rebut it ("Although some argue… this overlooks…") and reaffirm your side |
| Conclusion | Restate the same position — no new turn at the end |
Using an Opinion-essay structure (two reasons for your view) when asked for Problem-Solution (causes then solutions) answers a different question from the one set — the main parts of the prompt are left unaddressed, which is a Task Response problem, not a minor structural preference.
Discuss-Both prompt on whether teenagers should take part-time jobs while still at school → your opinion is stated in the introduction (e.g. "I believe a few hours of paid work a week does teenagers more good than harm"); Body 1 explains fairly the case for focusing only on studies; Body 2 explains the case for part-time work and shows why you find it stronger; the conclusion confirms the same opinion. A myth says the opinion "goes in the conclusion" — in fact, it should be clear throughout.
"The number of people choosing to live alone has increased in many countries. What problems does this cause, and what solutions can address them?" What should Body 1 and Body 2 each contain?
| Paragraph | Content |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase + position — Trick 4 |
| Body 1 & Body 2 | Content matched to essay type — Trick 3 |
| Conclusion | Restate your position, summarising — no new arguments |
The introduction is usually two (sometimes three) sentences: one paraphrasing the topic in your own words (not copied — words copied from the prompt earn no credit), and one directly stating your position (Opinion / Discuss-both / "outweigh" questions) or previewing your main points (Problem-Solution / Cause-Effect / Two-part). The examiner should know your stance from the introduction alone.
An introduction with no clear position forces the examiner to guess your stance until the conclusion — this reads as unclear, poorly organised writing even when the body paragraphs are strong.
Prompt: "...Discuss both views and give your own opinion." → "Whether exceptionally able children should be taught in separate classes or alongside classmates of all abilities is a matter of ongoing debate. While both approaches have merits, I believe that keeping such pupils in mixed classes, with extra challenges built into their work, offers the better balance."
Prompt: "Some people think children should begin learning a foreign language in primary school. Others believe they should wait until secondary school. Discuss both views and give your own opinion." Write ONE introduction sentence stating your position.
Flow: Step 1 (4 min) → Step 2 (8 min) → Step 3 (12 min). This chapter builds the PLAN only — full paragraph writing is the focus of Chapter 11 (Developing Ideas & Paragraphs), and full timed essays come in Chapter 13 (Full Practice — All Six Essay Types), once ideas and language are both in place.
"In many countries, a growing number of people are losing money to online scams. What are the causes of this problem, and what solutions can be suggested to address it?"
- Using Trick 1, identify the task verb (+ essay type), the topic nouns, and any key qualifier in the prompt above.
Model: Task verb: "what are the causes...and what solutions" → Problem-Solution essay. Topic nouns: people, money, online scams. Key qualifiers: "a growing number" (a worsening trend, not a stable issue), "losing money" (financial harm, not every kind of online crime) and "many countries" (widespread, not one country).Model-টা কেন ঠিক: “what are the causes … and what solutions” দেখেই বোঝা যায় এটা Problem-Solution। qualifier-গুলো খেয়াল করুন: “a growing number” মানে সমস্যা বাড়ছে, “losing money” মানে শুধু টাকা হারানোর ক্ষতি (সব ধরনের online অপরাধ নয়), আর “many countries” মানে বিষয়টা ব্যাপক, এক দেশের নয় — এগুলো বাদ দিলে essay প্রশ্নের সীমার বাইরে চলে যাবে।
- Using Trick 2 and Trick 3, write a 3-line sketch for the prompt above: one cause-focused Body 1 point and one solution-focused Body 2 point.
Model: B1 (causes): more everyday tasks done online (banking, shopping) + scams that look increasingly genuine (fake bank messages), so many users — especially older ones — miss the warning signs. B2 (solutions): banks and phone companies blocking or flagging suspicious messages and payments, plus public campaigns that teach the warning signs.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: B1 শুধু কারণ বলে — দৈনন্দিন কাজ (banking, shopping) online-এ চলে যাওয়া আর নকল message দিন দিন আসল মনে হওয়া, ফলে অনেকে (বিশেষ করে বয়স্করা) সতর্ক সংকেত ধরতে পারেন না। B2 শুধু সমাধান — bank আর phone company-র সন্দেহজনক message ও payment আটকানো বা চিহ্নিত করা, আর সতর্ক সংকেত চেনানোর জন্য জনসচেতনতা campaign। কারণ আর সমাধান আলাদা paragraph-এ — Problem-Solution-এর ঠিক এই ভাগই দরকার।
- Using your Step 2 sketch, write the complete introduction paragraph for this essay (paraphrase + overview of what the essay will cover, per Trick 4). Try it first — reveal the full model introduction below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model introduction
Across much of the world, more and more people are being tricked out of their savings by fraudsters operating over the internet. This is largely because so much of daily life, from banking to shopping, now happens online and many users cannot recognise increasingly convincing fakes; however, stronger checks by banks and phone companies, together with public education on the warning signs, could greatly reduce the harm.
"This essay will discuss the causes of this problem and suggest some solutions."
"This is largely because so much of daily life, from banking to shopping, now happens online and many users cannot recognise increasingly convincing fakes; however, stronger checks by banks and phone companies, together with public education on the warning signs, could greatly reduce the harm."
- Each day, take two new Task 2 prompts and name the essay type of each.
- Underline the key verb, noun, adjective and adverb in every prompt.
- Write only the introduction and a one-line plan for each body paragraph — no full essay.
- Once a week, write one full essay in 40 minutes and check that its body paragraphs match the essay type (Trick 3).
A five-paragraph model — three body paragraphs
Here is the same essay type written with three body paragraphs instead of two. Notice that each body paragraph still carries one clear idea — the count changes, the discipline does not.
"Some people believe that fathers, as well as mothers, should be entitled to several months of paid leave when a child is born. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
IntroductionIn many countries, mothers are entitled to several months of paid leave after the birth of a child, while fathers receive only a few days, if any. In my view, fathers should be given a similar entitlement, because this would benefit children and help to make workplaces fairer for women, although the cost to employers must be carefully managed.
Body 1The strongest argument concerns the child. The first months of a baby's life are when the closest bonds are formed, and a father who is at home during this period is far more likely to share feeding, settling and night-time care. Habits established early tend to last, so a father who has been fully involved from the start is more likely to remain an active parent as the child grows up.
Body 2A further advantage is greater equality at work. When only mothers take long leave, some employers quietly prefer to hire or promote men, assuming that women will be absent for long periods. If both parents are entitled to the same time off, this assumption loses much of its force, and caring for a new baby is no longer seen as a responsibility that belongs to women alone.
Body 3That said, the scheme must not place an unfair burden on businesses. A small firm with only a handful of staff may struggle to cover for an absent employee while continuing to pay a full salary. For this reason, the leave should be funded largely by the state rather than by individual employers, and fathers should be able to take it in flexible blocks during the child's first year.
ConclusionIn conclusion, I largely agree that fathers should receive several months of paid leave, since it strengthens family bonds and supports equality between men and women at work, provided that the cost is shared fairly and the scheme remains flexible.
- parse a Task 2 prompt for its task verb, topic nouns, and key qualifiers; sketch a 2-minute plan before writing; and match body-paragraph content to the specific essay type asked for
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1. Parse the prompt. What type of essay is this?
Answer: C. The instruction words “Discuss both views and give your own opinion” name the type directly. The trap is A: because you must give an opinion, some students argue only for their side and never explain the other view fairly — that leaves one required part of the task unaddressed. B and D come from the topic (PE, fitness), not from the instruction. 🔑 বাংলায়: “Discuss both views and give your own opinion” — নির্দেশনার এই শব্দগুলোই essay type সরাসরি বলে দেয়, তাই উত্তর C। Trap হলো A: opinion দিতে হবে বলে অনেকে শুধু নিজের পক্ষ নিয়ে লেখেন, অন্য view-টা ন্যায্যভাবে ব্যাখ্যাই করেন না — তাতে task-এর একটা বাধ্যতামূলক অংশ বাদ পড়ে। B আর D এসেছে topic থেকে (PE, fitness), নির্দেশনা থেকে নয়। -
2. Match paragraphs to type. Which body-paragraph plan fits this essay best?
Answer: D. A “Discuss both views” essay needs one paragraph per view, and your opinion should be clear from the introduction onwards. C is the most tempting trap: it is a good Opinion plan, but it ignores the academic-subjects view the prompt asks you to discuss. B discusses only one side (PE) and hides the opinion until the end; A turns it into a Problem–Solution essay. 🔑 বাংলায়: “Discuss both views” essay-তে প্রতিটি view-এর জন্য একটি body paragraph লাগে, আর introduction থেকেই নিজের মত স্পষ্ট থাকে — D ঠিক তাই করে, তাই উত্তর D। সবচেয়ে বড় Trap C: Opinion essay-র জন্য এটা ভালো plan, কিন্তু prompt যে academic subjects-এর view আলোচনা করতে বলেছে, সেটা পুরো বাদ। B শুধু একটা পক্ষ (PE) নিয়ে লেখে আর মত লুকিয়ে রাখে একদম শেষ পর্যন্ত; A এটাকে Problem–Solution বানিয়ে ফেলে। -
3. Paraphrase + position. Which introduction sentence paraphrases the prompt and states a position?
Answer: A. It reworks the prompt in fresh words (“extra lessons”, “a daily period of exercise”, “its place in the timetable”) and commits to a clear position. B copies the prompt almost word for word (copied words earn no credit), C is a memorised general opener with no position, and D sounds balanced but never answers which deserves the time. 🔑 বাংলায়: A prompt-কে নতুন শব্দে বলে (“extra lessons”, “a daily period of exercise”, “its place in the timetable”) এবং একটা স্পষ্ট অবস্থান নেয় — দুটো কাজই একসাথে, তাই উত্তর A। Trap D: শুনতে ভারসাম্যপূর্ণ, কিন্তু সময়টা কোন বিষয়ের প্রাপ্য — সেই আসল প্রশ্নের উত্তরই দেয় না। B প্রায় হুবহু prompt কপি করে (কপি করা শব্দে কোনো নম্বর নেই), আর C মুখস্থ সাধারণ opening — কোনো অবস্থান নেই।
1 Parse the Prompt’s Key Words 5 drills
“In many countries, the proportion of older people is steadily increasing. Does this trend have more positive or negative effects on society?”What must this essay do?
Answer: B. “More positive or negative” asks for a judgement. Trap A: a balanced list of effects with no verdict leaves the actual question unanswered. C confuses it with a Cause–Effect essay (no causes are asked for); D invents a Discussion essay. 🔑 বাংলায়: “More positive or negative” মানে বিচার করে বলতে হবে কোন দিকটা বেশি — তাই উত্তর B। Trap A: ভালো আর খারাপ প্রভাবের একটা ভারসাম্যপূর্ণ তালিকা দিলেন, কিন্তু রায় দিলেন না — তাহলে আসল প্রশ্নেরই উত্তর হলো না। C এটাকে Cause–Effect ভেবে নেয় (কারণ জানতে চাওয়া হয়নি), আর D নিজে থেকে একটা Discussion essay বানিয়ে ফেলে।“Some people say that the main purpose of schools is to turn children into good citizens and workers, rather than to benefit them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”What exactly must you evaluate?
Answer: D. The key phrase is the comparison “rather than to benefit them as individuals” — the essay must judge society’s needs against the individual’s. A drifts to a general “are schools good?” essay; B and C each take one half of the topic and drop the comparison, which only partly addresses the prompt. 🔑 বাংলায়: মূল phrase হলো তুলনাটা — “rather than to benefit them as individuals”। অর্থাৎ বিচার করতে হবে সমাজের প্রয়োজন (ভালো নাগরিক ও কর্মী তৈরি) ব্যক্তি-শিশুর উপকারের আগে আসা উচিত কি না — তাই উত্তর D। Trap B ও C: প্রতিটি topic-এর অর্ধেকটা ধরে, তুলনাটা বাদ দেয় — ফলে প্রশ্নের উত্তর আংশিক হয়। A সরে যায় “স্কুল ভালো না খারাপ” ধরনের সাধারণ আলোচনায়।“Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”Which detail must the essay deal with to stay fully on task?
Answer: A. The qualifiers “equal numbers” and “every subject” narrow the claim: the strongest essays test it on subjects where applicants are very unequal. B is a related but different question (ability, not admission quotas); C is off-topic; D is background history that answers nothing. 🔑 বাংলায়: qualifier দুটি — “equal numbers” আর “every subject” — দাবিটাকে নির্দিষ্ট করে দেয়। তাই সবচেয়ে ভালো essay দাবিটা যাচাই করবে এমন subject দিয়ে, যেখানে ছেলে আর মেয়ে আবেদনকারীর সংখ্যায় বড় পার্থক্য আছে (যেমন engineering, nursing) — উত্তর A। Trap B: কাছাকাছি কিন্তু আলাদা প্রশ্ন — কে ভালো ফল করে (ability), ভর্তির কোটা নয়। C প্রসঙ্গের বাইরে, আর D শুধু ইতিহাস, কোনো প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয় না।“Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed rather than work for a company. Why might this be the case? What are the disadvantages of being self-employed?”Which plan answers every part?
Answer: C. A two-part question needs one clear answer to each question. A answers only the first question and adds an opinion nobody asked for; B turns it into a Discussion essay; D answers different questions altogether. 🔑 বাংলায়: এটা Two-part prompt — দুটি আলাদা সরাসরি প্রশ্ন (“Why might this be the case?” আর “What are the disadvantages…?”), তাই প্রতিটির জন্য একটি করে body লাগে — উত্তর C। Trap A: শুধু প্রথম প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয়, আবার এমন একটা opinion যোগ করে যা কেউ চায়নি। B এটাকে Discussion essay বানায়, D পুরো অন্য প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয়।“Some people think that competition among children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to cooperate become more useful adults. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” A student plans: B1 — why competition is good; B2 — why competition is good in sport.What is wrong with this plan?
Answer: B. Both body paragraphs support competition, so the cooperation view is never discussed — the task is only partly addressed. D is a myth: two well-developed body paragraphs are perfectly acceptable. A (famous names) is not required; C misreads the instruction. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুই body-ই competition-এর পক্ষে — cooperation view কোথাও আলোচনা হয়নি, তাই task-এর একটা বাধ্যতামূলক অংশ বাদ পড়েছে; উত্তর B। Trap D: “Discussion essay-তে অন্তত 3টি body লাগে” — এটা ভুল ধারণা, ভালোভাবে ব্যাখ্যা করা 2টি body-ই যথেষ্ট। A-র মতো বিখ্যাত মানুষের উদাহরণ দরকার নেই, আর C নির্দেশনাটাই ভুল পড়ে।
2 Sketch Before You Write — 2 Minutes, Not Optional 5 drills
“Some people believe that children should be given homework every day, while others think this is unnecessary. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”Which 2-minute sketch is the most useful?
Answer: C. It fixes the position, gives each body paragraph one distinct job, and covers both views. A is a word cloud with no structure; B repeats one idea three times; D is off-task background and leaves the opinion to chance — the most common cause of a confused conclusion. 🔑 বাংলায়: C-তে অবস্থান আগেই ঠিক করা (কিছু homework দরকার, তবে প্রতিদিন নয়), প্রতিটি body-র আলাদা কাজ, আর দুই view-ই আছে — তাই উত্তর C। Trap D: ইতিহাস আর অন্য দেশের কথা task-এর বাইরে, আর opinion “লিখতে লিখতে ঠিক করব” ভাবলে conclusion গুলিয়ে যাওয়ার ঝুঁকি সবচেয়ে বেশি। A শুধু শব্দের তালিকা, কোনো কাঠামো নেই; B একই idea তিনবার বলে।Prompt: “Smoking should be banned in all outdoor public places, such as parks and beaches. Do you agree or disagree?” Sketch: Position: agree. B1 — second-hand smoke harms other people's health. B2 — non-smokers nearby breathe in dangerous fumes.What is the main problem with this sketch?
Answer: A. “Second-hand smoke” and “breathing in fumes” are one point, so the essay will repeat itself; B2 needs a different reason (e.g. less litter from cigarette ends, fewer children copying adults who smoke). B is the conclusion myth; C is not a rule (a counter-argument is optional); D is wrong — examiners assess how well an idea is developed, not how original it is. 🔑 বাংলায়: “second-hand smoke” আর “পাশের মানুষের ক্ষতিকর ধোঁয়া নিঃশ্বাসে নেওয়া” আসলে একই পয়েন্ট — Body 2 শুধু Body 1-এর পুনরাবৃত্তি হবে; উত্তর A। B2-তে দরকার সম্পূর্ণ আলাদা একটা কারণ — যেমন ফেলে দেওয়া সিগারেটের টুকরো থেকে কম ময়লা, বা বড়দের দেখে শিশুদের ধূমপান অনুকরণ কমা। Trap B, C, D তিনটাই প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা: অবস্থান conclusion পর্যন্ত ঝুলিয়ে রাখার দরকার নেই, counter-argument বাধ্যতামূলক নয়, আর examiner idea কতটা নতুন তা দেখেন না — দেখেন কতটা ভালোভাবে ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়েছে।“Some people think the best way to improve public health is to build more sports facilities. Others think this would have little effect. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” A student’s B2 note says: my view — other measures work better.Which revision makes B2 ready to write?
Answer: D. It names the actual idea (facilities serve people who are already active, while wider measures reach everyone), so the paragraph can be written without inventing content mid-essay. A is a generalisation; B just repeats the vague note with an appeal to “experts”; C gives two loosely linked complaints with no clear line of argument. 🔑 বাংলায়: D-তে আসল idea-টা লেখা আছে — sports facility মূলত তাঁদের কাজে লাগে যাঁরা আগে থেকেই সক্রিয়, অথচ food label বা sugar tax-এর মতো ব্যবস্থা সবার কাছে পৌঁছায়। ফলে লেখার সময় নতুন করে content ভাবতে হয় না; উত্তর D। Trap B: “experts আর doctors একমত” শুনতে জোরালো, কিন্তু এটা আগের অস্পষ্ট note-টাই — কোন ব্যবস্থা কেন ভালো, তা বলে না। A সাধারণ কথা, আর C দুটো আলগা অভিযোগ, কোনো স্পষ্ট যুক্তির ধারা নেই।“Museums should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree?” Sketch: Position: agree. B1 — free entry lets low-income families learn about their history, e.g. school visits. B2 — ?Which B2 keeps the essay consistent?
Answer: B. It raises the main objection (cost) and rebuts it, so the position stays “agree”. A switches sides in the middle of the essay — a classic Band 5–6 consistency error; C is irrelevant detail; D also undermines the writer’s own position without rebutting it. 🔑 বাংলায়: B প্রধান আপত্তিটা (টিকিটের আয় হারানো, অর্থাৎ খরচ) তুলে সেটার জবাব দেয় — তাই অবস্থান “agree” থেকে নড়ে না; উত্তর B। Trap A: শুনতে যুক্তিসঙ্গত, কিন্তু essay-র মাঝপথে পক্ষ বদলে ফেলে — Band 5–6-এর পরিচিত consistency ভুল। C অপ্রাসঙ্গিক detail, আর D-ও খণ্ডন ছাড়াই লেখকের নিজের অবস্থানকে দুর্বল করে।“More and more people are buying products online rather than in shops. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?”Which sketch covers every part of the prompt?
Answer: A. B1 answers “why”; B2 answers “positive or negative” with a clear (qualified) judgement. B never explains why it is happening and refuses the judgement the second question asks for; C answers a question that was not set; D pushes the first question into the conclusion, where it cannot be developed. 🔑 বাংলায়: এটা Two-part prompt: B1 “why”-এর উত্তর দেয় (সুবিধা, কম দাম), B2 “positive or negative”-এর স্পষ্ট (শর্তসহ) রায় দেয় — তাই উত্তর A। Trap B: দেখতে Adv–Dis essay-র মতো, কিন্তু কেন ঘটছে তা বলে না, আর দ্বিতীয় প্রশ্ন যে রায় চায় সেটাও দেয় না। C এমন প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয় যা করাই হয়নি; D প্রথম প্রশ্নটা conclusion-এ ঠেলে দেয়, যেখানে সেটা ব্যাখ্যা করার জায়গা নেই।
3 Match Your Body Paragraphs to the Essay Type 5 drills
“In many cities, the gap between rich and poor is widening. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to reduce it?”Which body plan fits?
Answer: D. The prompt asks for problems AND measures, so the bodies must follow that split. C is the near-miss: it writes a Cause–Effect essay and never offers a single measure. A treats it as an Opinion essay; B as Advantages–Disadvantages. 🔑 বাংলায়: prompt চায় problems এবং measures — তাই body দুটো এই ভাগেই হবে; উত্তর D। Trap C: কাছাকাছি, কিন্তু এটা Cause–Effect essay (কেন বাড়ছে, কী প্রভাব) — একটা সমাধানও দেয় না। A এটাকে Opinion essay ধরে নেয়, B Advantages–Disadvantages।“Fewer young people are choosing to train as farmers. What are the reasons for this, and what effects will it have?”Which body plan fits?
Answer: B. This is Cause–Effect: reasons, then effects. A is the classic confusion with Problem–Solution — it adds solutions nobody asked for and never covers the effects. C drops the reasons; D answers a different question. 🔑 বাংলায়: “reasons … and what effects” — এটা Cause–Effect: আগে কারণ, তারপর প্রভাব; উত্তর B। Trap A: Problem–Solution-এর সাথে গুলিয়ে ফেলার পরিচিত ভুল — কেউ না চাইলেও সমাধান দেয়, আর প্রভাবের কথা বলেই না। C কারণ বাদ দেয়, D অন্য প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয়।“Advertising aimed at children should be banned. To what extent do you agree?” A student partly agrees: commercial adverts should be banned, but public health campaigns should not.Which plan presents this position clearly?
Answer: C. A qualified position is perfectly acceptable when it is stated early and each paragraph supports one half of it. A ends on the fence; B introduces a new position only in the conclusion, contradicting the bodies; D is descriptive and hides the opinion. 🔑 বাংলায়: আংশিক একমত হওয়া (qualified position) পুরোপুরি গ্রহণযোগ্য — যদি শুরুতেই বলা হয় আর প্রতিটি body তার একটা করে দিক সমর্থন করে: B1 — commercial বিজ্ঞাপন কেন বন্ধ হওয়া উচিত, B2 — health campaign কেন আলাদা। তাই উত্তর C। Trap A: দুই দিকের যুক্তি দিয়ে শেষে “সিদ্ধান্ত নেওয়া কঠিন” — অর্থাৎ কোনো পক্ষই নেওয়া হলো না (fence-sitting)। B conclusion-এ হঠাৎ নতুন অবস্থান আনে, যা body-গুলোর বিপরীত; D শুধু বর্ণনা, মত লুকিয়ে রাখে।“Some argue that people should be free to choose any career; others believe the government should guide young people into the jobs the country needs. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” The writer supports free choice.Which plan keeps the position clear best?
Answer: A. The opinion is clear from the introduction, the opposing view is explained fairly, and the writer’s own view is developed in B2. B follows the popular myth that the opinion belongs in the conclusion — the position is unclear for most of the essay, which holds Task Response back. C ignores one view; D has no clear organisation. 🔑 বাংলায়: A-তে introduction থেকেই মত স্পষ্ট, B1-এ সরকারি নির্দেশনার view ন্যায্যভাবে ব্যাখ্যা, আর B2-এ নিজের পক্ষ (free choice) ও কেন সেটা বেশি শক্তিশালী — উত্তর A। Trap B: সেই জনপ্রিয় ভুল ধারণা মানে যে opinion শুধু conclusion-এ — ফলে essay-র বেশিরভাগ অংশে অবস্থান অস্পষ্ট থাকে, যা Task Response আটকে দেয়। C একটা view বাদ দেয়, আর D-তে কোনো স্পষ্ট গঠনই নেই।“Many companies now let employees choose their own working hours. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?”Which plan answers the question?
Answer: D. “Do the advantages outweigh…?” demands a verdict, and D weighs both sides before giving one. A is the trap: it treats the prompt as a plain “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” task and never answers the question. B answers a different question; C ignores the disadvantages entirely. 🔑 বাংলায়: “Do the advantages outweigh…?” মানে রায় দিতেই হবে — D দুই দিক মেপে (আগে অসুবিধা আর কেন সেগুলো সামলানো যায়, তারপর সুবিধা) স্পষ্ট রায় দেয়; উত্তর D। Trap A: prompt-টাকে সাধারণ “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” ভেবে নেয়, তাই আসল প্রশ্নের উত্তরই দেয় না। B অন্য প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয়, C অসুবিধাগুলো পুরো উপেক্ষা করে।
4 Paraphrase the Prompt, Then State Your Position 5 drills
“Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn about the news; others think online sources are better. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”Which introduction paraphrases accurately and states a clear position?
Answer: A. It rewords the topic (“printed papers”, “current affairs”) and gives a clear, qualified opinion. B copies the prompt; C is a memorised opener that says nothing about the question; D announces a discussion but takes no position. 🔑 বাংলায়: A বিষয়টা নতুন শব্দে বলে (“printed papers”, “current affairs”) আর একটা স্পষ্ট, শর্তসহ মত দেয় — online source বেশি কাজের, যদি পাঠক যাচাই করে নেন; উত্তর A। Trap D: শুনতে গোছানো, কিন্তু শুধু আলোচনার ঘোষণা দেয়, কোনো অবস্থান নেয় না। B prompt কপি করে, আর C মুখস্থ opening যা প্রশ্ন নিয়ে কিছুই বলে না।Prompt: “Some people believe that patients should pay the full cost of their hospital treatment.”Which paraphrase keeps the original meaning?
Answer: C. “Bear the entire cost” = “pay the full cost”. B is the near-miss: “contribute something” weakens full to partial, so the essay would argue about a different claim. A reverses the meaning; D changes the topic to affordability. 🔑 বাংলায়: “bear the entire cost” = “pay the full cost” — অর্থ হুবহু এক, শুধু শব্দ নতুন; উত্তর C। Trap B: “contribute something” মানে আংশিক খরচ, পুরোটা নয় — ফলে essay একটা ভিন্ন দাবি নিয়ে তর্ক করবে। A অর্থ উল্টে দেয় (সম্পূর্ণ বিনামূল্যে), আর D বিষয়টাই বদলে দেয় (চিকিৎসার খরচ বেশি কি না)।“Children today spend too much time on screens, so parents should strictly limit their use. To what extent do you agree?”Which thesis states a qualified but clear position?
Answer: B. It agrees with part of the claim (limits are needed) and disagrees with part (“strictly”), and the reader knows exactly where the writer stands. A and D sound mature but give no answer; C only announces the topic. 🔑 বাংলায়: B দাবির এক অংশে একমত (screen time-এর সীমা দরকার), আরেক অংশে নয় (“strictly” — কড়া নিয়মের চেয়ে নিজেকে নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতে শেখানো ভালো) — পাঠক ঠিক বোঝেন লেখক কোথায় দাঁড়িয়ে; উত্তর B। Trap A ও D: শুনতে পরিণত আর ভারসাম্যপূর্ণ, কিন্তু কোনো উত্তর দেয় না। C শুধু topic ঘোষণা করে।A student’s introduction copies the prompt word for word in its first sentence, then states a clear opinion. What is the most likely effect?
Answer: D. Language copied from the prompt is not credited as the candidate’s own, so it adds nothing to Lexical Resource and should not be relied on to reach 250 words. A exaggerates — the rest of the essay is still assessed; B is the myth that copying “shows understanding”; C is simply false. 🔑 বাংলায়: prompt থেকে কপি করা ভাষা candidate-এর নিজের ভাষা হিসেবে গণ্য হয় না — Lexical Resource-এ কোনো লাভ নেই, আর 250 শব্দ পূরণেও এর উপর ভরসা করা যায় না; উত্তর D। Trap B: “কপি করলে বোঝা যায় প্রশ্ন বুঝেছি” — এটা ভুল ধারণা। A বাড়াবাড়ি — essay-র বাকি অংশ ঠিকই মূল্যায়ন হয়; C সরাসরি ভুল।“Many young people leave rural areas to work in cities. What problems does this cause, and what solutions can be suggested?”Which introduction sentence fits this task best?
Answer: C. A Problem–Solution introduction previews the actual problem and solution — C does both in one sentence. A answers an opinion question that was not asked; B is a memorised template that could open any essay; D turns the task into Advantages–Disadvantages. 🔑 বাংলায়: Problem–Solution introduction-এ মত নয়, আসল problem আর solution-এর আভাস দিতে হয় — C এক বাক্যে দুটোই দেয় (গ্রামে কর্মীর অভাব, গ্রামের কাজে বিনিয়োগ); উত্তর C। Trap B: “This essay will discuss…” — মুখস্থ template, যেকোনো essay-তে বসানো যায়, তাই কিছুই দেখায় না। A এমন opinion দেয় যা চাওয়াই হয়নি, আর D task-টাকে Advantages–Disadvantages বানিয়ে ফেলে।
Writing Task 2: Developing Ideas & Paragraphs
📖 Book Chapter 11Once you have a plan from Chapter 10 (Essay Planning & Type-Specific Structure), the real skill is turning that plan into paragraphs that develop each idea fully, using examples that clearly connect to the prompt rather than generic filler — while keeping your position consistent from introduction to conclusion.
- generate genuine ideas even on unfamiliar topics using a structured brainstorming method
- develop each body paragraph point fully — point, explain, example — rather than stating ideas without support
- create examples that directly echo the prompt's own key words, and hold a consistent position throughout
Flow: Budget roughly 4–5 minutes per trick (~20 minutes for all four), then the practice phase below builds full paragraphs on a new Problem-Solution prompt (exam cheating).
If you can't think of a reason or example, run through a mental checklist of common angles: economic, social/personal, environmental, educational, technological, health. One of these almost always produces a usable idea.
Examiners don't reward ORIGINALITY for its own sake — Task Response assesses how relevant your ideas are and how well you extend and support them. A simple, common idea explained clearly outscores a vague, ambitious one you can't fully develop.
Prompt about city green spaces → economic angle (property values rise nearby), social angle (community interaction), health angle (space for exercise and mental wellbeing).
Prompt: "Should governments spend more on evening classes for adults?" Run the angles:
| Angle | A usable idea |
|---|---|
| Economic | retrained workers can fill skill shortages instead of staying unemployed |
| Social | adults who left school early get a second chance and meet people outside work |
| Educational | parents who keep learning can help their own children with schoolwork |
| Health | learning new skills keeps the mind active in later life |
You only need two strong angles for two body paragraphs — the checklist just makes sure you never sit staring at a blank page.
Prompt: "Should schools provide free lunches to all pupils, whatever their family's income?" Using the category checklist, name one economic angle and one social angle.
Each body paragraph makes exactly ONE main point, then explains why it's true, then gives a specific example or consequence. Never cram two unrelated ideas into one paragraph, and never state a point without explaining it.
Two underdeveloped points usually score lower than one point fully explained — the Task Response descriptors reward main ideas that are "extended and supported", not the number of points raised, and Coherence and Cohesion rewards paragraphs with a clear central topic and logical progression.
"Free school lunches help poor children. They also help parents. Countries like Finland do it."
"Providing free lunches to every pupil means that no child has to sit through afternoon lessons hungry, which matters because a hungry child struggles to concentrate however able they are. In Finland, for example, all pupils have been served a free school meal since the 1940s, so a child's ability to focus in class does not depend on whether their family can afford lunch."
A) "Exercise is good for workers. It also helps companies. Firms need gyms." B) "Encouraging staff to exercise during the working week can reduce sick leave, since employees who stay physically active tend to suffer fewer back problems and stress-related illnesses, so they miss fewer days of work."
A good example should be about the SPECIFIC topic and scope identified in Chapter 10, Trick 1 (the topic nouns and qualifiers — e.g. young people, not people in general), not just any generic supporting detail. Keep the prompt's ideas, but you don't have to repeat its exact words — rewording them with accurate synonyms also shows lexical range. This proves you're answering THIS question, not a rehearsed generic essay.
Examiners can tell when an example is a memorised template loosely bolted onto the topic — an example tied to the prompt's exact topic and qualifiers signals genuine, on-topic development, while copying the prompt's words again and again adds nothing to Lexical Resource.
"For example, technology has changed how we live."
"For instance, many young people now message friends daily online but meet them face-to-face far less often than previous generations did."
Anchor to the prompt's idea, then vary the exact words with a synonym so you show range without drifting off-topic (the meaning must stay identical):
• young people → the younger generation · adolescents
• important → crucial · vital · significant
• problem → issue · difficulty · challenge (not drawback, which means "disadvantage")
• help → support · benefit · assist
Prompt: "Should the government invest more in public transport rather than roads?" Write one example sentence that is clearly about government spending on public transport (you may reword the prompt's terms).
For Opinion, Discuss-both-give-opinion and "Do the advantages outweigh…?" essays, your position must be clear and consistent from introduction to conclusion — not "there are good points on both sides" with no actual stance taken. A qualified position ("I agree in most cases, but…") is not fence-sitting, as long as it is stated clearly and kept the same throughout. And it is a myth that your opinion "belongs in the conclusion": the Band 7 descriptor asks for "a clear position throughout the response".
A fence-sitting essay loses marks on Task Response even when both sides are explained well — the task specifically asks for YOUR opinion, not just balanced description.
"Both free lunches for everyone and free lunches only for poorer pupils have advantages, so it really depends on the country's circumstances."
"While offering free lunches only to low-income families has its merits, I would argue that providing them to every pupil is fairer and more effective."
Either side can score equally well. Examiners do not reward the "right" opinion — they reward a position that is clear, consistent and supported. The opposite view ("free lunches should go only to families who need them") would score just as highly if it were held as clearly from start to finish.
Rewrite this fence-sitting conclusion into one with a clear position, keeping the same side as the strong example above: "In conclusion, there are points to consider on both sides of this issue."
Flow: Plan (2 min) → Step 1 (5 min) → Step 2 (15 min) → Step 3 (20 min).
"In many schools and universities, cheating in exams and coursework appears to be increasing. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to tackle it?"
- Using Trick 1, generate one economic-angle idea and one social-angle idea for the cheating prompt above.
Model: Economic — when grades decide access to scholarships and well-paid jobs, the financial reward for a high mark tempts students to cheat. Social — honest students lose out when classmates who cheat gain higher marks, so trust in the whole system falls.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: দুটো idea-ই checklist থেকে এসেছে, আর দুটোই prompt-এর সাথে সরাসরি যুক্ত। economic: grade দিয়েই scholarship আর ভালো বেতনের চাকরি ঠিক হয়, তাই ভালো নম্বরের আর্থিক লাভই নকলের লোভ তৈরি করে। social: যারা নকল করে তারা বেশি নম্বর পেলে সৎ student-রা পিছিয়ে পড়ে, আর পুরো ব্যবস্থার উপর আস্থা কমে যায়।
- Using Tricks 2–3, write the complete "causes" body paragraph for the cheating essay, with one fully explained point and an example anchored to the prompt's own words.
Model: One of the main causes of academic dishonesty is the intense pressure on students to achieve top grades, because a single examination result can decide whether they win a university place or a scholarship. When the stakes are this high, some students come to see copying or using hidden notes as a reasonable risk rather than a serious wrongdoing. In countries where one national test largely determines university admission, for instance, some students feel that one bad exam could close off their chosen career, so the temptation to cheat is at its strongest in the very examinations that matter most.Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: paragraph-টা point → ব্যাখ্যা → উদাহরণ ধারা মেনে চলে। প্রথম বাক্যে একটাই পয়েন্ট — ভালো grade পাওয়ার তীব্র চাপ — সাথে কারণ (একটা পরীক্ষার ফলই university-র সিট বা scholarship ঠিক করতে পারে)। দ্বিতীয় বাক্য ব্যাখ্যা করে চাপ কীভাবে নকলের দিকে ঠেলে দেয় — কেউ কেউ তখন নকলকে গুরুতর অন্যায় নয়, একটা “যুক্তিসঙ্গত ঝুঁকি” মনে করে। তৃতীয় বাক্যের উদাহরণ (যে দেশে একটা জাতীয় পরীক্ষাই মূলত ভর্তি ঠিক করে) ঠিক এই পয়েন্টটাকেই সমর্থন করে, আর prompt-এর বিষয় থেকে একটুও সরে না। “cheating” শব্দটা বারবার কপি না করে “academic dishonesty”, “copying or using hidden notes” দিয়ে বলা হয়েছে।
- Use all four tricks together: brainstorm if needed, one fully explained point per paragraph, examples anchored to the prompt's own words, and (where relevant) a consistent position. Try it first — reveal the full model paragraphs below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model paragraphs
Body 1 (causes): One of the main causes of academic dishonesty is the intense pressure on students to achieve top grades, because a single examination result can decide whether they win a university place or a scholarship. When the stakes are this high, some students come to see copying or using hidden notes as a reasonable risk rather than a serious wrongdoing. In countries where one national test largely determines university admission, for instance, some students feel that one bad exam could close off their chosen career, so the temptation to cheat is at its strongest in the very examinations that matter most.
Body 2 (solutions): The most effective response would be to change how students are assessed rather than simply to punish those who are caught. If coursework includes a short oral discussion in which each student explains how they reached their answers, work copied from a classmate or a website quickly becomes obvious, because the student cannot defend ideas that are not their own. Some universities already ask students to submit their notes and early drafts alongside a final essay, which makes it far harder to hand in work written by someone else and, at the same time, rewards the honest effort that genuine learning requires.
- Point: "Online learning saves students money." Which sentence develops it best?
A) This is very important nowadays.
B) For example, students no longer pay for daily travel or campus accommodation.✓ Answer: B Why: B gives a concrete example of how money is saved (Trick 2: one point, fully explained). Trap: A sounds academic but adds nothing. B দেখায় টাকা কীভাবে বাঁচে — একটা বাস্তব উদাহরণ দিয়ে (Trick 2: একটা point, পুরোপুরি ব্যাখ্যা)। Trap: A শুনতে academic, কিন্তু নতুন কিছুই যোগ করে না। - Which thesis statement sits on the fence?
A) There are good arguments on both sides of this issue.
B) Although remote work suits some jobs, I believe offices remain essential for most teams.✓ Answer: A Why: A never says what the writer thinks (Trick 4). B also mentions both sides, but it takes a clear position. A-তে লেখক নিজে কী মনে করেন, তা কোথাও নেই (Trick 4)। B-ও দুই দিকের কথা বলে, কিন্তু একটা স্পষ্ট অবস্থান নেয়। - Prompt: "Should governments fund public libraries?" Which example is anchored to the prompt?
A) My friend enjoys reading novels in her free time.
B) In many cities, free library computers are the only internet access that low-income families have.✓ Answer: B Why: B links directly to public funding and who benefits (Trick 3). Trap: A is about reading in general, not about libraries or government money. B সরাসরি সরকারি অর্থায়ন আর কারা উপকৃত হয় — তার সাথে যুক্ত (Trick 3)। Trap: A সাধারণভাবে বই পড়া নিয়ে, library বা সরকারি টাকা নিয়ে নয়।
Simple → advanced wording — an upgrade list
Once the basics feel automatic, reach for the stronger word. Meaning must stay the same — never swap in a "big" word you're unsure of.
| Simple | Stronger alternatives |
|---|---|
| good | beneficial · valuable · advantageous |
| bad | harmful · detrimental · damaging |
| big / a lot of | substantial · considerable · significant |
| important | crucial · vital · essential |
| problem | issue · difficulty · challenge |
| show | demonstrate · indicate · reveal |
| think | believe · maintain · argue |
| get | obtain · acquire · gain |
| make better | improve · enhance · strengthen |
| because of | owing to · as a result of · due to |
- brainstorm ideas by category when stuck, fully develop one point per paragraph, anchor examples to the prompt's own words, and hold a consistent position throughout an essay
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1. One point, fully explained. Which body-paragraph extract is developed properly (not just a list)?
Answer: C. It makes one point (no separate childcare journey) and develops it with a cause-and-effect chain and a concrete illustration. A lists four undeveloped points — the typical Band 5–6 “list” paragraph; B describes the debate without making any point; D asserts a point but supports it only with “in my opinion”. 🔑 বাংলায়: C একটাই পয়েন্ট দেয় — আলাদা করে শিশুকে রেখে আসার রোজকার যাত্রা আর লাগে না — তারপর কারণ-ফল আর নির্দিষ্ট উদাহরণ দিয়ে সেটা গড়ে তোলে (যে বাবা বা মা আগে এক ঘণ্টা হারাতেন, তিনি এখন সময়মতো আর কম চাপ নিয়ে কাজ শুরু করেন); উত্তর C। Trap A: চারটা পয়েন্ট, একটারও ব্যাখ্যা নেই — Band 5–6-এর পরিচিত “তালিকা” paragraph। B শুধু বিতর্কটা বর্ণনা করে, কোনো পয়েন্ট দেয় না; D একটা দাবি করে, কিন্তু সমর্থন শুধু “in my opinion”। -
2. Never sit on the fence. Which thesis takes a clear position?
Answer: A. It commits to a position (a qualified one — “largely agree”), previews the reasons and names the limit. B and D “sit on the fence”, so the examiner cannot see your answer; C is a memorised general opener that says nothing about the question. 🔑 বাংলায়: A একটা অবস্থান নেয় — শর্তসহ (“largely agree”) — সাথে কারণগুলোর আভাস দেয় আর সীমাটাও বলে (ছোট firm হয়তো খরচ বহন করতে পারবে না); উত্তর A। Trap B ও D: শুনতে ভারসাম্যপূর্ণ, কিন্তু কোনো পক্ষ নেয় না (fence-sitting) — examiner আপনার উত্তরটাই দেখতে পান না। C মুখস্থ সাধারণ opening, প্রশ্ন নিয়ে কিছুই বলে না। -
3. Anchor the example. Which example best supports a point about companies benefiting?
Answer: D. The point is about companies, and D shows a concrete company benefit (experienced staff are kept rather than lost and replaced). A is a personal detail about an employee; B shifts to universities and students; C only restates that workplace nurseries are popular, which proves nothing about benefits. 🔑 বাংলায়: পয়েন্টটা কোম্পানির লাভ নিয়ে, আর D একটা নির্দিষ্ট লাভ দেখায় — on-site nursery থাকলে দক্ষ বাবা-মা সন্তান হওয়ার পর চাকরি ছাড়েন না, ফলে অভিজ্ঞ কর্মী হারিয়ে নতুন লোক নিতে হয় না; উত্তর D। Trap A: office-এর nursery-র কথা আছে, কিন্তু এটা একজন কর্মীর ব্যক্তিগত অভিজ্ঞতা — কোম্পানির লাভ নয়। B university আর student-দের দিকে সরে যায়, C শুধু জনপ্রিয়তা বলে, লাভ প্রমাণ করে না।
1 When You’re Stuck, Brainstorm by Category 5 drills
“All young people should be required to do one year of national service, such as working in hospitals or schools. Do you agree or disagree?” A student agrees and already has a social idea: young people meet others from different backgrounds.Which category gives the strongest second, distinct idea?
Answer: B. A new category produces a genuinely different reason that still supports “agree”. A is the trap: it is the same social idea in different words, so Body 2 would repeat Body 1. C and D force a category that has no real link to the prompt. 🔑 বাংলায়: নতুন category (economic) থেকে সত্যিই আলাদা একটা কারণ আসে — সেবাগুলো কম খরচে সাহায্য পায়, তরুণরা কাজের skill শেখে — আর এটাও “agree”-কেই সমর্থন করে; উত্তর B। Trap A: শুনতে নতুন, কিন্তু এটা সেই একই social idea অন্য ভাষায় — Body 2 তখন Body 1-এর পুনরাবৃত্তি হবে। C আর D জোর করে একটা category বসায়, prompt-এর সাথে আসল কোনো সম্পর্ক নেই।“Parents should be fined if their children often miss school without a good reason. To what extent do you agree?”Which category is LEAST likely to give a relevant idea?
Answer: A. The checklist is a tool, not a rule: skip angles that do not fit. Educational (lost learning), economic (fines hurt poorer families most) and social (trust between schools and families) all give real arguments; environmental gives nothing relevant. 🔑 বাংলায়: checklist একটা সহায়ক, নিয়ম নয় — যে angle এই prompt-এ খাটে না, সেটা বাদ দিন। Educational (শেখার ক্ষতি), economic (জরিমানা সবচেয়ে বেশি আঘাত করে গরিব পরিবারকে) আর social (স্কুল আর পরিবারের মধ্যে আস্থা) — তিনটাই আসল যুক্তি দেয়, কিন্তু environmental থেকে প্রাসঙ্গিক কিছুই আসে না; উত্তর A। Trap: প্রতিটি category থেকেই কিছু বের করতে হবে ভাবলে জোর করে অপ্রাসঙ্গিক idea ঢুকে পড়ে।“Space exploration is a waste of money; governments should spend it on problems on Earth instead. Do you agree or disagree?” A student disagrees and tries the technological angle.Which idea uses this angle relevantly?
Answer: D. It links space spending directly to a benefit on Earth, which answers the claim that it is “a waste”. A and B are true but generic statements about technology; C mentions space but has nothing to do with government spending. 🔑 বাংলায়: D মহাকাশ গবেষণার খরচকে পৃথিবীর একটা বাস্তব উপকারের সাথে সরাসরি যুক্ত করে — satellite দিয়ে আবহাওয়ার পূর্বাভাস, যা কৃষকদের কাজে লাগে। এটাই “waste of money” দাবির জবাব; উত্তর D। Trap A ও B: technology নিয়ে কথাগুলো সত্য, কিন্তু একদম সাধারণ — মহাকাশ বা সরকারি খরচের সাথে কোনো যোগ নেই। C-তে space আছে, কিন্তু সরকারি খরচের প্রশ্নের সাথে এর কোনো সম্পর্ক নেই।“Public transport should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree?” A student’s plan uses the economic angle twice: B1 — free fares save families money; B2 — fewer cars cut the government’s road-repair costs.Is this a problem?
Answer: C. Savings for families and savings for the state are different points with different effects, so the plan is fine. A turns a brainstorming aid into a false rule; B is the “originality” myth; D would make the paragraphs repetitive. 🔑 বাংলায়: পরিবারের টাকা বাঁচা আর সরকারের রাস্তা মেরামতের খরচ কমা — দুটো আলাদা পয়েন্ট, প্রভাবও আলাদা; দুটো একই category থেকে এলেও plan ঠিক আছে, উত্তর C। Trap A: brainstorming-এর একটা সহায়ককে ভুল নিয়ম বানিয়ে ফেলে — প্রতিটি body আলাদা category থেকে আসতেই হবে, এমন কোনো নিয়ম নেই। B সেই “originality” ভুল ধারণা, আর D মানলে দুই paragraph পুনরাবৃত্তি হয়ে যাবে।“Some people believe cities should create more parks and green spaces; others think the land should be used for new housing. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”Which brainstorm gives one idea for EACH view?
Answer: A. A Discuss-both essay needs material for both sides. B and C are good ideas but all for one view, so one side of the task would be missing; D does not support either view. 🔑 বাংলায়: Discuss-both essay-তে দুই পক্ষের জন্যই material লাগে — A housing-এর পক্ষে একটি (নতুন বাড়িতে ভাড়া কমে) আর park-এর পক্ষে একটি (ব্যায়ামের জায়গা) idea দেয়; উত্তর A। Trap B ও C: idea-গুলো ভালো, কিন্তু সব এক পক্ষের — ফলে task-এর অন্য পক্ষটা বাদ পড়বে। D কোনো পক্ষকেই সমর্থন করে না।
2 One Point Per Paragraph, Fully Explained 5 drills
Topic sentence: “Raising the price of fuel would encourage people to drive less.”Which sentence best EXPLAINS this point?
Answer: D. It explains how a higher price leads to less driving — the mechanism behind the claim. A and B start new, unrelated points (heating, electric cars); C comments on prices but does not explain why people would drive less. 🔑 বাংলায়: D ব্যাখ্যা করে দাম বাড়লে কীভাবে গাড়ি চালানো কমে — প্রতিটি যাত্রার খরচ বাড়লে মানুষ কয়েকটা কাজ এক যাত্রায় সারে বা bus নেয়। দাবির পেছনের এই প্রক্রিয়াটাই হলো ব্যাখ্যা; উত্তর D। Trap C: fuel-এর দাম নিয়েই কথা, তাই প্রাসঙ্গিক মনে হয় — কিন্তু মানুষ কেন কম চালাবে, তা বলে না। A ও B নতুন, সম্পর্কহীন পয়েন্ট শুরু করে (heating, electric car)।“Online learning saves students time. It is also cheaper than studying on campus. Moreover, students can learn from top universities abroad. Finally, it is good for the environment.”What is the main weakness of this body paragraph?
Answer: C. Four claims, zero explanation — the classic “list” paragraph. A is wrong: it does use linkers (“also”, “Moreover”, “Finally”) — linkers cannot replace development. B is the opposite of the truth; D is not required in IELTS. 🔑 বাংলায়: চারটা দাবি, একটারও ব্যাখ্যা নেই — পরিচিত “তালিকা” paragraph; উত্তর C। Trap A: আসলে linker আছে (“also”, “Moreover”, “Finally”) — কিন্তু linker দিয়ে ব্যাখ্যার অভাব পূরণ হয় না। B সত্যের ঠিক উল্টো (বেশি idea নয়, বেশি ব্যাখ্যা দরকার), আর D-র মতো ব্যক্তিগত গল্প IELTS-এ বাধ্যতামূলক নয়।Point to develop: learning a foreign language helps people’s careers.Which extract develops this point best?
Answer: B. It explains why a language helps a career, with a specific context (tourism and trade, foreign clients). A is three short undeveloped claims; C widens the point into a list of unrelated benefits; D is circular — it explains “useful” with “useful”. 🔑 বাংলায়: B ব্যাখ্যা করে কেন বিদেশি ভাষা ক্যারিয়ারে কাজে লাগে, আর একটা নির্দিষ্ট প্রেক্ষাপট দেয় — tourism আর trade-এর firm এমন কর্মী চায়, যিনি সরাসরি বিদেশি client-এর সাথে কাজ করতে পারেন; উত্তর B। Trap D: “because” আছে বলে ব্যাখ্যা মনে হয়, কিন্তু এটা একই কথা ঘুরিয়ে বলা — “useful” বোঝাতে আবার “useful”। A তিনটা ছোট ব্যাখ্যাহীন দাবি, C পয়েন্টটাকে সম্পর্কহীন সুবিধার তালিকায় ছড়িয়ে দেয়।(1) For instance, a nurse who works night shifts may be unable to attend fixed evening classes. (2) Online courses particularly benefit adults with irregular working hours. (3) Because lessons are recorded, learners can study whenever their schedule allows.Which order gives point → explanation → example?
Answer: A. (2) is the topic sentence, (3) explains why it is true, (1) illustrates it. D is the near-miss: putting the example before the explanation leaves the reader unsure what the nurse example is proving. 🔑 বাংলায়: (2) topic sentence — মূল পয়েন্ট; (3) ব্যাখ্যা করে কেন সেটা সত্য (lesson record করা থাকে, তাই সুবিধামতো সময়ে পড়া যায়); (1) উদাহরণ দিয়ে দেখায় (রাতের shift-এ কাজ করা nurse)। তাই ক্রম 2 – 3 – 1, উত্তর A। Trap D: কাছাকাছি, কিন্তু ব্যাখ্যার আগে উদাহরণ এলে পাঠক বুঝতে পারেন না nurse-এর উদাহরণটা ঠিক কী প্রমাণ করছে।Topic sentence: “Mass tourism can seriously damage the environment of popular destinations.”Which next sentence keeps the paragraph on ONE point?
Answer: C. It explains how tourism damages the environment, continuing the same point. A jumps to the opposite side mid-paragraph (a Coherence problem); B is general background; D drifts to a new, unrelated complaint. 🔑 বাংলায়: C ব্যাখ্যা করে পর্যটন কীভাবে পরিবেশের ক্ষতি করে — ভিড় ময়লা ফেলে যায়, আর হাঁটার পথ, coral reef ও পুরোনো স্থাপনা ক্ষয় করে। একই পয়েন্টে থাকে, তাই উত্তর C। Trap A: paragraph-এর মাঝখানে হঠাৎ উল্টো দিকে চলে যায় (কাজের সুযোগ) — এটা Coherence-এর সমস্যা। B শুধু সাধারণ তথ্য, D নতুন একটা সম্পর্কহীন অভিযোগ।
3 Anchor Your Example to the Prompt’s Own Words 5 drills
“Older people should be encouraged to keep working beyond the usual retirement age. Do you agree?” Point: experienced older staff can train younger colleagues.Which example is anchored to this point?
Answer: A. It shows an older worker training younger ones — exactly the point. D is the tempting near-miss: it is about older people, but long life expectancy does not show that they can train colleagues. B is a personal detail; C is about young people’s job problems, which may even argue the other way. 🔑 বাংলায়: পয়েন্ট হলো অভিজ্ঞ বয়স্ক কর্মীরা তরুণ সহকর্মীদের শেখাতে পারেন — A ঠিক সেটাই দেখায়: অবসরপ্রাপ্ত একজন engineer part-time-এ graduate-দের mentor করে দশকের পর দশকের দক্ষতা হাতে তুলে দিচ্ছেন; উত্তর A। Trap D: বয়স্কদের নিয়ে বলে তাই লোভনীয়, কিন্তু দীর্ঘ আয়ু দিয়ে প্রমাণ হয় না যে তাঁরা সহকর্মীদের শেখাতে পারেন। B ব্যক্তিগত তথ্য, আর C তরুণদের চাকরির সমস্যা নিয়ে — যা উল্টো পক্ষের যুক্তিও হতে পারে।“Should governments spend more on public transport rather than on roads?”Which example is anchored to the prompt WITHOUT simply copying its words?
Answer: D. A real, specific case of state spending on mass transit and its effect — anchored to the topic, in the writer’s own words. A just copies the prompt and proves nothing; B is a generalisation; C is about cars, not about spending choices. 🔑 বাংলায়: D একটা বাস্তব, নির্দিষ্ট ঘটনা — Dhaka-য় metro চালু হওয়ার পর অনেক যাত্রী bus ছেড়ে train-এ যাতায়াত শুরু করেছেন — অর্থাৎ mass transit-এ সরকারি খরচ আর তার ফল, লেখকের নিজের ভাষায়; উত্তর D। Trap A: “For example” দিয়ে শুরু, কিন্তু এটা শুধু prompt কপি — কিছুই প্রমাণ করে না। B সাধারণ কথা, C গাড়ি নিয়ে, খরচের সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়ে নয়।“Children under the age of 12 should not be allowed to own smartphones. To what extent do you agree?” A student agrees.Which example stays within the prompt’s scope?
Answer: C. The qualifier is “under the age of 12”, and primary pupils fit it. B is the near-miss: teenagers are outside the age group, so the example supports a different claim. A is about adults; D is irrelevant history. 🔑 বাংলায়: qualifier হলো “under the age of 12” — primary-র শিশুরা ঠিক এই বয়সসীমায় পড়ে, আর উদাহরণটা দেখায় phone থাকলে তারা প্রায়ই homework বাদ দিয়ে game খেলে; উত্তর C। Trap B: কাছাকাছি, কিন্তু teenager-রা এই বয়সসীমার বাইরে — তাই উদাহরণটা অন্য একটা দাবিকে সমর্থন করে। A প্রাপ্তবয়স্কদের নিয়ে, D অপ্রাসঙ্গিক ইতিহাস।Which example would be most convincing in an IELTS essay arguing that public parks benefit people who work in cities?
Answer: B. A realistic, specific situation that clearly shows the benefit. A is the trap many students are taught: an invented, over-precise statistic. Examiners do not check facts or reward made-up research, and it adds no real support. C and D are sweeping claims with no evidence. 🔑 বাংলায়: B একটা বাস্তবসম্মত, নির্দিষ্ট পরিস্থিতি দিয়ে উপকারটা পরিষ্কার দেখায় — lunch break park-এ কাটালে office-এর কর্মীরা প্রায়ই শান্ত হয়ে ফেরেন; উত্তর B। Trap A: অনেক student-কে এভাবেই শেখানো হয় — বানানো, অতি-নিখুঁত পরিসংখ্যান। examiner তথ্য যাচাই করেন না, বানানো research-এর জন্য নম্বরও দেন না, আর এতে আসল কোনো সমর্থন যোগ হয় না। C ও D প্রমাণ ছাড়া ঢালাও দাবি।Point: “Advertising encourages unhealthy eating among children.”Which example supports this point best?
Answer: D. It connects all three key elements — advertising, children (cartoon characters) and unhealthy food (sugary cereal). A shows only that adverts exist; B is about adults and cars; C weakens the writer’s own point. 🔑 বাংলায়: D তিনটি মূল উপাদানই একসাথে যুক্ত করে — বিজ্ঞাপন, শিশু (cereal box-এর কার্টুন চরিত্র) আর অস্বাস্থ্যকর খাবার (চিনিযুক্ত খাবার); উত্তর D। Trap C: বিজ্ঞাপন আর খাবার দুটোই আছে, কিন্তু স্বাস্থ্যকর খাবারের বিজ্ঞাপন — এটা লেখকের নিজের পয়েন্টকেই দুর্বল করে। A শুধু দেখায় বিজ্ঞাপন আছে, B প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক আর গাড়ি নিয়ে।
4 Never Sit on the Fence 5 drills
Discuss-both essay: “Some people think children learn best in single-sex schools; others prefer mixed schools. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”Which conclusion gives a clear final position?
Answer: C. It acknowledges the other view and then states one clear opinion (which should match the introduction). A is the classic fence-sitting ending; B is a fact, not a position; D only summarises what the essay did. 🔑 বাংলায়: C অন্য মতকে স্বীকার করে (single-sex school কিছু pupil-এর জন্য উপযুক্ত), তারপর একটা স্পষ্ট মত দেয় — mixed school শিশুদের ভালোভাবে প্রস্তুত করে; এই মত introduction-এর সাথেও মিলতে হবে। উত্তর C। Trap A: “দুই ধরনেরই সুবিধা-অসুবিধা আছে, পরিবারের উপর নির্ভর করে” — classic fence-sitting ending, কোনো পক্ষ নেই। B শুধু একটা তথ্য, অবস্থান নয়; D শুধু বলে essay কী করেছে।Intro: “I strongly agree that professional boxing should be banned.” Body 2 ends: “Therefore, boxing gives many young people discipline and a route out of poverty, and it should remain legal.” Conclusion: “Overall, boxing should be banned.”What is the main problem?
Answer: B. Body 2 argues for the opposite side and never rebuts it, so the position changes mid-essay — a Task Response weakness. C is wrong: you may discuss the opposing view, but you must answer it. D is the “opinion only in the conclusion” myth; A is not the real issue. 🔑 বাংলায়: Body 2 উল্টো পক্ষের যুক্তি দেয় (boxing শৃঙ্খলা শেখায়, legal থাকা উচিত) আর সেটা খণ্ডন করে না — ফলে essay-র মাঝপথে অবস্থান বদলে যায়, যা Task Response-এর দুর্বলতা; উত্তর B। Trap C: বিপরীত মত আনা যায়, কিন্তু তার জবাব দিতে হয় — “একদম উল্লেখ করা যাবে না” ভুল। D সেই “opinion শুধু conclusion-এ” ভুল ধারণা, আর A আসল সমস্যা নয়।For a “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” prompt, is “I agree in most cases, but not when…” an acceptable position?
Answer: A. A qualified position is a real answer — “to what extent” even invites one. Fence-sitting means giving no answer, which is different. B and D are common myths; C hides the position for most of the essay. 🔑 বাংলায়: শর্তসহ অবস্থান একটা আসল উত্তর — “to what extent” প্রশ্ন বরং এমন উত্তরের সুযোগই দেয়; শর্ত হলো শুরু থেকেই স্পষ্ট হতে হবে আর শেষ পর্যন্ত একই থাকতে হবে; উত্তর A। fence-sitting মানে কোনো উত্তরই না দেওয়া — সেটা আলাদা জিনিস। Trap B ও D: প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা যে শুধু পুরো একমত বা পুরো দ্বিমতই চলে। C অবস্থানটা essay-র বেশিরভাগ অংশে লুকিয়ে রাখে।In a “Discuss both views and give your own opinion” essay, where should your opinion be clear?
Answer: D. The Band 7 Task Response descriptor asks for “a clear position throughout the response”. A is the popular myth (and it often produces a surprise opinion at the end); B drops the opinion from the conclusion; C ignores half the instruction. 🔑 বাংলায়: Band 7-এর Task Response descriptor চায় “a clear position throughout the response” — অর্থাৎ introduction-এ বলা, body-তে বোঝানো, আর conclusion-এ আবার বলা; উত্তর D। Trap A: সবচেয়ে জনপ্রিয় ভুল ধারণা — আর এতে প্রায়ই শেষে হঠাৎ একটা মত এসে হাজির হয়। B conclusion থেকে মত বাদ দেয়, C নির্দেশনার অর্ধেক (give your own opinion) উপেক্ষা করে।“Technology has made people’s lives more complicated rather than easier. To what extent do you agree?”Which thesis is clear yet appropriately cautious?
Answer: B. A clear answer (“mostly disagree”) with a sensible concession. A sits on the fence; C is clear but over-generalised (“every single”, “absolutely everyone”), which weakens the argument; D only announces the topic. 🔑 বাংলায়: B স্পষ্ট উত্তর দেয় (“mostly disagree”) আর যুক্তিসঙ্গত একটা ছাড়ও দেয় (device নতুন চাপ তৈরি করে) — স্পষ্ট, আবার সতর্ক; উত্তর B। Trap C: অবস্থান স্পষ্ট, কিন্তু “every single”, “absolutely everyone”-এর মতো অতিরঞ্জন যুক্তিকে দুর্বল করে। A কোনো পক্ষ নেয় না, D শুধু topic ঘোষণা করে।
Writing Task 2: Academic Essay Language Toolkit
📖 Book Chapter 12Chapter 10 (Essay Planning & Type-Specific Structure) and Chapter 11 (Developing Ideas & Paragraphs) taught the STRUCTURE and IDEAS of a Task 2 essay. This chapter gives you the actual LANGUAGE to express them — a comprehensive phrase bank for every function an essay needs: giving an opinion, agreeing, opening a body paragraph, giving examples, concluding, and — for Problem-Solution and cause/effect essays specifically — describing problems, proposing solutions, giving reasons, and making suggestions.
- know and apply four specific tricks: matching phrase choice to essay type, varying it across an essay, hedging claims accurately, and using natural collocations
- have a working phrase bank of 10 categories covering every major essay-writing function
- rewrite a basic paragraph into an academically registered one using deliberately varied phrases
Flow: Tricks 1–4 (16 min) → Group 1 glossary + practice (12 min) → Group 2 glossary + practice (12 min) → combined rewrite practice (15 min).
Not every phrase bank suits every essay type. Problem/Solution language belongs in Problem-Solution essays, not a pure Opinion essay — using it where it wasn't asked for signals you've misread the task.
Task Response is about addressing every part of the question that was actually asked. The phrases themselves earn nothing; what they reveal does. When "a viable solution would be" appears in an essay that never asked for solutions, the content has drifted away from the task, and the examiner will treat it as only partly addressing the question.
Opinion essay ("To what extent do you agree...") → lean on opinion + agreement phrases throughout. Problem-Solution essay → problem + solution phrases should dominate the body paragraphs, with opinion phrases mainly in the introduction and conclusion.
You're writing a Problem-Solution essay about hospitals running short of donated blood. Which phrase group should dominate your body paragraphs — general opinion language, or problem/solution language?
Using the exact same phrase for every instance of a function — "For example" every single time — reads as mechanical. Pick a different phrase from the same category each time you need it.
Linking phrases are judged mainly under Coherence and Cohesion. The public descriptors reward "a range of cohesive devices" used appropriately, and they list cohesion that is "faulty or mechanical" as a Band 6 feature. So variety helps only when each phrase fits the logic of the sentence. A linker at the start of every sentence, or a showy phrase that does not match the relationship between ideas, counts against you. Referring back with pronouns and synonyms (this policy, such measures) is part of cohesion too.
"For example... For example... For example..."
"For instance, many countries have already implemented similar policies. This is further illustrated by the case of Sweden, where..."
The same trap hits your sentence subjects. Starting every sentence with the same noun — "Computers are… Computers give… Computers help…" — reads as flat. Rotate the subject: use pronouns (they), synonyms (these devices, such technology), or restructure (What computers offer is…).
You need to introduce two examples in one essay. Write two DIFFERENT phrases from the Examples category below (not the same one twice).
Absolute words — all, always, never, everyone, completely, proves — turn a reasonable point into a claim that one counter-example destroys. For claims about facts and effects, use hedging language: tend to, can, may, often, many, most, in many cases, research suggests. Hedge the evidence, not your position: "I believe…" stays firm, while "this can lead to…" stays accurate.
The public Task Response descriptor notes that even at Band 7 there may be "a tendency to over-generalise". A sweeping claim makes your support look weak, because the reader can immediately think of exceptions. The opposite mistake also costs you: hedging every sentence ("it might perhaps possibly…") hides your position, which Task Response needs to see clearly.
"Social media always makes teenagers depressed, and everyone agrees about this."
"Heavy use of social media can contribute to low mood among some teenagers, particularly when it replaces sleep or time with friends."
Rewrite this claim so that it is accurate but still makes a point: "Violent video games make all children violent."
English words come with fixed partners (collocations). Many essay errors come from pairing words the way they pair in Bangla: "do a crime", "make a research", "give harm", "strong rain". Learn the partner together with the word: commit a crime, carry out research, cause harm, heavy rain, play a role in, pose a threat to, raise awareness of, meet the demand for.
Collocation is assessed under Lexical Resource. The public Band 7 descriptor mentions "some awareness of style and collocation", and frequent errors in word choice keep the score below Band 7 even when your vocabulary is wide. A plain word in the right partnership is worth more than an advanced word in the wrong one.
"Many young people do crimes because they want to earn fast money."
"Many young people commit crimes because they want to make money quickly."
"Factories should stop doing pollution, because it gives harm to people's health."
Phrase bank, Group 1 — general essay language (every essay type)
- I would argue that / it is my firm belief that
- from my perspective, / in my view,
- I fully concur with the view that
- while there is some merit to this view, / this is a valid point; however,
- the primary reason for this is / one of the most significant factors is
- to begin with, / a further consideration is
- for instance, / a clear illustration of this can be seen in
- to illustrate this point, / this is exemplified by
- in conclusion, / to sum up,
- taking everything into account, / on balance,
- ___, requiring large companies to publish their gender pay gap would make workplaces fairer. → In my view / In my opinion (opinion) — "I would argue that" also works, but only without the comma এগুলো দিয়ে নিজের মত জানানো হয় — বাক্যটা লেখকের নিজের অবস্থান বলছে (pay gap প্রকাশ করলে কর্মক্ষেত্র ন্যায্য হবে)। যেখানে নিজের position স্পষ্ট করবেন, সেখানে এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন। খেয়াল করুন: “I would argue that”-এর পরে comma বসে না — এখানে ফাঁকার পরেই comma আছে, তাই এই বাক্যে “In my view” বা “In my opinion” বেশি মানানসই।
- ___ this view, since the evidence clearly supports it. → I fully concur with (agreement) এটা অন্য কারও মতের সাথে পুরোপুরি একমত হওয়া বোঝায় — পরে “this view” আছে, তাই “concur with” ঠিকভাবে জুড়ে যায়। কোনো মত বা দাবির সাথে একমত হলে এটা লিখুন।
- ___ is that publishing the figures puts public pressure on employers to explain any gap. → The primary reason for this (body opener) এটা body paragraph শুরু করার phrase — প্রথমেই মূল কারণটা সামনে আনে। পরে “is that …” আছে, তাই পুরো phrase-টা বাক্যের subject হয়ে বসে যায়।
- ___, large employers in the United Kingdom have had to report their gender pay gap since 2017. → For instance / To illustrate this point (examples) এগুলো উদাহরণ দেওয়ার signal — UK-র তথ্যটা আগের যুক্তির একটা বাস্তব উদাহরণ। মূল কথা বলার পর প্রমাণ হিসেবে নির্দিষ্ট উদাহরণ দিতে এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন।
- ___, the benefits of pay-gap reporting outweigh the extra paperwork it creates. → In conclusion / On balance (conclusion) এগুলো essay শেষ করার signal — দুই দিক বিবেচনা করে চূড়ান্ত রায় দেওয়া হচ্ছে (সুবিধা বাড়তি paperwork-এর চেয়ে বেশি)। conclusion-এর শুরুতে এগুলো বসান।
Phrase bank, Group 2 — function-specific language (Problem-Solution & cause/effect essays)
- a pressing issue in this regard is / one major drawback of this is
- this gives rise to a number of problems, including
- a viable solution to this problem would be
- this issue could be addressed by / one effective measure would be to
- this is primarily due to / a key factor contributing to this is
- this can be attributed to
- it would be advisable to / one recommendation would be to
- policymakers should consider
- this indicates that / this suggests that
- it is evident that / this highlights the fact that
- ___ the shortage of donated blood, which forces some hospitals to postpone planned operations. → A pressing issue in this regard is (problem) — not "One major drawback", because a drawback is a disadvantage of something, and the shortage is a problem in itself “One major drawback” এখানে বসবে না — drawback মানে কোনো কিছুর অসুবিধা, আর রক্তের ঘাটতি নিজেই একটা problem, অন্য কিছুর অসুবিধা নয়।
- ___ by sending mobile donation units to universities and large workplaces. → This issue could be addressed (solution) এটা solution প্রস্তাব করার phrase — পরে “by sending …” দিয়ে বলা হয়েছে কীভাবে সমাধান হবে। problem বলার পর সমাধানের পথ দেখাতে এটা ব্যবহার করুন।
- ___ the fact that many healthy adults are afraid of needles. → This is primarily due to / This can be attributed to (reason) এগুলো কারণ ব্যাখ্যা করে — সমস্যার পেছনের কারণ হলো সুইয়ের ভয়। দুটোরই পরে noun phrase বসে, তাই পরের “the fact that …”-এর সাথে grammar-এ ঠিকভাবে জুড়ে যায়।
- ___ to send text reminders to people who have given blood before. → It would be advisable / One recommendation would be (suggestion) এগুলো ভদ্রভাবে পরামর্শ দেয় — কী করা উচিত তা বলা হচ্ছে। পরে “to send …” আছে, আর দুটো phrase-ই “to + verb”-এর সাথে বসে।
- ___ that a combined approach is more effective than any single measure. → This indicates / This suggests (indicating) এগুলো আগের তথ্য থেকে কী বোঝা যায় তার ইঙ্গিত দেয় — এখানে, একাধিক পদক্ষেপ একসাথে বেশি কার্যকর। পরে “that”-clause বসে; কোনো তথ্য বা উদাহরণ থেকে উপসংহার টানতে এগুলো ব্যবহার করুন।
See it in action — full paragraphs, ordinary vs. advanced
"I think companies should show how much they pay men and women. It is fair because people can see it. Also companies will try harder. But some bosses don't like it because it is more work."
"I would argue that large companies should be required to publish the average pay of their male and female employees. The primary reason for this is that unfairness is far easier to ignore when it is invisible: once a firm's figures are public, its managers must explain any gap to their own staff, to job applicants and to customers. A clear illustration of this can be seen in the United Kingdom, where annual reporting has been compulsory for large employers since 2017 and many firms now publish plans for recruiting and promoting more women. While the rule creates some extra paperwork, this is a modest price for a fairer workplace."
"One problem is blood. Hospitals do not have enough blood. A solution is to ask more people to give blood."
"A pressing issue in this regard is the persistent shortage of donated blood, which can be attributed largely to the fact that only a small proportion of eligible adults give blood regularly. A viable solution to this problem would be to bring donation to people rather than expecting them to travel to a hospital, for example by sending mobile collection units to universities and large workplaces, where many first-time donors could be recruited in a single day."
- Rewrite this basic paragraph using at least 4 phrases from today's two glossaries, varying your choices — don't repeat any phrase: "I think pay reports are good. For example, the UK does it. So, it helps women."
Model: "It is my firm belief that requiring companies to publish their pay data offers considerable benefits. This is exemplified by the United Kingdom, where large employers have had to report their gender pay gap every year since 2017. This suggests that transparency can put real pressure on firms to explain, and then reduce, any unfair difference in pay. On balance, the benefits for employees clearly outweigh the modest cost of collecting the figures." Model-টা কেন কাজ করে: প্রতিটি বাক্যে আলাদা category-র phrase — মত (It is my firm belief that), উদাহরণ (This is exemplified by), ইঙ্গিত (This suggests that), আর সিদ্ধান্ত (On balance); চারটি category, কোনোটাই দুবার নেই। “pay reports are good”-এর মতো অস্পষ্ট কথার বদলে নির্দিষ্ট দাবি এসেছে, উদাহরণে সালও আছে (2017), আর “can put real pressure” দাবিকে সঠিক মাত্রায় রাখে (Trick 3)।
- Which sentence is more suitable for an academic essay?
A) Social media destroys teenagers' mental health.
B) Excessive social media use may harm some teenagers' mental health.✓ Answer: B Why: "May", "excessive" and "some" limit the claim to what can be defended (Trick 3: hedge your claims). Trap: A sounds strong but overgeneralises. “May”, “excessive” আর “some” দাবিটাকে এমন জায়গায় সীমিত রাখে যা যুক্তি দিয়ে টেকানো যায় (Trick 3: hedge করুন)। Trap: A শুনতে জোরালো, কিন্তু এতে অতিরিক্ত সাধারণীকরণ করা হয়েছে। - Young people who ________ a crime for the first time are often given community service instead of a prison sentence.
A) commit
B) make
C) do✓ Answer: A Why: The natural collocation is commit a crime (Trick 4). "Make a crime" and "do a crime" are word-for-word translations, and they count as errors in Lexical Resource. স্বাভাবিক collocation হলো commit a crime (Trick 4)। “make a crime” বা “do a crime” আক্ষরিক অনুবাদ — Lexical Resource-এ এগুলো ভুল হিসেবেই ধরা হয়। - Governments should ________ measures to reduce traffic.
A) take
B) make
C) do✓ Answer: A Why: We take measures (Trick 4). "Make measures" is a word-for-word translation and sounds unnatural. ইংরেজিতে বলা হয় take measures (Trick 4)। “make measures” আক্ষরিক অনুবাদ — অস্বাভাবিক শোনায়। - Which phrase best opens a solution paragraph in a problem-solution essay?
A) One effective solution would be to...
B) In my opinion, I strongly agree that...✓ Answer: A Why: The phrase must match the paragraph's job in that essay type (Trick 1). Trap: B belongs to an opinion essay — and "In my opinion, I strongly agree" says the same thing twice. Phrase-টা ওই essay-র ধরন আর paragraph-এর কাজের সাথে মিলতে হবে (Trick 1)। Trap: B opinion essay-র phrase — তার ওপর “In my opinion, I strongly agree” একই কথা দুবার বলে।
- Translated collocations (do a mistake, give an exam, make a crime) — keep a class list on the board and add to it every lesson.
- Over-hedging. Some students now hedge everything ("it might possibly perhaps be"). One hedge per claim is enough.
- match phrase choice to essay type, vary phrasing across an essay to avoid repetition, hedge claims without hiding their position, use natural collocations, and draw on a 10-category phrase bank covering every major essay-writing function
• Match the phrase to the essay type — “One solution would be…” belongs to Problem–Solution, not every essay.
• Link appropriately — a linker must match the logic, and not every sentence needs one.
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1. Register upgrade. Which is the most appropriate academic way to write “Lots of people think pollution is a big problem”?
Answer: B. “It is widely believed that… is a serious problem” is formal, impersonal and keeps the original meaning. A and C stay conversational (reckon, really, a lot). D is the over-correction trap: a memorised literary flourish that also exaggerates the claim — the descriptors treat this kind of forced, inappropriate vocabulary as a weakness, not a strength. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — আনুষ্ঠানিক, impersonal, আর মূল অর্থ ঠিক আছে। A আর C কথ্য ভাষা। D অতিরিক্ত সংশোধনের Trap — মুখস্থ সাহিত্যিক লাইন, যা দাবিটাও বাড়িয়ে বলে; descriptor-এ এমন জোর করে বসানো শব্দ দুর্বলতা হিসেবেই ধরা হয়। -
2. Match phrase to type. Prompt: “In many countries, hospitals regularly run short of donated blood. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to solve it?” Which sentence would best open the first body paragraph?
Answer: D. The prompt asks for causes and solutions, so the first body paragraph should open with cause language. A treats the task as an agree/disagree essay — nobody asked whether you agree. B uses a “Discuss both views” frame. C uses advantages language, which drifts away from the question. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — প্রশ্নে কারণ আর সমাধান চাওয়া হয়েছে, তাই প্রথম body paragraph শুরু হবে কারণ দিয়ে। A একে agree/disagree essay ভেবেছে। B “Discuss both views”-এর কাঠামো। C advantage-এর ভাষা, যা প্রশ্ন থেকে সরে যায়। -
3. Link appropriately. “Public transport reduces pollution. Moreover, it is cheap. Furthermore, it reduces stress. In addition, it saves time. Moreover, it is safe.” What is the main weakness for Coherence and Cohesion?
Answer: A. Every sentence starts with an “adding” linker, and none of the five ideas is explained or supported — the “mechanical” cohesion the descriptors place at Band 6 and below. Better: choose two ideas, develop each one, and let pronouns and reference (this, such savings) do some of the linking. B makes the problem worse. C is false — both are standard formal linkers. D is an invented rule. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — প্রতিটি বাক্য “adding” linker দিয়ে শুরু, আর পাঁচটি ধারণার একটিও ব্যাখ্যা করা হয়নি — descriptor অনুযায়ী এটা Band 6 বা তার নীচের “mechanical” cohesion। ভালো উপায়: দুটি ধারণা বেছে প্রতিটি বিস্তারিত লিখুন, আর pronoun/reference (this, such savings) দিয়েও বাক্য জুড়ুন। B সমস্যা বাড়ায়। C ভুল — দুটিই প্রচলিত formal linker। D বানানো নিয়ম।
1 Match the Phrase to the Essay Type 5 drills
Prompt: “Some people believe that the testing of cosmetics on animals should be banned everywhere. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”Which sentence would be OUT OF PLACE in a body paragraph?
Answer: D. The task asks how far you agree with a ban; it does not ask for solutions, and “building more laboratories” answers a different question. A (opinion), B (concession) and C (example) all serve an opinion essay. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ বেমানান বাক্য) — প্রশ্নে জানতে চাওয়া হয়েছে ban-এর সাথে আপনি কতটা একমত, solution চাওয়া হয়নি; “আরও laboratory বানানো” অন্য প্রশ্নের উত্তর। A (মত), B (আংশিক স্বীকার), C (উদাহরণ) — তিনটিই opinion essay-তে মানায়।Prompt: “In many countries, more young people are moving from rural areas to cities. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?”Which pair of phrases fits the two parts of this question?
Answer: A. A two-part question needs a reason (part 1) and a clear judgement (part 2). D is the near-miss: listing an advantage and a disadvantage does not say whether the trend is positive or negative overall, and it ignores “Why”. B answers a question nobody asked; C discusses other people’s views instead of answering both parts. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — two-part question-এ লাগে কারণ (প্রথম অংশ) আর স্পষ্ট মূল্যায়ন (দ্বিতীয় অংশ)। D কাছাকাছি Trap: একটি advantage আর একটি disadvantage বললেই বোঝা যায় না সামগ্রিকভাবে এটি positive না negative, আর “Why” বাদ পড়ে। B এমন প্রশ্নের উত্তর যা কেউ করেনি; C অন্যদের মত আলোচনা করে, দুটি অংশের উত্তর দেয় না।Prompt: “In many countries, children spend far less time playing outdoors than in the past. What problems does this cause, and what can be done to address it?”Which sentence best opens the SECOND body paragraph?
Answer: C. Body 1 covers the problems; Body 2 opens with a specific solution. A uses a conclusion signal in the middle of the essay. B agrees with a view the prompt never offered and is about causes, not solutions. D uses an example marker with no example and says nothing specific. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — Body 1-এ problem, Body 2 শুরু হয় একটি নির্দিষ্ট solution দিয়ে। A essay-র মাঝখানে conclusion-এর signal। B এমন মতের সাথে একমত হয়েছে যা prompt-এ নেই, আর এটা কারণ নিয়ে, সমাধান নিয়ে নয়। D উদাহরণের marker দিয়েছে কিন্তু কোনো উদাহরণ নেই।Prompt: “Some people think children should start school at a very early age, while others believe they should not start until they are older. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”Where should your own opinion appear?
Answer: B. Band 7 Task Response requires “a clear position throughout the response”; stating it in the introduction and confirming it in the conclusion is the safest way to achieve that. A is a widespread myth — an opinion that appears only at the end is not “throughout”. C ignores “give your own opinion”. D leaves the reader unsure of your view until the middle of the essay. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — Band 7 Task Response-এ লাগে “a clear position throughout”; introduction-এ মত জানিয়ে conclusion-এ আবার নিশ্চিত করাই সবচেয়ে নিরাপদ। A প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা — শুধু শেষে মত দিলে তা “throughout” হয় না। C “give your own opinion” উপেক্ষা করে। D-তে essay-র মাঝামাঝি পর্যন্ত পাঠক আপনার মত জানতে পারেন না।Prompt: “Many museums charge for admission while others are free. Do the advantages of charging people outweigh the disadvantages?”Which conclusion sentence answers the question?
Answer: A. The question asks which side outweighs the other, so the conclusion must weigh them — “On balance … outweigh”. B sits on the fence and never answers. C switches to solution language. D is off-topic. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — প্রশ্ন জানতে চায় কোন দিক ভারী, তাই conclusion-এ তুলনা করে রায় দিতে হবে — “On balance … outweigh”। B কোনো উত্তরই দেয় না। C solution-এর ভাষায় চলে গেছে। D বিষয়ের বাইরে।
2 Vary Your Phrase Choice Across the Essay 5 drills
“Online learning is flexible. However, it can be isolating. However, it is cheaper. However, some employers do not value it.”Which revision would improve cohesion most?
Answer: C. “It is cheaper” is another benefit, so it needs an adding linker (It is also cheaper), not “However”; the last point is a further drawback (Moreover, some employers…). A swaps one mismatch for another — “Moreover” cannot introduce a contrast. B rewards repetition, which the descriptors call mechanical. D is false — high-band essays still use cohesive devices, just naturally. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — “It is cheaper” আরেকটি সুবিধা, তাই এখানে adding linker (It is also cheaper) লাগবে, “However” নয়; শেষ পয়েন্টটি আরেকটি অসুবিধা (Moreover, some employers…)। A এক ভুলের জায়গায় আরেক ভুল — “Moreover” বৈপরীত্য বোঝায় না। B পুনরাবৃত্তি, যা descriptor-এ mechanical। D ভুল — উচ্চ band-এর essay-তেও linker থাকে, তবে স্বাভাবিকভাবে।Previous sentence: “Smartphones have transformed the way people communicate.”Which next sentence avoids repeating the subject and is grammatically correct?
Answer: B. “These devices” refers back to “smartphones” — referencing and substitution are cohesive devices too. A is correct but repeats the subject. C uses a singular pronoun for a plural noun and has an agreement error (“It … allow”). D doubles the subject (“The smartphones they”), a common error among Bangla speakers. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — “These devices” আগের “smartphones”-কে নির্দেশ করে; reference আর substitution-ও cohesion-এর অংশ। A ব্যাকরণে ঠিক, কিন্তু subject পুনরাবৃত্তি। C-তে plural noun-এর জন্য singular pronoun আর agreement ভুল (“It … allow”)। D-তে subject দুবার (“The smartphones they”) — বাংলাভাষীদের প্রচলিত ভুল।First example: “For example, pupils in Japan clean their own classrooms every day.”Which second example varies the phrasing AND is correct?
Answer: D. “Singapore has a similar practice…” introduces the second example without repeating “For example”, and it links back to the first. A repeats the marker. B is a fragment — “such as” cannot start a sentence on its own. C mixes two expressions (“for instance” + “an instance of”). 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — “For example” পুনরাবৃত্তি ছাড়াই দ্বিতীয় উদাহরণ, আর প্রথমটির সাথে সংযোগও আছে। A একই marker আবার। B অসম্পূর্ণ বাক্য — “such as” দিয়ে আলাদা বাক্য শুরু করা যায় না। C দুটি expression মিশিয়ে ফেলেছে।“I think cities should invest in cycle lanes. I think this would cut pollution. I think it would also improve health. I think drivers would accept it.”What is the best way to fix this paragraph?
Answer: A. Once your position is clear, the reasons can be stated as claims and supported (Cycle lanes would cut pollution because…). C is the near-miss: four different opinion phrases still hedge every sentence and leave the ideas undeveloped. B is over-formal and stock. D is a myth. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — একবার নিজের অবস্থান স্পষ্ট করলে বাকি কারণগুলো সরাসরি দাবি হিসেবে বলুন, প্রমাণসহ। C কাছাকাছি Trap — চারটি ভিন্ন opinion phrase দিলেও প্রতিটি বাক্য দ্বিধাগ্রস্ত থাকে, ধারণা বিকশিত হয় না। B অতিরিক্ত formal আর মুখস্থ। D ভুল ধারণা।Which statement about linking words matches the public IELTS Writing band descriptors?
Answer: C. This paraphrases the Band 7 Coherence and Cohesion descriptor: range + appropriate use, with some under- or over-use tolerated. A is the most common myth — over-use is penalised. B is false — no specific word is required. D names the wrong criterion. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — এটি Band 7 Coherence and Cohesion descriptor-এর সারকথা: বৈচিত্র্য + যথাযথ ব্যবহার, সামান্য কম-বেশি ব্যবহার মেনে নেওয়া হয়। A সবচেয়ে প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা — অতিরিক্ত ব্যবহারে নম্বর কমে। B ভুল — কোনো নির্দিষ্ট শব্দ বাধ্যতামূলক নয়। D ভুল criterion।
3 Hedge Your Claims — Don't Overgeneralise 5 drills
Draft claim: “Public parks make everyone healthier.”Which version is the most accurate for an academic essay?
Answer: B. “can” and “many residents” limit the claim to what is defensible, and it names a specific effect (more exercise). A and D are the over-generalisation trap — “absolutely everyone”, “always”, “as everyone knows”. C is the opposite trap: four hedges in one sentence leave no real claim at all. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — “can” আর “many residents” দাবিটাকে প্রমাণযোগ্য সীমায় রাখে, আর নির্দিষ্ট ফলও বলে (বেশি ব্যায়াম)। A ও D অতিরঞ্জনের Trap — “absolutely everyone”, “always”। C উল্টো Trap — এক বাক্যে চারটি hedge, ফলে কোনো দাবিই থাকে না।Prompt: “Mobile phones should be banned from school classrooms. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”Which thesis hedges so much that it no longer states a position?
Answer: D. Hedging belongs to claims about evidence, not to your answer. “It could perhaps be argued… might be somewhat…” never says whether the writer agrees, so the position is unclear. A is a qualified position — still a clear answer. B and C take opposite sides, and both are clear; either can score well. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ অবস্থানহীন thesis) — hedge বসে প্রমাণের দাবিতে, নিজের উত্তরে নয়। “It could perhaps be argued… might be somewhat…” পড়ে বোঝা যায় না লেখক একমত কিনা। A শর্তসহ, কিন্তু স্পষ্ট অবস্থান। B ও C দুই উল্টো পক্ষ — দুটিই স্পষ্ট, যেকোনোটি ভালো নম্বর পেতে পারে।“Children who read for pleasure ___ do better at school than those who do not.”Which choice makes the claim accurate?
Answer: A. “tend to” states a general pattern while allowing exceptions, which is exactly what this kind of evidence shows. B, C and D all turn a trend into a guarantee — one child who reads a lot but struggles at school disproves them. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — “tend to” সাধারণ প্রবণতা বোঝায়, ব্যতিক্রমের জায়গাও রাখে। B, C, D প্রবণতাকে নিশ্চয়তা বানিয়ে দেয় — একজন ব্যতিক্রমী শিশুই দাবিটা ভুল প্রমাণ করে দেবে।Which sentence is an over-generalisation that weakens the argument?
Answer: C. “completely unable” describes every older person, which is plainly untrue — many use smartphones daily — so the reader stops trusting the argument. A (“many”), B (“some studies suggest… can”) and D (“may”) are all appropriately limited. 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ অতিরঞ্জিত বাক্য) — “completely unable” সব বয়স্ক মানুষকে বোঝায়, যা স্পষ্টতই ভুল; ফলে পাঠক যুক্তির ওপর আস্থা হারান। A (“many”), B (“some studies suggest… can”), D (“may”) — সবগুলো যথাযথভাবে সীমিত।A student writes: “Research proves that tourism destroys every local culture.”What is the best revision?
Answer: A. “suggests”, “can” and “some” match what evidence can actually show, and “mass tourism” makes the claim more precise. B is the near-miss: “nearly” softens one word but keeps “proves” and “every single”. C replaces evidence with “everyone knows”. D stacks hedges until the sentence says nothing. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — “suggests”, “can”, “some” প্রমাণ যতটুকু বলে ঠিক ততটুকুই বলে; “mass tourism” দাবিকে নির্দিষ্ট করে। B কাছাকাছি Trap — “nearly” যোগ হলেও “proves” আর “every single” রয়ে গেছে। C প্রমাণের বদলে “everyone knows”। D-তে এত hedge যে বাক্যে কিছুই বলা হয় না।
4 Use Natural Collocations, Not Word-for-Word Translation 5 drills
Which sentence uses the correct collocation?
Answer: C. The natural partners are carry out / conduct research, and “research” is uncountable. A is the translated pairing “make a research” (and adds “a”). B uses “do” and a plural. D invents a noun form (“a researching”). 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — স্বাভাবিক collocation হলো carry out / conduct research, আর “research” uncountable। A বাংলা থেকে অনুবাদ করা “make a research”। B-তে “do” আর plural। D বানানো রূপ (“a researching”)।“Social media can ___ an important role in raising awareness of health issues.”Which verb completes the collocation?
Answer: A. The fixed phrase is play a role / part in. B, C and D are common translation errors: the meaning is understood, but the pairing sounds wrong to an examiner and counts as an error in word choice. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — নির্দিষ্ট phrase হলো play a role in। B, C, D অনুবাদজনিত সাধারণ ভুল — অর্থ বোঝা যায়, কিন্তু examiner-এর কাছে এটা word choice-এর ভুল।Which sentence contains a collocation error?
Answer: D. In English you commit a crime; “do crimes” is a direct translation. A (pose a threat to), B (raise awareness of) and C (cause damage to) are all natural collocations — learn them as chunks. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ ভুল বাক্য) — ইংরেজিতে crime “commit” করা হয়; “do crimes” সরাসরি অনুবাদ। A (pose a threat to), B (raise awareness of), C (cause damage to) — সবগুলোই স্বাভাবিক collocation, একসাথে মুখস্থ রাখুন।“___ rain caused flooding in several districts last night.”Which adjective is the natural partner?
Answer: B. English says heavy rain (and heavy traffic, heavy snow). A is the translation trap — strong partners with wind, not rain. C and D are understandable but unnatural. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক — ইংরেজিতে বলে heavy rain। A অনুবাদের Trap — strong বসে wind-এর সাথে, rain-এর সাথে নয়। C ও D বোঝা যায়, কিন্তু স্বাভাবিক নয়।Which sentence is natural and correct?
Answer: D. The collocation is meet (the) demand. A is the near-miss: you can fill a vacancy or fill a gap, but not “fill the demand”. B and C borrow partners from other phrases (answer a question, reach a target). 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক — collocation হলো meet the demand। A কাছাকাছি Trap — fill a vacancy বা fill a gap হয়, কিন্তু “fill the demand” হয় না। B ও C অন্য phrase-এর সঙ্গী শব্দ (answer a question, reach a target) এনে বসিয়েছে।
Writing Task 2: Full Practice — All Six Essay Types
📖 Book Chapter 13This chapter is about application under exam conditions. You'll learn four final tricks — a 60-second self-check, a 40-minute time plan, a conclusion that restates your answer, and choosing the side you can support best — practise identifying all six essay types quickly under pressure, and write full timed essays across all six types — one in class, the rest at home with full model answers to check against.
- identify any of the six essay types quickly and confidently under timed pressure
- apply a 60-second self-check before submitting, to catch Task Response mismatches
- budget the 40 minutes, end with a clear conclusion, and choose the position you can support best
- have written a complete, timed essay for all six essay types
Flow: Tricks 1–4 (16 min) → 6-type identification relay (14 min) → one full timed essay in class, 40 min (rotate which type you assign across different classes/weeks, so students collectively see all six modelled) → the remaining 5 types go home as homework, self-checked against the revealed model answers.
Before submitting, ask 3 quick questions: (1) Did I address every part of the prompt's key words (Chapter 10, Trick 1)? (2) Does my structure actually match the essay type (Chapter 10, Trick 3), not a generic template? (3) Is my position clear and consistent throughout, if this essay type requires one (Chapter 11, Trick 4)? Finally, glance at the word count — Task 2 answers under 250 words are penalised.
Task Response is one of the four equally weighted criteria, and it is limited whenever an essay addresses only part of the task or drifts from it — however good the language is. This check catches that costly mistake — a fluent essay that doesn't fully answer the question asked — in under a minute, while there is still time to fix it.
An essay on school uniforms (Opinion: "to what extent do you agree that school uniforms should be abolished?") that spends equal time explaining the case for and against uniforms, with no personal stance anywhere — it reads fluently, but fails Question 2 and Question 3 of the self-check, because it has structured itself like a Discuss-Both essay instead.
An essay responding to "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of giving children a weekly allowance (pocket money)" spends its entire Body 1 AND Body 2 on advantages only, never mentioning disadvantages. Which self-check question does this fail, and why?
Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1, so give it about 40 of your 60 minutes (you may do it first if you prefer). Inside those 40 minutes, decide the clock before you write: about 5 minutes to read and plan, about 30 to write (introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion), and the last 3–5 to check. If you fall behind, shorten a paragraph — never drop a required part or the conclusion.
An essay that runs out of time usually loses its conclusion or the second part of the question, which limits Task Response however good the first half is, and an answer under 250 words is penalised. Running out of time is a planning failure, not a language failure — and it is the easiest one to fix.
Starts writing at once, spends 25 minutes on a long introduction and Body 1, then has 15 minutes for everything else — Body 2 is three lines and there is no conclusion.
5 min: parse and sketch → 4 min: introduction → about 12 min each: Body 1 and Body 2 → 3 min: conclusion → last 4 min: check the three self-check questions and the word count.
It is minute 33 of your 40 Task 2 minutes. You have written a strong introduction and a strong Body 1, but nothing else. What should you do in the remaining 7 minutes?
A Task 2 conclusion is two or three sentences that restate your answer in new words and sum up your main reasons. For a Problem-Solution essay, restate the main cause and the main solution; for a two-part question, give the short answer to each part. Add no new arguments, examples or figures, and skip empty lines such as "In conclusion, this essay has discussed…".
A new point in the conclusion cannot be developed, so it adds nothing to Task Response and weakens the logical progression that Coherence and Cohesion rewards. A conclusion that simply restates the topic, or wanders, makes your final position less clear — and the descriptors look for a position that is clear throughout the response.
"In conclusion, uniforms are good. Another point is that uniforms can be made from recycled cloth, which helps the environment."
"In conclusion, although uniforms limit personal choice, I believe they should be kept, because they reduce pressure on families and help pupils focus on learning."
Rewrite this conclusion for a Problem-Solution essay on teacher shortages: "In conclusion, this essay has discussed teacher shortages. Also, robots may replace teachers in the future."
In an Opinion essay, examiners do not mark whether they agree with you. In your planning minutes, jot down two quick ideas for each side, then choose the position you can support with two clear, explained reasons — even if your personal view is mixed. A qualified position ("I largely agree, but…") is a good choice when you have strong support for the main view and one clear limit.
Task Response rewards a clear position whose main ideas are "extended and supported". Choosing a side because it feels more original, and then finding only one vague reason, produces thin body paragraphs — the position is clear, but the support is missing.
Picks "disagree" because it sounds more original, starts writing, and then can think of only one vague reason ("it is not always true"), so Body 2 repeats Body 1.
Spends one minute listing two ideas for each side, sees that the "agree" ideas have clearer examples, and builds the thesis and both body paragraphs around them.
Prompt: "It is better for children to grow up in a large family than in a small one. To what extent do you agree or disagree?" Your quick ideas — Agree: "it is more fun." Disagree: (1) parents can give each child more time and attention; (2) with fewer children, a family can spend more on each child's education. Your own view is mixed. Which side should you argue?
Quick relay — identify all six types
- "Some people believe that school uniforms should be abolished, because they stop children from expressing their individuality. To what extent do you agree or disagree?" → Opinion. Body 1: your first reason supporting your chosen position. “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” — নিজের অবস্থান চাওয়া হয়েছে, তাই Opinion essay। Body 1-এ আপনার বেছে নেওয়া অবস্থানের পক্ষে প্রথম কারণ।
- "Some people prefer to live in a big city, while others prefer rural life. Discuss both views and give your own opinion." → Discuss-Both. Body 1: the case for city life, explained fairly. “Discuss both views and give your own opinion” — দুই পক্ষ আলোচনা করে নিজের মত দিতে হবে, তাই Discuss-Both। Body 1-এ শহরের জীবনের পক্ষের যুক্তি, নিরপেক্ষভাবে ব্যাখ্যা করা।
- "In many countries, schools are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and keep teachers. What are the causes of this problem, and what solutions can be proposed?" → Problem-Solution. Body 1: the main causes of the teacher shortage. “What are the causes of this problem, and what solutions can be proposed?” — কারণ আর সমাধান দুটোই চাওয়া হয়েছে, তাই Problem-Solution। Body 1-এ শিক্ষক-সংকটের মূল কারণগুলো।
- "In some countries, more and more shops and supermarkets now stay open 24 hours a day. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this trend." → Advantages-Disadvantages. Body 1: the advantages of 24-hour opening. “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages” — সুবিধা আর অসুবিধা দুটোই চাওয়া হয়েছে, তাই Advantages-Disadvantages। Body 1-এ 24 ঘণ্টা খোলা রাখার সুবিধাগুলো।
- "In many countries, people are consuming more fast food than ever before. What are the causes of this trend, and what effects does it have?" → Cause and Effect. Body 1: the causes of rising fast food consumption (no solution expected). “What are the causes … and what effects does it have?” — কারণ আর ফলাফল চাওয়া হয়েছে, solution নয়, তাই Cause and Effect। Body 1-এ fast food বেশি খাওয়ার কারণগুলো; solution লেখার দরকার নেই।
- "In many countries, the average age of the population is rising. Why is this happening, and is it a positive or negative development?" → Two-part (direct question). Body 1: the reasons the population is ageing (Question 1); Body 2 then answers whether it is a positive or negative development (Question 2). এখানে দুটি আলাদা সরাসরি প্রশ্ন — “Why is this happening?” আর “is it a positive or negative development?” — তাই Two-part essay। Body 1 প্রথম প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয় (জনসংখ্যার গড় বয়স কেন বাড়ছে), Body 2 দ্বিতীয়টির (এটা ভালো না খারাপ)।
"Some people believe that school uniforms should be abolished, because they stop children from expressing their individuality. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
- Apply everything from Chapters 10–12 (planning, idea development and essay language) and this chapter's four tricks: choose the side you can support best, set your 40-minute clock, parse the prompt, sketch your plan, develop each point fully with an anchored example, use varied academic phrasing, hold your position throughout, end with your answer, and self-check before finishing. Try it first — reveal the full model essay below to compare.
✓ Reveal the full model essay
Some people argue that school uniforms should be scrapped because they prevent children from showing who they are. Although I accept that uniforms restrict personal choice, I largely disagree with this view, because they bring practical and social benefits that matter more during the school years.
Admittedly, the critics have a point. Clothing is one way in which young people, especially teenagers, express their personality, and being told exactly what to wear every day can feel unnecessarily controlling. Some uniforms are also expensive, uncomfortable or unsuitable for hot weather, which makes them hard to defend in their current form.
However, abolishing uniforms would place new pressure on families. Without a uniform, many children feel they must wear fashionable, branded clothes to fit in, and parents on low incomes cannot always afford them. A simple, reasonably priced uniform removes this daily competition, so that no pupil is judged by what their family can pay for. Where uniforms are sold cheaply or passed on second-hand, the cost to parents can even be lower than buying a full wardrobe of everyday clothes.
Uniforms also help pupils to focus on learning. When everyone dresses in the same way, less time is wasted on choosing outfits, there is less teasing about appearance, and the uniform itself signals that school is a place for work. Moreover, children still have many other ways to show their individuality: through their ideas, their friendships, their hobbies and the clothes they wear outside school.
In conclusion, while uniforms do limit self-expression to some extent, I believe they should be kept, provided that they are affordable and comfortable, because they protect poorer families from pressure and help pupils to concentrate on their studies.
✓ Reveal the full model answers
Discuss-Both (city vs. rural):
Some people would rather live in a large city, whereas others prefer the countryside. Both choices have real attractions, but in my view city life suits most people better, at least during their working years.
Those who favour cities point mainly to opportunity. Large urban areas offer a far wider range of jobs, and salaries are often higher, which matters greatly to young people starting their careers. Cities also provide better access to universities, specialist hospitals and public transport, so residents can reach essential services quickly without depending on a car. In addition, the variety of cultural activities, from theatres to international restaurants, means that city dwellers are rarely short of things to do.
On the other hand, supporters of rural life emphasise health and community. The air in the countryside is generally cleaner, homes are cheaper and more spacious, and the slower pace of life can reduce stress. Villages also tend to have close communities in which neighbours know and support one another, something many city residents say they miss. For families with young children, a safe environment with open space can seem more valuable than a short journey to a shopping centre.
Having weighed these arguments, I believe that cities are the better option for most people, because the opportunities they offer in employment and education can shape a person's whole future. The disadvantages of urban life, such as noise and high rents, are real, but they can be reduced through good planning, whereas the lack of jobs and services in many rural areas is much harder to overcome. Rural life may suit people who can work remotely or have retired, but for the majority, the city remains the more practical choice.
Problem-Solution (teacher shortage):
In many countries, schools are struggling to find enough qualified teachers, and many of those who do join the profession leave within a few years. The problem has two main causes, a heavy workload and relatively low pay, and both could be addressed if governments are willing to invest.
The first cause is the workload that many teachers face. In addition to teaching a full timetable, they are often expected to mark large amounts of work, complete detailed paperwork and manage difficult behaviour, frequently in the evenings and at weekends. As a result, many graduates who enjoy working with young people decide that the job is not sustainable, and experienced teachers become exhausted and change careers. The second cause is pay. In many places, teachers earn considerably less than people with similar qualifications in other professions, so many of the most able graduates are drawn towards better-paid careers in business, engineering or medicine.
The most effective solution would be to make the job more manageable. Schools could cut unnecessary administration, for example by simplifying reporting requirements, and employ teaching assistants to support larger classes, so that teachers can spend their time on actual teaching. At the same time, governments should raise salaries, particularly for new teachers, and offer incentives such as housing support to those who work in areas where shortages are most severe. Better training and mentoring in the first years would also help new teachers to stay in the profession.
In conclusion, teacher shortages are caused mainly by heavy workloads and low pay. Reducing paperwork, providing more classroom support and paying teachers more fairly would make teaching a more attractive career and help schools to keep the staff they need.
Advantages-Disadvantages (24-hour shops):
In some countries, a growing number of shops and supermarkets now remain open around the clock. This trend offers real convenience to customers and some economic benefits, but it also brings costs for workers and local communities.
The most obvious advantage is flexibility for shoppers. People who work night shifts, such as nurses, security guards and factory staff, can buy food and essentials at times that suit their schedules rather than rushing to a shop before it closes. Parents who suddenly need medicine or baby supplies in the middle of the night also benefit, as do travellers who arrive late. For businesses, longer opening hours can increase sales, and they create additional jobs, which can suit students and others who prefer to work at night.
However, there are significant drawbacks. Regular night work disrupts sleep and has been linked to long-term health problems, so employees who work through the night may suffer, especially if they feel unable to refuse such shifts. Keeping a large store lit, cooled or heated and staffed all night also uses a considerable amount of energy, often to serve only a handful of customers in the early hours. In residential areas, the noise of deliveries and late-night customers can disturb neighbours, and small independent shops that cannot afford to stay open may lose customers to large chains.
In conclusion, 24-hour shopping offers clear benefits in convenience and employment, but it can harm workers' health, waste energy and affect local communities. For this reason, it may be sensible for shops in residential areas to keep shorter hours, while round-the-clock opening is limited to places where there is genuine demand, such as near hospitals and major stations.
Cause and Effect (fast food consumption):
In recent decades, the consumption of fast food has risen dramatically in many parts of the world. This trend has several clear causes, and its effects on individuals' health, and on society as a whole, are largely negative.
Several factors have driven this shift. Modern working patterns leave many people with far less time to prepare meals at home than previous generations had, so a quick takeaway has become a practical everyday solution rather than an occasional treat. Fast food is also widely available and inexpensive compared with many other options, particularly in cities, and delivery apps now allow customers to order a meal in seconds. Furthermore, the major chains have expanded rapidly into smaller towns and suburbs, so an outlet is now within easy reach of most people, which has made fast food seem a normal part of daily life.
This growing reliance on fast food has had serious consequences. At the individual level, diets high in fast food are strongly linked to obesity, because such meals tend to contain large amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt while offering little fibre or other nutrients. This has, in turn, contributed to rising rates of diet-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. At the level of society, these health problems place a heavy financial burden on healthcare systems, which must treat growing numbers of preventable conditions, and they reduce productivity when people are too unwell to work. There is also an environmental cost, as fast-food outlets generate large amounts of disposable packaging.
In conclusion, busier lifestyles, low prices, convenience and the rapid spread of outlets have all contributed to the rise in fast-food consumption, and its effects, from poorer individual health to higher public healthcare costs, are mainly harmful.
Two-part (ageing population):
In many countries, older people now make up a steadily growing share of the population. This change has two main causes, and although it brings some benefits, I consider it a largely negative development.
Two factors explain why the average age is rising. Firstly, advances in medicine, nutrition and public health have greatly extended life expectancy, so far more people now live into their eighties and nineties than in previous generations. Secondly, birth rates in many countries have fallen sharply, as couples increasingly choose to have fewer children, and to have them later in life, often for financial or career reasons. Together, longer lives and fewer births shift the balance of the population towards older age groups.
In my view, this trend is, on balance, a negative development, chiefly because of the economic strain it creates. As the proportion of retired people grows relative to the working-age population, a smaller workforce must pay for rising pension and healthcare costs, which places heavy pressure on public finances. Governments may then be forced to raise taxes, increase the retirement age or reduce services, none of which is popular. Some sectors, such as healthcare and construction, may also struggle to recruit enough workers.
There are, admittedly, positive aspects. Older citizens contribute valuable experience to the workplace, many continue working beyond the traditional retirement age, and grandparents often provide unpaid childcare and community support. However, these benefits do not outweigh the long-term financial challenges unless governments plan carefully for them.
In conclusion, rising life expectancy and falling birth rates are driving the ageing of populations. While this brings some advantages, its economic consequences make it a predominantly negative development.
- quickly identify any of the six Task 2 essay types, budget the 40 minutes, choose a position they can support, end with a clear conclusion, apply a reliable self-check before submitting, and have completed a full timed essay in each of the six types
• Discuss both views: “Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
• Problem–Solution: “What are the causes… and what can be done?”
• Advantages–Disadvantages: “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”
• Cause–Effect: “What are the causes and effects of…?”
• Two-part (direct question): two direct questions, e.g. “Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?”
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1. “In many countries the number of people suffering from stress is increasing. What are the causes of this, and what can be done about it?”
Answer: C. “What are the causes… and what can be done?” asks for the causes of a problem and its solutions — a Problem–Solution essay. It is not Advantages–Disadvantages (D): nothing asks you to weigh benefits against drawbacks. Nor does it ask whether you agree (A) or for two views to be discussed (B). 🔑 বাংলায়: C সঠিক — “What are the causes… and what can be done?” মানে কারণ আর সমাধান, দুটোই চাওয়া হয়েছে; তাই এটি Problem–Solution essay। D (Advantages–Disadvantages) নয়, কারণ সুবিধা আর অসুবিধা মেপে দেখতে বলা হয়নি। আবার agree/disagree (A) বা দুটি মত আলোচনা (B)-ও চাওয়া হয়নি। -
2. “Some people believe that the internet has made people less sociable than they used to be. Do you agree or disagree?”
Answer: A. “Do you agree or disagree?” is the classic Opinion prompt — take one clear side and defend it. It does not ask you to discuss two views (B), and it asks for neither causes and solutions nor causes and effects (C, D). 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — “Do you agree or disagree?” হলো Opinion prompt-এর সবচেয়ে পরিচিত রূপ; একটি স্পষ্ট পক্ষ নিয়ে শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত সেটাই সমর্থন করুন। দুটি মত আলোচনা করতে বলা হয়নি (B নয়), আর কারণ-সমাধান বা কারণ-ফলাফলও চাওয়া হয়নি (C, D নয়)। -
3. “Online shopping has grown quickly in recent years. Do the benefits of this development outweigh the drawbacks?”
Answer: D. “Benefits … outweigh the drawbacks” is a paraphrase of “advantages outweigh the disadvantages”, so this is an Advantages–Disadvantages essay — and because it asks which side is greater, you must give a clear verdict, ideally from the introduction. It is not a plain Opinion (A) essay, because the question is framed around weighing pros against cons. 🔑 বাংলায়: “benefits … outweigh the drawbacks” আসলে “advantages outweigh the disadvantages”-এরই paraphrase — তাই এটি Advantages–Disadvantages essay; কোন দিক বেশি ভারী তা নিয়ে স্পষ্ট রায় দিতে হবে, introduction থেকেই। তাই D সঠিক। এটা সাধারণ Opinion (A) essay নয়, কারণ প্রশ্নটাই সাজানো হয়েছে সুবিধা আর অসুবিধা মেপে দেখার ওপর।
1 The 60-Second Task Response Self-Check 5 drills
1. Prompt: “Some people think governments should spend money on public transport rather than on building new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?” Which thesis statement best meets the Task Response requirements?
Answer: B. “To what extent” needs a clear position from the start, and B gives one with a reason. A is a memorised template that delays the answer and states no view; C is a general, empty opening; D turns an opinion essay into an advantages–disadvantages essay — a structure mismatch. 🔑 বাংলায়: “To what extent” প্রশ্নে শুরু থেকেই স্পষ্ট অবস্থান লাগে — B কারণসহ তা দেয়। A মুখস্থ template, কোনো মত নেই; C ফাঁকা সাধারণ কথা; D essay-র ধরনই বদলে দেয়। তাই B সঠিক।2. Prompt: “Many young people today cannot find work. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to solve it?” Which plan fully addresses the task?
Answer: D. The prompt has two parts — causes and measures — and D covers both, with the solutions linked to the causes. A answers a question that was not asked (effects); B stays on causes and never offers measures; C squeezes one required part into the conclusion, so it is not developed. 🔑 বাংলায়: prompt-এর দুটি অংশ — causes আর measures; D দুটোই ধরে, আর সমাধানগুলো কারণের সাথে যুক্ত। A-তে না-চাওয়া effects, B-তে সমাধান নেই, C একটি অংশকে শুধু conclusion-এ ঠেলে দেয়। তাই D সঠিক।3. Prompt: “… Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” Which statement about your opinion is accurate?
Answer: A. The Band 7 Task Response descriptor asks for a position that is clear throughout the response. B is a popular myth — an opinion that appears only in the last lines is not clear throughout; C fails the instruction “give your own opinion”; D hides the position from the introduction and conclusion. 🔑 বাংলায়: Task Response-এর Band 7 descriptor বলে অবস্থান পুরো লেখা জুড়ে স্পষ্ট থাকতে হবে — তাই introduction-এ ইঙ্গিত দিন, conclusion পর্যন্ত একই রাখুন। “মত শুধু conclusion-এ” (B) একটি ভুল ধারণা; C নির্দেশ মানে না; D মতকে লুকিয়ে রাখে। তাই A সঠিক।4. A candidate's Task 2 essay is 205 words long but answers every part of the prompt well. What is the likely result?
Answer: C. IELTS states that answers below the minimum word count are penalised, and a short essay is also unlikely to develop its ideas fully. A ignores the rule; B names the wrong criterion; D exaggerates — an under-length essay is still marked, just with a penalty. 🔑 বাংলায়: 250 শব্দের কম লিখলে penalty হয় (মূলত Task Response-এ), আর ছোট essay-তে idea-ও পুরোপুরি develop হয় না। A নিয়ম উপেক্ষা করে, B ভুল criterion, D বাড়িয়ে বলা — essay-র marking ঠিকই হয়, শুধু penalty হিসেবে নম্বর কাটা যায়। তাই C সঠিক।5. Prompt: “Some people believe children should start learning a foreign language at primary school. Do you agree or disagree?” One body paragraph argues that speaking a second language helps adults find jobs abroad. What is the problem?
Answer: B. The question is about when to start — at primary school — not whether languages are useful in general. A paragraph on adult careers answers a broader question, which weakens Task Response. A is the exact trap: a true idea that is not the point; C is wrong, since specific examples help; D is wrong, since a conclusion should not introduce new ideas. 🔑 বাংলায়: প্রশ্নটা হলো কখন শুরু করা উচিত — primary school-এ — ভাষা সাধারণভাবে উপকারী কিনা তা নয়। বড়দের চাকরির কথা প্রশ্নের মূল বিষয় থেকে সরে যায়, তাই Task Response দুর্বল হয়। A Trap — সত্য কথা কিন্তু প্রসঙ্গের বাইরে; C আর D ভুল। তাই B সঠিক।
2 Budget Your 40 Minutes Before You Start 5 drills
1. How should a candidate normally divide the 60 minutes of the Writing test?
Answer: C. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1 and needs at least 250 words, so it deserves about two-thirds of the time. A is the trap: the same band scale does not mean the same weight. B reverses the priorities; D usually leaves Task 2 unfinished. 🔑 বাংলায়: Task 2-এর নম্বর Task 1-এর দ্বিগুণ, আর কমপক্ষে 250 শব্দ লাগে — তাই প্রায় 40 মিনিট Task 2-এর। A Trap: একই band scale মানে একই গুরুত্ব নয়। B উল্টো অগ্রাধিকার; D-তে সাধারণত Task 2 অসম্পূর্ণ থাকে। তাই C সঠিক।2. Within the 40 Task 2 minutes, which time plan is most realistic?
Answer: A. A short plan prevents structure mistakes, 30 minutes is enough for 250–300 words, and a few minutes are left for the self-check. B skips the plan, which is where Task Response errors start; C leaves too little writing time for a fully developed essay; D wastes half the time copying. 🔑 বাংলায়: ছোট plan গঠনের ভুল আটকায়, 30 মিনিটে 250–300 শব্দ লেখা যায়, আর শেষে self-check-এর সময় থাকে। B plan বাদ দেয়; C-তে লেখার সময় কম; D অর্ধেক সময় পরিষ্কার করে আবার লিখতে নষ্ট করে। তাই A সঠিক।3. Minute 34 of 40: your introduction and Body 1 are finished and Body 2 is half written, but there is no conclusion yet. What is the best decision?
Answer: D. Completing every part of the essay protects Task Response; rounding off Body 2 quickly and adding a brief conclusion finish the answer. A and B leave the essay unfinished; C is the near-miss — Body 2 is completed, but the essay ends without restating the answer. 🔑 বাংলায়: essay-র প্রতিটি অংশ সম্পূর্ণ করলেই Task Response রক্ষা হয় — Body 2 দ্রুত শেষ করে একটি সংক্ষিপ্ত conclusion যোগ করলেই উত্তর সম্পূর্ণ হয়। A ও B essay অসম্পূর্ণ রাখে; C কাছাকাছি Trap — conclusion ছাড়াই শেষ হয়। তাই D সঠিক।4. Do you have to complete Task 1 before you start Task 2?
Answer: B. The 60 minutes cover both tasks, and you may answer them in either order, on paper or on computer. Many candidates write Task 2 first because it carries more marks. A and C invent a rule; D invents a penalty. 🔑 বাংলায়: 60 মিনিট দুটি task-এর জন্যই, আর যেকোনো ক্রমে লেখা যায় — paper বা computer, দুটিতেই। অনেকে বেশি নম্বরের জন্য আগে Task 2 লেখেন। A ও C বানানো নিয়ম, D বানানো penalty। তাই B সঠিক।5. In the paper-based test, which is the quickest reliable way to check that your essay has reached 250 words?
Answer: A. Know your average words per line from practice, and the estimate takes seconds (on the computer-delivered test a word count is shown on screen). B uses up the checking time; C depends entirely on handwriting size; D is false — answers under 250 words are penalised. 🔑 বাংলায়: practice থেকে নিজের প্রতি লাইনের গড় শব্দসংখ্যা জেনে রাখুন — তাহলে কয়েক সেকেন্ডেই হিসাব হয় (computer-delivered test-এ screen-এ word count দেখা যায়)। B checking-এর সময় খেয়ে ফেলে; C হাতের লেখার ওপর নির্ভর করে; D ভুল — 250-এর কম হলে penalty হয়। তাই A সঠিক।
3 End With Your Answer, Not a New Idea 5 drills
1. Prompt: “Some people believe school uniforms should be abolished. To what extent do you agree?” The writer has disagreed throughout. Which conclusion is best?
Answer: D. It restates the position (keep uniforms) and the two main reasons from the body. A only describes the topic; B describes the essay instead of answering; C is the trap — a new, undeveloped point added at the very end. 🔑 বাংলায়: D অবস্থান (uniform থাকুক) আর body-র দুটি মূল কারণ আবার বলে। A শুধু বিষয়ের বর্ণনা; B উত্তর না দিয়ে essay-র বর্ণনা; C Trap — একদম শেষে নতুন, ব্যাখ্যাহীন পয়েন্ট। তাই D সঠিক।2. Which sentence does NOT belong in a Task 2 conclusion?
Answer: B. “Another important reason” introduces a new argument, which cannot be developed in the conclusion and belongs in a body paragraph. A, C and D all restate or sum up what the essay has already argued. 🔑 বাংলায়: B সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ বেমানান বাক্য) — “Another important reason” নতুন যুক্তি আনে, যা conclusion-এ ব্যাখ্যা করা যায় না; এর জায়গা body paragraph-এ। A, C, D আগের যুক্তিরই সারাংশ।3. Prompt: “Litter is a growing problem in many public parks. What are the causes, and what can be done about it?” Which conclusion fits this essay type?
Answer: A. A Problem-Solution conclusion restates the main causes and the main solutions — both parts of the question. B answers nothing; C turns the essay into an agree/disagree answer; D is the near-miss: it mentions causes but swaps solutions for effects, which the prompt never asked about. 🔑 বাংলায়: Problem-Solution essay-র conclusion-এ মূল কারণ আর মূল সমাধান — প্রশ্নের দুটি অংশই — আবার বলতে হয়। B কিছুই উত্তর দেয় না; C agree/disagree-এর ভাষা; D কাছাকাছি Trap — কারণ বলেছে, কিন্তু সমাধানের বদলে effect, যা প্রশ্নে চাওয়া হয়নি। তাই A সঠিক।4. Which statement about Task 2 conclusions is accurate?
Answer: C. Two or three sentences that give your answer again, in new words, are enough. A is false — the whole response is assessed, and an essay without an ending makes its position less clear; B invents a length rule; D is the classic mistake of saving the best idea for the end, where it cannot be developed. 🔑 বাংলায়: নতুন শব্দে নিজের উত্তর আবার বলা দুই-তিনটি বাক্যই যথেষ্ট। A ভুল — পুরো লেখাই মূল্যায়ন হয়, আর শেষ না থাকলে অবস্থান অস্পষ্ট হয়; B বানানো নিয়ম; D প্রচলিত ভুল — সেরা idea শেষে রাখলে তা আর ব্যাখ্যা করা যায় না। তাই C সঠিক।5. A writer has supported a proposal from the introduction onwards. Which conclusion makes the essay inconsistent?
Answer: D. Changing sides in the last sentence means the position is not “clear throughout the response”, which limits Task Response. A, B and C all confirm the position the essay has argued. 🔑 বাংলায়: D সঠিক উত্তর (অর্থাৎ অসঙ্গত conclusion) — শেষ বাক্যে পক্ষ বদলালে অবস্থান “clear throughout” থাকে না, ফলে Task Response কমে। A, B, C — তিনটিই essay-র অবস্থান নিশ্চিত করে।
4 Choose the Side You Can Support Best 5 drills
1. Does agreeing with the statement in an Opinion prompt earn a higher Task Response score?
Answer: A. The descriptors assess how clear and well supported your position is, not which position it is. C is the popular myth in reverse — disagreeing earns nothing extra. B and D invent a “correct” opinion that does not exist. 🔑 বাংলায়: descriptor দেখে অবস্থান কতটা স্পষ্ট ও সমর্থিত — কোন অবস্থান তা নয়। C উল্টো দিকের প্রচলিত ভুল ধারণা — disagree করলে বাড়তি নম্বর নেই। B ও D এমন “সঠিক মত” কল্পনা করে যা আসলে নেই। তাই A সঠিক।2. Prompt: “People should be allowed to bring their dogs into restaurants and cafés.” Your quick ideas — Agree: “dogs are cute.” Disagree: (1) food-hygiene rules in kitchens and dining areas; (2) some customers are allergic to dogs or afraid of them. Your own view is mixed. What should you do?
Answer: C. Two distinct, explainable reasons give two developed body paragraphs. A chooses the side with one vague idea (“cute” explains nothing); B and D sit on the fence, which the Opinion task does not allow. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটি আলাদা, ব্যাখ্যাযোগ্য কারণ থেকে দুটি পূর্ণ body paragraph হয়। A একটি অস্পষ্ট idea-র পক্ষ বেছেছে; B ও D কোনো পক্ষই নেয় না, যা Opinion task-এ চলে না। তাই C সঠিক।3. When is a qualified position (“I largely agree, but…”) the best choice?
Answer: B. A qualified position is a real answer — the main view plus a clearly stated limit, held consistently. C is the trap: using “largely agree” to avoid deciding produces an essay that drifts between sides. A and D invent rules; “to what extent” prompts often invite a qualified answer. 🔑 বাংলায়: শর্তসহ অবস্থান একটি আসল উত্তর — মূল মত আর একটি স্পষ্ট সীমা, শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত একই। C Trap — সিদ্ধান্ত এড়াতে “largely agree” লিখলে essay দুই পক্ষের মাঝে দোলে। A ও D বানানো নিয়ম। তাই B সঠিক।4. When should you decide your position in an Opinion essay?
Answer: D. Deciding during planning lets you state the position in the introduction and support it in both body paragraphs. A and B produce an introduction with no clear answer; C ignores the exact wording of the prompt, which is where Task Response begins. 🔑 বাংলায়: plan-এর সময় সিদ্ধান্ত নিলে introduction-এ অবস্থান জানিয়ে দুটি body paragraph-এ সমর্থন করা যায়। A ও B-তে introduction-এ স্পষ্ট উত্তর থাকে না; C prompt-এর নির্দিষ্ট শব্দ উপেক্ষা করে। তাই D সঠিক।5. A student personally believes the opposite of the side she can support best. Which statement is true?
Answer: C. Task 2 tests how well you argue in English, not your private beliefs, and the examiner has no way of knowing them. A is a myth; B adds an irrelevant comment that weakens the position; D fails the task. 🔑 বাংলায়: Task 2 যাচাই করে আপনি ইংরেজিতে কতটা ভালো যুক্তি দিতে পারেন — আপনার ব্যক্তিগত বিশ্বাস নয়, আর examiner তা জানেনও না। A ভুল ধারণা; B অপ্রয়োজনীয় মন্তব্য, যা অবস্থান দুর্বল করে; D task-ই পূরণ করে না। তাই C সঠিক।
Writing Accuracy: Grammar, Mistakes & Spelling
📖 Book Chapter 14This chapter assumes you can already write in English — it's not a grammar-from-zero lesson. Instead, it targets the specific errors that keep showing up in otherwise strong IELTS essays: the kind of mistake a confident writer makes without noticing, because it doesn't feel wrong. This chapter is built around six specific tricks, one per error type, each with an instant example and a try-it, before a combined correction task tests all six together.
- know and apply six specific tricks for correcting the most common higher-level errors in IELTS-style academic writing
- choose British or American spelling and use it consistently
- proofread your own writing using a repeatable checklist
Flow: Same pattern as previous chapters: state the trick → instant example → try-it attempted without looking ahead → reveal the Correction/Why box (in the app it appears under each Try it — students should cover it until they have answered) → discuss. Budget roughly 3–4 minutes per trick (~22 minutes for all six).
Words like information, advice, research, evidence, equipment, knowledge and progress are uncountable in standard academic English — never add "-s," never put "a/an" or "many" directly before them, and use a singular verb ("research shows"). Use "much," "a lot of," "little," or "a piece of" instead.
This is a very common error even in otherwise strong scripts — fluent writers add "-s" by habit. One slip will not decide your band, but repeated errors of this kind count against Grammatical Range and Accuracy (and word form under Lexical Resource), and frequent errors keep both criteria below Band 7.
"The government should provide more informations."
"The government should provide more information."
"She gave me many useful advices before the exam."
Certain words always pair with one specific preposition, or none at all — "discuss" takes NO "about"; for stating your OWN opinion, use "in my opinion" or "I believe," not "according to me" (that phrase is only for citing someone else's claim).
Fixed word partnerships like these can't be reasoned out grammatically — they simply have to be learned. Errors in word choice and collocation are assessed under Lexical Resource; the Band 7 descriptor allows only occasional errors, so frequent ones hold the score down even when your vocabulary range is good.
"Let's discuss about the plan."
"Let's discuss the plan."
"According to me, the government should invest more in healthcare."
In a long subject (subject + prepositional phrase before the verb), the verb must agree with the REAL head noun, not whichever noun happens to sit right before the verb.
This structure appears constantly in academic writing — and in Task 1 especially ("The number of…", "The proportion of…") — and agreement errors are among the most frequent Grammatical Range and Accuracy errors in otherwise strong essays, precisely because the wrong noun sits closer to the verb.
"The results of the study shows a clear trend."
"The results of the study show a clear trend."
The subject is "results" (plural) — not "study".
"The number of students who choose engineering are increasing every year."
When you mean an uncountable idea or a plural noun in general, use no article — "education," "technology," "society," "young people" — not "the education," "the society." Two limits to the rule: (1) a singular countable noun always needs a/an or the ("living in a big city"); (2) some nouns take the by convention even in a general sense — the environment, the internet, the economy, the government, the media.
Article errors — an extra "the" before abstract nouns, or a missing "a/an" before singular nouns — tend to repeat throughout a script. Because it's a pattern, not a one-off mistake, fixing the pattern removes many errors at once.
"The education is important for the society."
"Education is important for society."
"Many people believe that the technology has changed our life completely."
Words that look almost identical but function differently — economic/economical, affect/effect — are chosen by grammatical role and meaning, not by "which one sounds right."
These pairs are easy to mishear when proofreading by ear, so checking word FORM (is it functioning as a noun, adjective, or verb here?) catches what reading-aloud won't.
"This has a big affect on economical growth."
"This has a big effect on economic growth."
"affect" = verb, "effect" = noun here; "economic" = relating to the economy, "economical" = frugal — different meanings entirely.
"The economical crisis had a serious affect on small businesses."
Two complete sentences can't be joined with just a comma (a "comma splice"). Use a full stop, a semicolon, a conjunction (and, but, so, while, although) or a relative pronoun (which). Note that however and therefore are not conjunctions: "…, however, …" between two sentences is still a comma splice.
This is a genuine sentence-boundary error, not a style choice — examiners read it as a Grammatical Range and Accuracy fault, since it shows uncertainty about where one sentence ends and the next begins.
"Prices rose, this affected everyone."
"Prices rose, which affected everyone." / "Prices rose; this affected everyone."
"Many companies discuss about their plans openly, this builds trust with customers."
Quick reference — six errors that hold back strong writers
| Error type | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Uncountable nouns — Trick 1 | many informations, advices, researches | much information, advice, research |
| Fixed prepositions — Trick 2 | discuss about, according to me | discuss (no "about"), in my opinion |
| Subject–verb agreement — Trick 3 | The results of the study shows… | The results of the study show… |
| Article overuse/omission — Trick 4 | The education is important for the society | Education is important for society |
| Word-form confusion — Trick 5 | This has a big affect on economical growth | This has a big effect on economic growth |
| Comma splices — Trick 6 | Prices rose, this affected everyone. | Prices rose, which affected everyone. |
Flow: In-class combined correction task (15 min) → proofreading checklist practice on their own Chapter 13 (Task 2 Full Practice) essay (15 min).
- The government should provide more informations about the policy. → more information (Trick 1 — uncountable) information uncountable — এর plural হয় না, তাই “-s” বাদ দিয়ে “more information” (Trick 1)।
- Many people believe that the technology has changed our life completely. → Many people believe that technology has changed our lives (Trick 4 — no article; also "lives" plural) technology এখানে সাধারণ অর্থে, তাই আগে “the” বসবে না (Trick 4)। সাথে “our life” নয়, “our lives” — প্রত্যেক মানুষের নিজের জীবন, তাই plural।
- The number of students who choose engineering are increasing every year. → is increasing (Trick 3 — subject is "the number," singular) আসল subject “The number” (singular), “students” নয় — তাই “are” নয়, “is increasing” (Trick 3)।
- According to me, the government should spend more on the healthcare. → In my opinion, the government should spend more on healthcare (Trick 2 + Trick 4) দুটি ভুল: নিজের মতের জন্য “According to me” নয়, “In my opinion” (Trick 2); আর healthcare এখানে সাধারণ অর্থে, তাই “the” বাদ (Trick 4)।
- The economical crisis had a serious affect on small businesses. → The economic crisis had a serious effect (Trick 5) দুটি ভুল: “economical” মানে মিতব্যয়ী — এখানে অর্থনীতির crisis, তাই “economic”; আর “a serious”-এর পরে noun লাগে, তাই verb “affect” নয়, noun “effect” (Trick 5)।
- Many companies discuss about their plans openly, this builds trust with customers. → discuss their plans openly. This builds trust… (Trick 2 + Trick 6) দুটি ভুল: “discuss”-এর পরে “about” বসে না (Trick 2); আর দুটো সম্পূর্ণ বাক্য শুধু comma দিয়ে জোড়া হয়েছে (comma splice), তাই comma-র জায়গায় full stop (Trick 6)।
Proofread your own writing
Take your Task 2 essay from Chapter 13 (Task 2 Full Practice). Go through it once for each of the following, one pass at a time — not all six at once:
- Circle every uncountable noun — did you accidentally pluralise or add "many/a" to any?
- Underline every "discuss," "according to," and opinion phrase — check the preposition
- For every long subject (more than 4 words before the verb), check the verb still agrees with the real subject, not the nearest noun
- Check "the" before every general/abstract noun (education, society, technology) — remove it unless referring to something specific
- Check every affect/effect, economic/economical and every word before a noun or after a verb — is it the right word form?
- At every comma, ask: is there a complete sentence on both sides? If yes, you need a full stop, a semicolon or a conjunction — however does not count
- Confirm spelling consistency — British or American, not both
"Some people believe that governments should spend money on public libraries rather than on the internet. To what extent do you agree?"
Nowadays, many people discuss about whether governments should fund public libraries or invest in the internet instead. In my opinion, libraries still deserve strong support.
Firstly, libraries give free access to books and reliable informations that not everyone can afford at home. The range of services they provide are valuable for students from low-income families, this makes education fairer for the society. Libraries also employ trained staff who can guide readers. According to me, this human help is something a search engine cannot fully replace.
However, some argue that the technology has made libraries less necessary. It is true that the internet offers quick answers, but online researches are not always accurate, and many young people struggle to judge which sources to trust. A well-funded library therefore has a positive affect on the economical development of a community.
In conclusion, although the internet is useful, I firmly believe that governments should continue to fund public libraries.
2. "reliable informations" → reliable information (Trick 1 — uncountable noun).
3. "The range of services they provide are" → is (Trick 3 — real subject is "the range," singular).
4. "…low-income families, this makes education fairer" → families. This makes… (Trick 6 — comma splice).
5. "fairer for the society" → for society (Trick 4 — general concept, no article).
6. "According to me," → In my opinion, (Trick 2 — used only for citing others).
7. "the technology has made" → technology has made (Trick 4 — general concept, no article).
8. "online researches" → online research (Trick 1 — uncountable noun).
9. "a positive affect" → effect (Trick 5 — noun, not the verb "affect").
10. "economical development" → economic development (Trick 5 — "economic" = of the economy; "economical" = thrifty). 🔑 বাংলায়: 10টি ভুল ছয়টি Trick জুড়ে ছড়ানো — Trick 1: informations, researches; Trick 2: discuss about, According to me; Trick 3: The range … are → is; Trick 4: the society, the technology; Trick 5: affect → effect, economical → economic; Trick 6: “families, this makes” → “families. This makes”। লক্ষ্য করুন, একই paragraph-এ কয়েক ধরনের ভুল পাশাপাশি থাকে — তাই প্রতিটি Trick-এর জন্য আলাদা করে একবার করে পড়ুন। যে ভুলগুলো ধরতে পারেননি, সেই Trick-গুলো আরেকবার দেখে নিন।
- identify and correct the six most common higher-level writing errors, and proofread their own essays using a repeatable checklist
• Find the real subject — “The number of students” is singular → is, not are.
• Don't join two full sentences with only a comma (comma splice) — use a full stop, a semicolon or a conjunction (however and therefore are not conjunctions).
-
1. Uncountable nouns. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. Information is uncountable — no -s, no many, no an; use a lot of / much / a great deal of. A keeps a lot of but adds -s; B uses many; D uses an (and an unnecessary the before a general idea). 🔑 বাংলায়: information uncountable — -s, many, an কোনোটাই বসে না; a lot of / much / a great deal of লিখুন। A-তে -s, B-তে many, D-তে an — সবই ভুল। তাই C সঠিক। -
2. Subject–verb agreement. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: A. The real subject is “The number” (singular) → is, not the nearest noun students. B matches the verb to the nearest noun; C moves the singular verb into the relative clause, where the subject is students (plural) → fail; D makes both errors. 🔑 বাংলায়: A সঠিক — আসল subject হলো “The number” (singular) → is; কাছের noun students দেখে verb ঠিক করা যাবে না। B ঠিক এই ভুলটাই করেছে। C গোলমাল করেছে অন্য জায়গায় — relative clause-এর ভেতরে subject students (plural), তাই সেখানে fail হবে, fails নয়। D-তে দুটো ভুলই। -
3. Comma splice. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Answer: D. Two complete sentences need a semicolon, a full stop or a conjunction such as and — not just a comma. A is a comma splice and B a run-on. C is the trap: therefore is a linking adverb, not a conjunction, so “, therefore” is still a comma splice. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটি পূর্ণ বাক্য জোড়া দিতে semicolon, full stop বা and-এর মতো conjunction লাগে, শুধু কমা নয়। A comma splice, B run-on। C Trap: therefore conjunction নয়, তাই “, therefore” দিলেও comma splice থেকে যায়। তাই D সঠিক।
1 Uncountable Nouns Have No Plural 5 drills
Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: C. Advice is uncountable: no -s, no an, no many — use more / much / some / a piece of advice. A, B and D each treat it as countable in a different way. 🔑 বাংলায়: advice uncountable — -s, an বা many বসে না; more / much / a piece of advice লিখুন। A, B, D তিনভাবে একে countable বানিয়েছে। তাই C।Task 1 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: A. Information and luggage are both uncountable, so: no plural, no an, and the amount of (not the number of). D is the near-miss — fine first half, then “number of luggages”. This error appears in many Task 1 introductions. 🔑 বাংলায়: information ও luggage দুটোই uncountable — plural নয়, an নয়, আর the amount of (number of নয়)। D প্রথম অংশ ঠিক রেখে পরে “number of luggages” লিখেছে — এটাই কাছের Trap। তাই A।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: D. Research and evidence are uncountable, so they take a singular verb (shows, is) and little, not few. A pluralises research; B pluralises evidence; C fixes the noun but forgets the singular verb — the trap for careful students. 🔑 বাংলায়: research ও evidence uncountable — singular verb (shows, is) আর little লাগে, few নয়। C noun ঠিক করেছে কিন্তু verb plural রেখে দিয়েছে — এটাই Trap। তাই D।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. Equipment is uncountable even though laptops and projectors are countable items. To count it, say pieces of equipment or name the items. A adds -s, C adds a, D uses many. 🔑 বাংলায়: laptop-projector গোনা গেলেও equipment শব্দটা uncountable। গুনতে চাইলে pieces of equipment লিখুন। A-তে -s, C-তে a, D-তে many — সবই ভুল। তাই B।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: D. Traffic and progress are both uncountable — no plural, no a, and little rather than few. Each wrong option gets one noun right and the other wrong, which is exactly how these errors slip through proofreading. 🔑 বাংলায়: traffic ও progress দুটোই uncountable — plural নয়, a নয়, few-এর বদলে little। প্রতিটি ভুল option একটা noun ঠিক রেখে অন্যটা ভুল করেছে — proofreading-এ এভাবেই ভুল চোখ এড়িয়ে যায়। তাই D।
2 Fixed Prepositions Are Fixed 5 drills
Task 1 — “Between 2010 and 2020, there was a sharp rise ___ the number of electric cars sold.”
Answer: B. A rise / an increase / a fall in something. Trap A: a rise of is used for the size of the change (a rise of 20%), not for the thing that changed. Task 1 often needs both: “a rise of 20% in sales”. 🔑 বাংলায়: কোন জিনিস বাড়ল/কমল বোঝাতে rise / increase / fall in। of বসে পরিবর্তনের পরিমাণের আগে (a rise of 20%) — এটাই Trap। Task 1-এ প্রায়ই দুটোই লাগে: “a rise of 20% in sales”। তাই B।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: C. Discuss takes a direct object — no about, no on (the noun is different: a discussion about). D also breaks the fixed pattern reluctant to do. 🔑 বাংলায়: discuss-এর পরে সরাসরি object বসে — about বা on নয় (noun-এ আলাদা: a discussion about)। D-তে reluctant to-এর নিয়মও ভেঙেছে। তাই C।Task 2 — “Many island nations depend heavily ___ income from tourism.”
Answer: A. Depend on / rely on. Trap C: from attaches to “income from tourism”, which is already there — the verb still needs on. Trap B comes from translating word for word from Bangla. 🔑 বাংলায়: depend on / rely on। C Trap: “income from tourism”-এ from আগে থেকেই আছে, কিন্তু verb-এর সাথে on লাগবেই। B আসে বাংলা থেকে শব্দে শব্দে অনুবাদ করলে। তাই A।Task 2 — “In my view, parents rather than teachers should be responsible ___ teaching children basic manners.”
Answer: D. Responsible for + noun or -ing. Trap B: responsible to exists, but it means “answerable to a person” (responsible to the manager), not the duty itself. 🔑 বাংলায়: দায়িত্ব বোঝাতে responsible for + noun/-ing। responsible to আছে, কিন্তু তার মানে কারও কাছে জবাবদিহি (responsible to the manager) — এটাই Trap। তাই D।Task 2 — which sentence gives the writer’s own opinion accurately?
Answer: A. In my view / In my opinion / From my point of view / I believe. B uses according to, which introduces someone else’s claim; C mixes two phrases (it is from my point of view); D is a regional form that is not standard in academic English. 🔑 বাংলায়: নিজের মত দিতে In my view / In my opinion / From my point of view / I believe। according to অন্যের কথা উদ্ধৃত করতে; C-তে দুই phrase মিশে গেছে (from my point of view হবে); D standard academic English নয়। তাই A।
3 Find the Real Subject, Not the Nearest Noun 5 drills
Task 1 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: D. The head noun is amount (singular), so has risen — households is just the nearest noun. A agrees with households; B pluralises uncountable waste; C has both agreement and verb-form errors (have rose). 🔑 বাংলায়: মূল noun amount (singular) — তাই has risen; households শুধু কাছের noun। A ভুল noun-এর সাথে মিলিয়েছে, B uncountable waste-কে plural করেছে, C-তে দুটো ভুল। তাই D।Task 2 — “One of the main reasons for these changes ___ the rising cost of living.”
Answer: B. The subject is One; of the main reasons for these changes only describes it. A and D agree with the plural nouns reasons/changes; C leaves the sentence without a main verb. 🔑 বাংলায়: subject হলো One; বাকি অংশ শুধু বর্ণনা। A ও D plural noun (reasons/changes)-এর সাথে মিলিয়েছে; C-তে বাক্যের মূল verb-ই নেই। তাই B।Task 1 — “The figures for Japan, unlike those for Canada, ___ a steady decline over the period.”
Answer: C. The subject is The figures (plural); the phrase between commas does not change it. A, B and D are all singular forms — the trap is that Japan and Canada look like singular subjects. 🔑 বাংলায়: subject The figures (plural); দুই কমার মাঝের অংশ subject বদলায় না। A, B, D সবই singular — Japan আর Canada দেখে singular মনে হয়, এটাই Trap। তাই C।Task 1 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: A. Two verbs, two subjects: adults … cycle (plural) inside the relative clause, and The percentage … was (singular) in the main clause. B agrees with adults; C makes the subject plural but keeps was; D reverses both. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুটো verb, দুটো subject — ভেতরের clause-এ adults … cycle (plural), মূল clause-এ The percentage … was (singular)। B adults-এর সাথে মিলিয়েছে, C subject plural করে was রেখেছে, D দুটোই উল্টে দিয়েছে। তাই A।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. A number of = “several”, so the real subject is experts → plural believe. A over-applies the singular rule; C changes the meaning (the number is a quantity, and a quantity cannot believe anything); D drops the plural -s. 🔑 বাংলায়: A number of = “কয়েকজন”, তাই আসল subject experts → plural believe। A singular নিয়ম ভুল জায়গায় খাটিয়েছে; C অর্থই বদলে দেয় (the number একটা সংখ্যা, সংখ্যা কিছু বিশ্বাস করে না); D-তে plural -s নেই। তাই B।
4 General Concepts Take No Article 5 drills
Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: A. Unemployment and mental health are general, uncountable ideas → no article. But effect is a singular countable noun, so it needs a. C makes the opposite error: it drops the article that is needed and adds one that is not. 🔑 বাংলায়: unemployment ও mental health সাধারণ, uncountable ধারণা — article লাগে না। কিন্তু effect singular countable, তাই a লাগবে। C উল্টো ভুল করেছে — দরকারি article বাদ দিয়ে অদরকারি article বসিয়েছে। তাই A।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: D. The “no article for general ideas” rule has fixed exceptions: the internet, the environment, the media, the economy, the government normally take the even when the meaning is general. A and B over-apply the rule; C adds a different error (many of people). 🔑 বাংলায়: “সাধারণ ধারণায় article নেই” নিয়মের কিছু নির্দিষ্ট ব্যতিক্রম আছে — the internet, the environment, the media, the economy, the government-এ সাধারণ অর্থেও the বসে। A ও B নিয়মটা বেশি খাটিয়েছে; C-তে নতুন ভুল (many of people)। তাই D।Task 1 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. Most country names take no article (but the UK, the USA, the Netherlands do). Most of its = the majority, with no the; and coal as a general fuel takes no article. A, C and D each add one unnecessary the. 🔑 বাংলায়: বেশিরভাগ দেশের নামে article বসে না (তবে the UK, the USA, the Netherlands-এ বসে)। most of its = বেশিরভাগ, the ছাড়া; সাধারণ জ্বালানি হিসেবে coal-এও article নেই। A, C, D প্রত্যেকটিতে একটা বাড়তি the। তাই B।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: C. Plural nouns used in a general sense (smartphones, young people) take no article. But the way is specific (the way they communicate), so it keeps the. B removes every article, including the necessary one — over-correcting is also an error. 🔑 বাংলায়: সাধারণ অর্থে plural noun (smartphones, young people)-এ article লাগে না। কিন্তু the way নির্দিষ্ট, তাই the থাকবে। B সব article মুছে ফেলেছে, দরকারিটাও — বেশি সংশোধন করাও ভুল। তাই C।Task 2 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: D. The other half of the article rule: a singular countable noun can never stand alone — it needs a/an (any one) or the (a specific one). A and B drop articles; C puts an before a plural. Missing a/an is at least as common in Band 5–6 scripts as an extra the. 🔑 বাংলায়: article নিয়মের অন্য অর্ধেক — singular countable noun কখনও একা বসে না, a/an বা the লাগবেই। A ও B article বাদ দিয়েছে, C plural-এর আগে an বসিয়েছে। Band 5–6 লেখায় a/an বাদ পড়া, বাড়তি the-এর মতোই সাধারণ ভুল। তাই D।
5 Watch the Word Form, Not Just the Spelling 5 drills
Task 2 — “The rapid ___ of renewable energy has reduced the need for new coal power stations.”
Answer: C. After The rapid (article + adjective) you need a noun: growth. D is the tempting near-miss — growing can act as a noun, but “the rapid growing of renewable energy” is not natural English; the established noun is growth. 🔑 বাংলায়: The rapid (article + adjective)-এর পরে noun লাগবে: growth। D কাছের Trap — growing noun-এর মতো বসতে পারে, কিন্তু “the rapid growing of …” স্বাভাবিক English নয়; প্রচলিত noun হলো growth। তাই C।Task 2 — “Long working hours can seriously ___ employees’ health.”
Answer: A. After the modal can you need the base form of a verb: affect (= influence). Effect is normally the noun (an effect on); D is the wrong verb form after can. 🔑 বাংলায়: modal can-এর পরে verb-এর মূল রূপ: affect (প্রভাবিত করা)। effect সাধারণত noun (an effect on); D-তে can-এর পরে ভুল verb form। তাই A।Task 2 — which sentence uses the correct word forms?
Answer: D. Economic = related to the economy or money; economical = cheap to run, not wasteful (an economical car). B uses the verb affect where a noun is needed; C uses a before a vowel sound. 🔑 বাংলায়: economic = অর্থনীতি/টাকা-পয়সা সংক্রান্ত; economical = সাশ্রয়ী (an economical car)। B-তে noun-এর জায়গায় verb affect; C-তে vowel sound-এর আগে a। তাই D।Task 1 — which sentence is accurate?
Answer: B. A verb (rose) is described by an adverb: rose significantly. A noun (rise) is described by an adjective: a significant rise. A and C swap the two forms; D uses the noun significance. Task 1 needs both patterns, so know them both. 🔑 বাংলায়: verb (rose)-কে বর্ণনা করে adverb: rose significantly; noun (rise)-কে বর্ণনা করে adjective: a significant rise। A ও C রূপ দুটো উল্টে ফেলেছে, D-তে noun significance। Task 1-এ দুটো pattern-ই লাগে। তাই B।Task 2 — “Many school leavers lack the ___ to speak in public.”
Answer: A. After lack the you need a noun: confidence. B is the adjective (they are not confident), C the adverb. D: confidences exists, but it means secrets told privately — a different meaning. 🔑 বাংলায়: lack the-এর পরে noun: confidence। B adjective (they are not confident), C adverb। D confidences শব্দটি আছে, কিন্তু তার মানে গোপন কথা — অন্য অর্থ। তাই A।
6 Don’t Splice Two Sentences With a Comma 5 drills
Task 2 — which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Answer: B. Both halves are complete sentences, so they need a full stop, a semicolon or a joining word (…, which has reduced …). A and C are comma splices — this and it start a new sentence; D is a run-on with no punctuation at all. 🔑 বাংলায়: দুই অংশই পূর্ণ বাক্য — তাই full stop, semicolon বা joining word (…, which has reduced …) লাগবে। A ও C comma splice — this/it দিয়ে নতুন বাক্য শুরু হয়েছে; D-তে কোনো punctuation-ই নেই (run-on)। তাই B।Task 2 — which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Answer: D. However, therefore, moreover and nevertheless are adverbs, not conjunctions — they cannot join two sentences with a comma. Use a semicolon or a full stop before them. A is the most frequent version of this error in Task 2 essays. 🔑 বাংলায়: however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless — এগুলো adverb, conjunction নয়; কমা দিয়ে দুই বাক্য জোড়া দিতে পারে না। এদের আগে semicolon বা full stop দিন। A হলো Task 2-এ এই ভুলের সবচেয়ে প্রচলিত রূপ। তাই D।Task 1 — which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Answer: C. While (or whereas) is a conjunction, so a comma + while correctly joins two contrasting clauses — very useful for Task 1 comparisons. D is the trap: on the other hand is a linking adverb, so it needs a full stop or semicolon before it. 🔑 বাংলায়: while / whereas conjunction, তাই কমা + while দিয়ে দুই বিপরীত তথ্য জোড়া যায় — Task 1-এর তুলনায় খুব কাজের। D Trap: on the other hand linking adverb, তার আগে full stop বা semicolon লাগবে। তাই C।Task 2 — which sentence has no sentence-boundary error?
Answer: A. Although makes the first clause dependent, so a comma is correct. C is the opposite error — a fragment: an although-clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. B and D are comma splices (though at the end and nevertheless do not join clauses). 🔑 বাংলায়: Although প্রথম clause-কে নির্ভরশীল করে, তাই কমা ঠিক। C উল্টো ভুল — fragment: although-clause একা বাক্য হতে পারে না। B ও D comma splice। তাই A।(1) Many teenagers now work part-time while they are studying. (2) This can teach them how to manage money and time. (3) However, long shifts may damage their grades, some students fall behind within a term. (4) Schools should therefore advise families carefully.Task 2 extract — which sentence contains a comma splice?
Answer: C. “long shifts may damage their grades” and “some students fall behind within a term” are both complete sentences joined only by a comma. Fix: …their grades; some students … or …their grades, and some students …. Sentence 1 is correct because while is a conjunction; sentence 4 uses therefore correctly inside one clause. 🔑 বাংলায়: Sentence 3-এ দুটি পূর্ণ বাক্য শুধু কমা দিয়ে জোড়া — semicolon বা , and দিয়ে ঠিক করুন। Sentence 1 ঠিক, কারণ while conjunction; Sentence 4-এ therefore একটি clause-এর ভেতরে সঠিকভাবে বসেছে। তাই C।
1Task 1 — full responses
Write your answer on paper or in a notes app and keep to the time. Only then reveal the model answer and compare — structure first, then language.
2Task 2 — essay practice
The same way: plan, write against the clock, then compare with the model. A model is a benchmark, not the only correct essay.
3More practice
Writing Section Tests 1–6
Once you have worked through the chapters, put it all together in a full exam-style test: Task 1 + Task 2, a 60-minute timer, live word counters, and band-graded model answers (5.5–9.0) with a self-assessment checklist for every answer, in English & Bangla. Each test uses a different Task 1 type — line graph, bar chart, process diagram and map — and a different Task 2 essay type. All 100% original CILL material at real IELTS Academic difficulty.