IELTS Handbook by Asad Yaqub Pakistani

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By: Asad Yaqub Pakistani, Cell:0092-300-9466533

Chapter 1: IELTS Listening The IELTS Listening Test is the same for the Academic and General Training modules. You listen to language spoken in a social or academic context and answer a series of questions. The tape is played only once so you have to prac tice sufficiently beforehand to pick up what’s being said the first time around. The listening test is divided into four sections with 10 questions in each part (a total of 40 questions). This module lasts about 30 minutes. You get an extra 10 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Types of Listening 

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Listening for Global or General Information (News, Movies etc.) IELTS Listening is listening for main ideas, specific information, supporting information, facts and opinions.

Listening Test Defined      

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4 Sections 10 Questions in Each Section Level of difficulty increases by each section All the Audios are played once only Time is given a) to read the questions and b) to check your answers. At the end of IELTS listening Test 10 minutes are given to transfer your answers to the answer-sheet. Your answer should not contain more than three words The Questions and the Audios will be in the same order

IELTS LISTENING - QUESTION TYPES The listening test measures how well you can listen for main ideas, specific information, supporting information, facts and opinions. You will find a variety of question types:      

multiple choice short answer sentence completion notes/diagram/flow chart completion matching classification

The variety of question types means that you sometimes need to write in the answer in your own writing, versus simply choosing the right answer. This is important because in such cases, you also need to spell correctly or the answer will be marked wrong. Even a small error can cause

For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

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you to lose marks. For example, if the answer is "hat"; and you write "hats", it may be marked wrong. You also have to make sure you include the correct information. If the answer is "Green hats" and you write only "hats", you may also lose points. You will get a better sense of how precise you need to be by doing as many practice listening exams as possible before your actual test. Believe it or not, you will improve with practice, though it might seem impossible at first. Your ear and your concentration can be trained. Over – but only if you remain patient and move steadily towards your goal of time, you will improve – but the highest score possible. IELTS Listening SPEECH STYLES Each of the four sections of the IELTS Listening Test focuses on a different type of speech, as shown below:    

– 2 speakers Section 1 – 1 – A A social or transactional dialogue – 2 Section 2 – 2 – A A topic or short speech on a general topic – 1 – 1 speaker – 2-4 speakers Section 3 – 3 – A A conversation in an academic context – 2-4 Section 4 – 4 – An An academic lecture – lecture – 1 1 speaker

Pre-Listening Tips Practice to Improve your Listening Skill Be Familiar with different Dialects of English i.e. British, American, Australian, Canadian, Irish, Scottish, African and non-native accents and dialects. Listen to the Audios with the transcript in hand. Use your Imagination to understand the dialogues better. Read the questions with clear Understanding. Underline the key words with pencil. Use the time wisely to read the questions and check your answer.  

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While-Listening Tips Tune your ears with the Audio. Use the example at the beginning of the first section to familiarize yourself with the sound, the situation, and the speakers. Follow the questions and statements given to keep track with the Audio. Follow the Instructions very carefully. Develop the skill to read, write and listen at the same time. Use Pauses to prepare for the next set of questions When the time to read questions terminates stop reading immediately and begin to listen. Don't leave blanks because there is no negative marking. Don’t waste your time in checking your answers if you are sure about them instead read on. Don’t rush to jot down your answer, wait for the a nswer to come in the audio. Keep two questions in mind while listening rd th In 3 and 4 Section Learn to distinguish opinion from fact  

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you to lose marks. For example, if the answer is "hat"; and you write "hats", it may be marked wrong. You also have to make sure you include the correct information. If the answer is "Green hats" and you write only "hats", you may also lose points. You will get a better sense of how precise you need to be by doing as many practice listening exams as possible before your actual test. Believe it or not, you will improve with practice, though it might seem impossible at first. Your ear and your concentration can be trained. Over – but only if you remain patient and move steadily towards your goal of time, you will improve – but the highest score possible. IELTS Listening SPEECH STYLES Each of the four sections of the IELTS Listening Test focuses on a different type of speech, as shown below:    

– 2 speakers Section 1 – 1 – A A social or transactional dialogue – 2 Section 2 – 2 – A A topic or short speech on a general topic – 1 – 1 speaker – 2-4 speakers Section 3 – 3 – A A conversation in an academic context – 2-4 Section 4 – 4 – An An academic lecture – lecture – 1 1 speaker

Pre-Listening Tips Practice to Improve your Listening Skill Be Familiar with different Dialects of English i.e. British, American, Australian, Canadian, Irish, Scottish, African and non-native accents and dialects. Listen to the Audios with the transcript in hand. Use your Imagination to understand the dialogues better. Read the questions with clear Understanding. Underline the key words with pencil. Use the time wisely to read the questions and check your answer.  

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While-Listening Tips Tune your ears with the Audio. Use the example at the beginning of the first section to familiarize yourself with the sound, the situation, and the speakers. Follow the questions and statements given to keep track with the Audio. Follow the Instructions very carefully. Develop the skill to read, write and listen at the same time. Use Pauses to prepare for the next set of questions When the time to read questions terminates stop reading immediately and begin to listen. Don't leave blanks because there is no negative marking. Don’t waste your time in checking your answers if you are sure about them instead read on. Don’t rush to jot down your answer, wait for the a nswer to come in the audio. Keep two questions in mind while listening rd th In 3 and 4 Section Learn to distinguish opinion from fact  

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Overall IELTS Listening Tips 

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The accents of the speakers on the tape are primarily British. This means you must become accustomed to understanding the nuances of such accents. If you have been watching a lot of American television, (shows such as Friends, for example) it will not really help you. British accents are quite different and it is better to spend time in the months before the test listening to British radio stations and podcasts or watching the BBC, British shows, and movies. This is one of the major difference between the IELTS exam and the TOEFL, which features more American accents. Get used to the way letters and numbers are pronounced in British (and American) English. Sometimes, in the listening section, you are asked to write down the spelling of a name, place, or address. If you make a mistake in the spelling while writing it down, you will get the answer wrong. The expressions used also tend to be taken from British rather than American English. This means you may hear unfamiliar idioms, which can confuse you. Speakers may also use British words for common items such as "flat" for "apartment", "lorry" for "truck", or "advert" for advertisement. Make sure you study the most common differences in British and American vocabulary and listen to as many IELTS exercises as possible before your exam to prepare you for the actual test experience. Learn to distinguish opinion from fact. In the third and fourth listening passages, you will probably be tested on what one of the speakers thinks or what his / her view is. This may or may not be stated outright, but as an underlying theme in the whole conversation or in the tone of the speakers’ voice, rather than the words themselves. Don't worry if your classmates or friends get higher listening scores than you. Each one has his or her strengths and weaknesses, just like you. Each one also has his or her own language goals. Just focus on your own needs and don't compare yourself to others. Follow instructions very carefully. If the instructions state, "Write no more than three words",then you must not write more or you will receive no marks for your answer, even if some of the words you wrote were part of the correct answer. Similarly, read each instruction carefully. Sometimes, you are asked to circle two answers, sometimes three, and so on. You must read the instruction each time as it may differ from the previous ones. Remember, the ability to follow instructions in English is a test in itself. Problems During Listening

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Getting Lost Be careful of letters and numbers that sound similar i.e. A-H-8, C-G, W-OO-EE, 80-18, 30-13 Spelling


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Chapter 2: IELTS Reading Academic Reading Test Structure Duration: 60 minutes 3 sections, 40 Questions Each section has a passage containing 700 to 1000 words and all the three passages have almost 2100 to 3000 words. Passages are take from newspapers, books, magazines, journals, articles, research papers or other sources   

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General Training Reading Test Structure Duration: 60 minutes 3 sections, Total 40 Questions, 13 or 14 Questions in each section Each section has a passage containing 700 to 900 words and all the three passages have almost 2100 to 2700 words. Passages are taken from notices, advertisements, official documents, booklets, newspapers, instruction manuals, leaflets, timetables, books and magazines etc.   

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TIME Management 17 minutes on section 1 20 minutes on section 2 23 minutes on section 3 Warning: No Extra Time will be given to transfer the answers to the answer sheet.   

IELTS READING – Question Types Multiple choice Multiple matching Short-answer Sentence completion Tables, diagrams, flow charts Summary completion Paragraph headings Locating information Identifying writer's views or claims Classification Matching           


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IELTS Academic READING – CONTENT

Section

Number of Texts

Questions

Types of Texts

1

1 long text

13

general academic content

2

1 long text

13

one passage presents a logical argument.

3

1 long text

14

one passage includes a diagram, graph or illustration

IELTS GENERAL READING - CONTENT

Section

Number of Texts

Questions

Types of Texts

1

2-3 short texts

13

Notices, advertisements, publicity booklets, timetables, etc.

2

2 texts

13

College catalogues, course descriptions, rules and regulations, library guides, etc.

3

1 long text

14

Newspapers, magazines, journals, books, etc.

3 KEY REDING SKILLS Skimming Scanning Reading for detail   

SKIMMING TECHNIQUES Skimming is reading fast to get the "gist" or the general idea of the text Run your eyes over the text getting the general meaning Do not stop at words that you don't understand Skim Speedily Another way to skim is to just read the first and last paragraphs Read the title, subtitles and illustrations      

SCANNING TECHNIQUES Scanning the dictionary or Telephone directory. Don’t start from the top and read every line Move your eyes around the text back and across and up and down   


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Read the question and then you search for key words or ideas associated with the question

TIPS TO IMPROVE READING SKILLS Increase your reading speed The only secret to improve reading is “Practice, Practice and Practice” General Reading Tips Have Interaction with the passage Keep in the mind the two questions about the text a) What subject is the text about? b) Why was this text written? Retain the Questions Get the gist of unfamiliar words Experiment with both strategies Questions First or Passage First 1 set of questions usually follow the order of the information Spelling matters Grammar counts In sentence completion tasks, focus on the meaning Do many practice tests Read widely and habitually Look out for key synonyms Use only the stated number of words     

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STEP BY STEP ACTION PLAN Step 1: Read the Questions to get the gist of passage and underline the key words. Step 2: Retain 2 or 3 questions and Scan the text to find the relevant information. Step 3: Find the paragraph and then the lines which are related to the question. Step 4: Find, match, confirm and write the answer. Step 5: Go to step 2 again. GENERAL READING TIPS Beat the fear – read as much as possible Improve key skills i.e. skimming and scanning and reading in detail Time Management Focus on the question – avoid careless errors Train yourself, don’t test yourself Learn how to underline or encircle the key words, phrases, facts and figures. The questions follow the text – normally The questions or the text – which do you read first? Fill out the answer sheet         


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Chapter 3: IELTS Writing Task 1 WRITING TEST DEFINED

(150 Words-20 minutes) Task 1: Report Writing for Academic Candidates (150 Words-20 minutes) Task 1: Letter Writing for General Training Candidates Task 2: Essay Writing for Academic and General Training (250 Words-40 minutes) 1 Hour Total Writing Test Duration:

WRITING TASKS CRITERIA Task Achievement - how thoroughly you do what is asked Coherence (Connection) and Cohesion (Organized) - how connected and organized your written expression is. Lexical Resource - the range of vocabulary you use Grammatical Range and Accuracy - how correct your grammar is  

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5 STEPS TO MASTER ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1 Recognize and Identify different graphics i.e. line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, etc. Look out for key information, comparisons and trends. Practice the specific vocabulary to describe those trends. Learn how to start, complete and finish your answer. Finish Writing in 15 minutes and proofread in 5 minutes.     


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Step 1 Recognize and Identify different graphic forms Line graphs Bar charts Pie charts Flow Charts Statistical Tables Process Diagram etc Steps 2 Look out for key information, comparisons and trends. Bar Chart

A bar chart consists of rectangular bars arranged horizontally or vertically from the x or y axis. Look for the following Information Which is the tallest bar? Which is the shortest bar? Have the bars changed over time? How? How do the bars compare to each other? Pie Chart


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A pie charts is a circular chart divided into sectors or pie slices. It presents information in segments of a circle or pie, which together add up to 100%. Look for the following Information Which is the largest segment? Which is the smallest segment? How do the segments compare with each other? Line Graph

A line graph plots the changes in data over time: Look for the following Information What is the highest level / point? What is the lowest level / point? Is there a point till when the trend was increasing or decreasing? For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

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When did the trend change? Tables

A table presents information in different categories, making it easy to compare. Look out for the following What is the highest figure? What is the lowest figure? What is second highest, etc.? Comparisons and Contrasts Process Diagrams

The process diagram represents the whole process that how something is done. Look out for the following How does the process start? For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

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What are the key features? How the sub-processes linked to the main process? How does the cycle of the process accomplish? Step 3 Vocabulary of Trends Learn a range of vocabulary to describe and interpret statistical information. Use the appropriate verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs to provide precise descriptions. IELTS Writing - Academic Task 1 Vocabulary

The following words and phrases will help you describe trends:

Nouns

a rise, an increase, a surge, a growth, a peak, a fluctuation, a variation, a period of stability, a plateau, a fall, a decrease, a decline, a dip

Verbs

to rise, to increase, to surge, to grow, to peak, to skyrocket, to fluctuate, to vary, to fall, to decrease, to decline, to dip, to dive, to plunge

Phrases

to show an upward trend, to show a downward trend, to hit the highest point, to hit the lowest point, to reach a peak, to show some fluctuation, to fluctuate wildly, to remain stable, to remain static, to remain unchanged, to stay constant, to reach a plateau, to level off, to flatten out, the highest, the lowest the second highest, the third highest compared to, compared with, relative to

Adverbs

Sharply, suddenly, rapidly, abruptly, dramatically, significantly, steadily, considerably, markedly, slightly, gently, gradually, wildly

Adjectives

Sharp, sudden, rapid, abrupt, dramatic, steep, significant, steady, considerable marked, slight, gentle, gradual


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Step 4 Write your answer according to a plan Paragraph 1 Write one sentence to introduce the subject and graphic. Write one or two sentences to show the relationship between the data or to comment on the main trend. Specimen Phrases to start your report according to the type of graphic: The table compares/identifies... The line graph shows… The pie chart represents… The bar chart describes… The diagram illustrates…     

Paragraph 2 Write an in-depth description of the information given. Include details from the most important to the least important, depending on time. Give comparisons and contrasts but do not define all the statistics as mentioned in the graphic. Paragraph 3 Write few sentences to conclude your answer. Specimen Phrases to conclude your report:

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To sum up… Overall… In the final analysis… In summary… In conclusion…

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It can be clearly seen that …

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Step 5 Don’ts of Academic Writing Don’t describe only the data. Don’t give your interpretation. Don’t give your opinion. Don’t write anything which is not even mentioned. Avoid informal language. Don't repeat ideas, words or phrases in a different way. Don't memorize model answers       


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Chapter 4: IELTS Writing: General Training Task 1-Letter Writing Task Description Letter Writing on Formal, Semi-formal and Informal situations. Length:150 words Time: 20 minutes

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Letter Planning and Layout A. What is in the letter? 1. What is the purpose of the letter? Why am I writing? Who am I writing to? 2. What is the tone of the letter? This depends on who I have to write to. Is it formal, informal or neutral? What kind of language can I use to start and finish the letter? 3. What are the bullet points that must be included? There are normally three or four things you must include in your letter B. How can I write it? This is a possible structure for the letter. Remember it is very short – only 150 words – so you don’t need to write much for your introduction and conclusion. Paragraph 1 Introduction Tell the reader who you are and why you are writing to them Paragraph 2 Message Give your message, including all the things the question tells you to include. Add a little detail for each – one sentence on each point is probably not enough. Paragraph 3 Conclusion Summarise what you have said and then finish your letter with the right ending, depending on the tone.

Letter Writing Tips – 12 Ways to Get Higher Marks on the IELTS Letter Writing Task 1. Visualize the situation of the letter and put yourself at the place of writer. Imagine if actually you were in that situation how would you write. 2. Brainstorm the whole scenario keeping in view the bulleted points and make a strong interesting story. 3. Identify the type of letter you are being asked to write. Is it a formal, semi-formal or informal letter? The entire tone of your letter is based on your answer to this question. Adjust your style and choice of words according to the type of letter you have been asked to write. 4. Open and close the letter correctly. Remember that each type of letter requires a different opening and closing. The chart below will help you remember this:

Style

Characteristics

Opening

Ending


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Formal

To someone you have not met, whose name you don't know

Dear Sir / Madam

Yours faithfully

Semiformal

To someone you may or may not have met, whose last name you know & use

Dear Mr Brown, Dear Ms Stone,

Yours sincerely

Informal

To someone you know well, whose first name you know and use

Dear John, Dear Anita,

Best regards Warm wishes

5. Open a formal and semi-formal letter with a formal sentence. Don't try to be friendly, as you do not know the person you are writing to. Get right down to business and indicate the reason you are writing, as shown below:

Dear Sir / Madam, I am writing to inquire about / I am writing in connection with... Dear Mr. Jones, I am writing to inform you ... / I am writing in connection with... 6. Open an informal letter with a general, friendly paragraph. With friends whom we know, we care about the whole person. We have a broader relationship in the context of which this communication is taking place. So it is best to acknowledge that friendship first, before getting down to the reason for your letter. In fact, the first paragraph could be purely friendly small talk, unrelated to the reason for your writing. Look at the example below: Dear Jane I hope you and your family are all well. It was such a pleasure to see you again last summer. We sure had a great time catching up with each other after so many years. You have always been a cherished friend, no matter how much of a gap there has been since we met. Anyway, the reason I'm writing is that I have some good news - I am getting married this summer...

7. Identify the main purpose of the letter. Are you asking for help, apologizing, inviting someone, complaining or thanking someone? Learn appropriate and polite expressions that will support what you need to say. 8. Learn and use standard written phrases. Students sometimes struggle to finish their writing in time. This happens when you are trying to write every sentence from scratch. The fact is, in conventional letter writing in English, we use a number of standard expressions and phrases and add on to them the specific information we wish to communicate. By learning how to use these expressions, you will find the letter writing task much easier and will never have to fight for time. For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

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9. Make sure you write at least 150 words. Practice writing letters till you know what 150 words feels like and looks like. You will lose marks if you write less. You will not lose marks if you write more; the only restriction on writing more is in terms of time, not the number of words. 10. Learn the correct spelling of commonly used words. It is surprising how many IELTS students make a mistake when spelling words such as "sincerely", "faithfully", "in connection with" and so on. You can prevent yourself from losing marks by learning the correct spelling of these words and expressions which you are highly likely to use on your exam. 11. Stay on topic. In order to complete your letter within 20 minutes or less, practice writing letters where you stick to the point. The General IELTS Task 1 does require you to make up a bit of a story to complete your letter, but don't make your story so complicated that you run out of time. 12. Include all three bulleted points. If you exclude even one of the points given to you in the question prompt, you will lose valuable marks. Practice writing letters that include the three points and go back and check that you have included them in each practice exercise you do.

IELTS Letter Writing - Useful Words & Expressions

To complete your IELTS letter writing task within 20 minutes, it is helpful to know some common phrases and set expressions. Being able to use these will allow you to express your ideas quickly and effectively, without thinking about each and every word. While you're learning their meaning, also make sure you can spell them perfectly.

Letter Writing Useful Phrases   

Salutation

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Starting

Dear Mr. Brown Dear Ms. White Dear Sir Dear Sirs Dear Madam Dear Sir or Madam Gentlemen We are writing to inform you that ... to confirm ... to request ... to enquire about ...


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Referring to previous contact

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Making a request

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Offering help

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Giving good news

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Giving bad news

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Complaining 

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I am contacting you for the following reason. I recently read/heard about . . . and would like to know . . . Having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like to ... I would be interested in (obtaining/receiving) ... I received your address from ... and would like to ... I am writing to tell you about ... Thank you for your letter of March 15 ... Thank you for contacting us. In reply to your request ... Thank you for your letter regarding ... With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday ... Further to our meeting last week ... It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month. I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo. I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday . . . We would appreciate it if you would ... I would be grateful if you could... Could you please send me . . . Could you possibly tell us/let us have... In addition, I would like to receive ... It would be helpful if you could send us ... I am interested in (obtaining/receiving...) I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. Please let me know what action you propose to take. We would be happy to ... Would you like us to ... We are quite willing to ... Our company would be pleased to ... We are pleased to announce that ... I am delighted to inform you that ... You will be pleased to learn that ... We regret to inform you that ... I'm afraid it would not be possible to ... Unfortunately we cannot/we are unable to ... After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ... I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ... I am writing to complain about ... Please note that the goods we ordered on (date) have not yet arrived. We regret to inform you that our order n°--- is now considerably overdue. I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusually high.


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Apologizing

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Orders

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Our terms of payment are as follows :

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Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ... According to our records ... Please send payment as soon as possible.

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You will receive a credit note for the sum of ...

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Enclosing documents

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Closing remarks

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Referring to future business

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Referring to future contact

Thank you for your quotation of ... We are pleased to place an order with your company for ... We would like to cancel our order n°... Please confirm receipt of our order. I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order n°... Your order will be processed as quickly as possible. It will take about (three) weeks to process your order. We can guarantee delivery before ... Unfortunately these articles are no longer available/out of stock.

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Referring to payment

We are sorry for the delay in replying ... I regret any inconvenience caused I would like to apologize for (the delay/the inconvenience) ... Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.

Please send us your price list. You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list. Please note that our prices are subject to change without notice. We have pleasure in enclosing a detailed quotation. We can make you a firm offer of ...

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Prices


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I am enclosing ... Please find enclosed ... You will find enclosed ... If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me If you require more information ... For further details ... Thank you for taking this into consideration Thank you for your help. We hope you are happy with this arrangement. We hope you can settle this matter to our satisfaction. We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future We would be (very) pleased to do business with your company. I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm.

I look forward to seeing you next week Looking forward to hearing from you " " to receiving your comments I look forward to meeting you on the 15th


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I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience.

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Sincerely, } Yours sincerely, } (for all formal letters) Sincerely yours, }

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Regards,

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Ending


(for informal letters )

More Phrases to Give Your Letter a Fantastic Touch Apologizing I'm sorry about... I am sorry that... I'm very sorry about... I'm very sorry for... Please forgive me for... I'd like to apologize for... Please accept my apologies. Please accept my sincere apologies. (very formal) Asking for Help I'd be grateful if you could... I would be grateful if you could... I would appreciate it if you could... Could you please... I was wondering of you could help me.(informal) I would like to know... Asking for Information I am writing to enquire about... I am writing to find out about... What I am looking for is... I would like to know about/if... Closing I look forward to seeing you. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to meeting you. Complaining / expressing dissatisfaction I'm writing to express my dissatisfaction with... I'm writing to express my annoyance with... For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

EASY IELTS Notes

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I am not happy about... ...was very disappointing. Conveying regards Please give my best regards to your family. Please pass on my best wishes to your wife and children. Please give my regards to your parents. Expressing satisfaction I was delighted to hear that... I was very happy to learn that... I was thrilled to find out that... I was glad to hear that... ...was very enjoyable. Expressing concern / sympathy I was sorry to hear about... (your accident/ illness) I am writing to express my concern about... Giving bad news I regret to inform you that...(semi-formal) I am sorry to tell you that...(informal) I regret to advise you that...(formal) I am afraid I have some bad news.(informal) Giving good news I am pleased to inform you that...(semi-formal) I am delighted to tell you that...(informal) I am happy to advise you that...(formal) I thought you might like to know that... Giving reasons This is because... This is because of... This is due to... (formal) This is as a result of...(formal) This is owing to...(formal) Making suggestions Would it be a good idea to... Perhaps it would be a good idea to... Thanking Thanks. Thank you. Thank you very much. For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

EASY IELTS Notes

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Thank you kindly. I can't thank you enough. No words can express my gratitude. I am extremely grateful for... I very much appreciate your ______ing


EASY IELTS Notes

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Chapter 5: IELTS Writing Task 2-Essay Writing Task Description Letter Writing on Formal, Semi-formal and Informal situations. Length:150 words Time: 20 minutes Task 2: Essay Writing   

Essays are written to: A. Persuade B. Offer Suggestions C. Compare and Contrast D. Give Causes and Effects E. Give Advantages and Disadvantages Parts of an Essay Introduction (First Paragraph) Body (Second, Third and Fourth Paragraph) Conclusion (Last Paragraph) Note: There must be 4 or 5 (recommended) paragraphs in your essay. 5 Steps to Write an Essay Step 1: Read the Topic Step 2: Underline the Key Words Step 3: Brainstorming for 3 Key Ideas Step 4: Decide Layout Step 5: Write

Introductions One easy way to write the introduction for an argument or opinion essay is to write THREE sentences:  

two about the topic one thesis sentence

You can write either Situation or Opinion introductions. There's not much difference between them. 

Situation Introductions



Opinion Introductions

Situation Introductions

Write two sentences to describe the two sides of the present situation. The third sentence - the Thesis sentence - will describe what you are going do in your essay. For further details call or mail at 0092-300-9466533, [email protected]

EASY IELTS Notes

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Sentence 1

One side of the present situation

Sentence 2

The other side of the present situation

Sentence 3

Thesis: What you are going to do in your essay

Who should take care of our old people?

Sentence 1

In my country, most old people live happily with their children.

Sentence 2

Increasingly however, many families cannot take care of their parents

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

This essay will describe some of the problems involved with taking care of old people, and discuss who should be responsible.

Does Aid to Poor Countries Work?

Sentence(s) 1

For the last fifty years, poor countries have been receiving huge sums of money from rich donor countries.

Sentence 2

Some of this money has improved lives, while much of it has disappeared or made no difference.

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

In this essay, I will discuss some arguments for and against foreign aid.


IELTS Handbook by Asad Yaqub Pakistani

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