The table below shows the results of a survey that asked 6800 Scottish adults (aged 16 years and over) whether they had taken part in different cultural activities in the past 12 months. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Increasing plastic waste is a major concern globally. What are the causes of this issue, and what measures can be taken to solve it?
A friend has agreed to look after your house and pet while you are on holiday. Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter:
give contact details for when you are away,
give instructions about how to care for your pet,
describe other household duties you would like your friend to undertake.
Sales companies should recruit people who are hungry for money as they will make the most dedicated workers. Do you think money is the driving for behind hard work? What factors should be taken into consideration when recruiting staff for sale position?
The diagrams below show changes that have taken place in the Sawry District neighbourhood since 1920.
Write a letter to Invite a Friend to a Picnic
Explain where and when the picnic will take place.
Describe what activities or food will be there.
Ask your friend to confirm if they can come.
Climate change is causing extreme weather conditions. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to mitigate its effects?
Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that it is important for children to team how to occupy themselves on their own. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
It is important for people to take risks, both in their professional lives and their personal lives. Do you think the advantages of taking risks outweigh the disadvanteages?
In many countries there is a problem with dec lining quality of air and water from both industry and construction. What measures could be taken to prevent this?
Mothers play key roles in the upbringing of children. But in the recent times both parents are getting busy with professional life. Who in your opinion should take the responsibility of child care now?" Give your opinion in no less than 250 words.
The system used for rubbish/garbage collection in your local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for you and your neighbours.
Write a letter to the local council. In your letter:
describe how the rubbish collection system is not working properly( its height too much, one its side overfilled)
explain how this is affecting you and your neighbours/( mosquitoes,smell, health issue
suggest what should be done about the problem( arrnage new dustbin , garbage taker every week
Write at least 150 words.
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each tipe of crime. Others, however, argue that circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Freshwater has always been a limited resource in some parts of the world. Today, however, growing worldwide demand has made this a global problem. What are the causes of the increased demand and what measure could governments and individuals take to respond to this problem?
You are taking a cource at a local college. The deadline for your project was last week but you haven't finished it.
Write a letter to your lecturer. In your letter:
-introduce yourself.
-explain why you haven't handed in the project yet.
-request more time to do it.
In recent years, there has been a rise in the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. What are the consequences of doping for athletes? What measures should be taken to combat this issue?
xIn some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing. What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?
In many developing countries, there is a problem with declining quality of water and air from both industry and construction. What measures could be taken to prevent this?
Some sports are extremely dangerous but many people still like them very much. Why do people take part in dangerous sports? Give some suggestions on how to deal with these dangers.
The pie charts below show the percentage of student on the one adult education centre taking a various courses offered in 1985 and this year.
Some people believe that educational establishments should multiply the exams which learners take, while others think this is just a waste of time and strength. Discuss both views and give your opinion
More and more plactic waste has polluted cities, the countryside and oceans. What problems does it cause and what measures can be taken.
your friend has been offered a place on a course at the university where you studied. He/She would like you advice about finding a place to live. Write an e-mail to your friend : - describe where you live when you were a student at the university. - recommend the best way for him/her to look for acommodation. - warn him/her of mistakes students make when choosing acommodation.
More and more people today are drinking sugar based drinks. Why is this happening? What measures can be taken to reverse this trend?
The graph shows the number of people taking part in 4 kinds of sports in a particular region between 1985 and 2005. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant (Nhi)
Some of the world’s languages are now spoken very little, so steps should be taken to prevent it completely decline. Discuss both view and give your own opinion.
Write a letter to a friend apologizing for your recent behavior and explain what led to the situation, as well as the steps you will take to ensure it does not happen again.
Although more and more people use public transport, many city streets are still overcrowded with traffic. -What measures can be taken to resolve this issue? Provide specific reasons and examples from your own knowledge or experience to support your opinion.
You work for a small company. You need to arrange for some time off work. Write a letter to your employer.
In your letter:
explain why you want to take time off work
give details of how long you will be away
suggest how you will make up for the lost time
You do NOT need to write any addresses
Examinations are one of the most common methods of measuring learning in education systems throughout the world. At virtually every stage of the learning process, exams are used to verify that the learner is ready to move on to the next stage. However, many people believe that the role of examinations should be reconsidered.
There are clearly certain advantages to exams. They help to ensure fairness by imposing the same conditions on all exam candidates. They are also relatively versatile; different types of exam questions, for example, multiple-choice questions and essay tasks, can test different sorts of reasoning ability. However, exams also have clear drawbacks. Test-wise candidates can often perform well on exams without having good underlying knowledge or skills. On the other hand, some test-takers perform poorly in exams simply because of anxiety. Some teachers and learners focus only on those aspects of the curriculum that are likely to be tested, thus narrowing the educational experience for all.
A number of measures should be taken to address these concerns. Wherever possible, exams should match the content and activities of the learning environment. Exam tasks should be varied to give fair opportunities to candidates with different types of skills. Other types of assessment should also be considered; assignment writing, for example, to assess independent learning and research skills, or group projects, to measure teamwork ability.
Exams clearly have a role to play in ensuring proper, objective assessment of achievement. However, exams need to be carefully designed and supplemented with other forms of assessment if they are to be a truly useful component of the educational system.
Some students take a gap year after graduating from high school to work and/or travel. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this.
Human activities have had a negative impact on clients and animals around the world. Some people think that it cannot be changed, while other believes action can be taken to bring about a change. Discussed both the views and give your Opinion?
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You stayed with your friend and by mistake carried home one of his objects. Write a
letter and explain:
- How you enjoyed staying with your friend.
- Explain the object which you brought with you by mistake and explain how the
mistake happened.
- Mention how you plan to return the object.
Write at least 150 words.
Model Answer
Some poeple say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say tha it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You and your family are living in rented accommodation in an English speaking country. You are not satisfied with the condition of some of the furniture.
Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter
introduce yourself
explain what is wrong with the furniture
say what action you would like the landlord to take
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear .................,
You should write at least 150 words.
Art is considered an essential part of all cultures throughout the world. However, these days, fewer and fewer people appreciate art and turn their focus to science, technology, and business. Why do you think that is? What could be done to encourage more people to take an interest in the artists?
You are planning a two-week vacation, and need someone to take care of your house while you are away. Write a letter to your neigbour. In your letter:
tell your neighbour that you are going away
ask your neighbour to take care of your house for you
explain what task you would like your neighbour to do
Many people today are worried about cyber crime such as hacking and identity theft. What problems does cyber crime cause and what solutions can you suggest for ordinary people and business to take?
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions one will make in life. What are the two most important factors that one should take into consideration when choosing a career? Write an essay to answer the question. Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. You should write about 200- 250 words.
You took your family to a nearby restaurant. You were disappointed with the meal and wish to complain to the manager. Write a letter to the manager of the restaurant.
In the letter:
explain why you were at the restaurant
describe the problems
write about the action you want the manager to take
You have lost an item of value on a train. Write a letter to the railway company. In your letter
•Describe the item
•Explain where and when your left it
•Say what action you would like the company to take
Some suggest than young people should take a job for a few years between school and university. Discuss what the advantages and disadvantages might be fo people who do this.
Some people believe that activities of large multinational companies mostly benefit the economies of developing countries, other people take the opposite view and feel these large multinationals are harmful. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Many countries raise fuel prices in order to deal successfully with problems pertaining to traffic and pollution. What effects do you think this move can have? What other measures do you think can be taken to reduce traffic and pollution?
You are planning a holiday and want to find out about the kinds of holiday packages that can be arranged by a local company. Write a letter to the company to ask for information about their offers. In your letter: say where and when you would like to go include details about the kind of holiday you would like to take. Say what kind of information you would like to receive.
It is common practice for some students to take a gap year between high school and university in order to do charitable work abroad in underdeveloped countries. What are the advantages and disadvantages for young people of doing volunteer work?
In some countries, young people are encouraged to take a year off for travelling and working between high school and university. What are the advantages and Disadvantages of this?
Some people get into debt by buying things that they don't need and can't afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour. What actions can be taken to prevent people from having this problem?
Recently there has been an increase in the number of families where both the husband and wife work. However, women should work less than men in order to take care of their children and do housework. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Nowadays, many people choose to watch sports on television, rather than to take part in sports themselves. Is this a positive or a negative development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.