Overdramatization and overbenefitization in IELTS essays (my terms) 📝
To nail Task Response, it's important to write about realistic things and not to go to extremes. People often go to two extremes - overdramatization and overbenefitization. Let me exemplify.
Topic: "Because some children do not seem to have a natural ability to learn another language, schools should not force those children to study a foreign language. Do you agree or disagree?"
📝 Overdramatization
If a child is made exempt from taking a foreign language class due to lack of aptitude, they willend up jobless and living under a bridge due to lack of career opportunities realize they have a learning disability and develop depression or even suicidal ideation as a result.
📝 Overbenefitization
If a child takes a foreign language class, they will bea happy, thriving individual with advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills and a career at an international company much less susceptible to such mental health outcomes as depression and dementia.
Sure, it's not like the scenarios above are entirely impossible, but they are not very likely. There is a huge gap, with many variables, between a language class at school and depression or being a thriving adult.
It's best to stick to more realistic outcomes, both positive and negative. What would be more realistic for a school child?
Maybe, if a "talentless" child is exempt from a foreign language class, they will have more time to take advanced classes of the subject they do have a talent in or to prepare for exams or to volunteer. Btw, why would these be better than taking a language class? Share in the comments. 📝
#ieltswritingtask2
To nail Task Response, it's important to write about realistic things and not to go to extremes. People often go to two extremes - overdramatization and overbenefitization. Let me exemplify.
Topic: "Because some children do not seem to have a natural ability to learn another language, schools should not force those children to study a foreign language. Do you agree or disagree?"
📝 Overdramatization
If a child is made exempt from taking a foreign language class due to lack of aptitude, they will
📝 Overbenefitization
If a child takes a foreign language class, they will be
Sure, it's not like the scenarios above are entirely impossible, but they are not very likely. There is a huge gap, with many variables, between a language class at school and depression or being a thriving adult.
It's best to stick to more realistic outcomes, both positive and negative. What would be more realistic for a school child?
Maybe, if a "talentless" child is exempt from a foreign language class, they will have more time to take advanced classes of the subject they do have a talent in or to prepare for exams or to volunteer. Btw, why would these be better than taking a language class? Share in the comments. 📝
#ieltswritingtask2
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🍁 A great IELTS paragraph by a student 🍁
"This is a great paragraph!" says Irinanever rarely.
But I do give credit when credit is due. So, today I want to share a great paragraph written by a student.
Topic: "Nowadays, some consumers are less influenced by advertising than in the past. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?"
🍁 Student's first body paragraph, as is:
"The impact of advertising on consumers is less significant than it was in the past for several reasons. First of all, due to excessive exposure to adverts of all shapes and forms both offline and online, people have grown increasingly desensitized to this kind of content. This means that whenever a person encounters an advert they either simply ignore it or skip it in case of online marketing. Besides being fatigued by constant ad exposure, consumers have also become adept at recognizing advertising patterns early on. So, in that sense, people nowadays can easily differentiate between genuine recommendations and marketing ploys, which makes them less likely to fall for adverts."
By Anastasia Aleksandrova
The cherry on top is the paragraph was written in a matter of minutes, in class. It is great, isn't it? The only recommendation I would give is to change "So, in that sense," for "As a result," or something synonymous.
You can try your hand at "Do you think it is a positive or negative development?" in the comments. 📝
#Irina_ielts_students
"This is a great paragraph!" says Irina
But I do give credit when credit is due. So, today I want to share a great paragraph written by a student.
Topic: "Nowadays, some consumers are less influenced by advertising than in the past. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?"
🍁 Student's first body paragraph, as is:
"The impact of advertising on consumers is less significant than it was in the past for several reasons. First of all, due to excessive exposure to adverts of all shapes and forms both offline and online, people have grown increasingly desensitized to this kind of content. This means that whenever a person encounters an advert they either simply ignore it or skip it in case of online marketing. Besides being fatigued by constant ad exposure, consumers have also become adept at recognizing advertising patterns early on. So, in that sense, people nowadays can easily differentiate between genuine recommendations and marketing ploys, which makes them less likely to fall for adverts."
By Anastasia Aleksandrova
The cherry on top is the paragraph was written in a matter of minutes, in class. It is great, isn't it? The only recommendation I would give is to change "So, in that sense," for "As a result," or something synonymous.
You can try your hand at "Do you think it is a positive or negative development?" in the comments. 📝
#Irina_ielts_students
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In the sentence below, "he" is an example of which type of reference? 📝
"When he was in need of inspiration, the inventor Thomas Edison used to take a nap in a chair while holding a metal ball in each hand." (Source: New Scientist)
"When he was in need of inspiration, the inventor Thomas Edison used to take a nap in a chair while holding a metal ball in each hand." (Source: New Scientist)
Anonymous Quiz
25%
Anaphoric
29%
Cataphoric
13%
Exophoric
33%
Whaaaaa??? 😬
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Better reading for better writing 📚📝
You need to read in order to write. Well, duh! But just reading is not enough. You need to notice things that are useful.
Take a look at this paragraph from a "New Scientist" article about ADHD. What do you notice here?
"I bet I can make you roll your eyes: I think I have ADHD. I imagine you are thinking: "Of course you have. How kooky. How creative. Now, go away and post about it on social media." If so, I totally understand. Since I first saw a list of ADHD symptoms in the mid-2000s and had an “aha” moment, I have lost count of the number of times I have talked myself in and out of seeking a diagnosis."
It's likely that you will get attracted to "kooky" or "aha moment."
The most useful thing I see here, however, is the tiny little and oh-so familiar "if so ." You might not know it, but it's a cohesive device called substitution. "So " substitutes "you are thinking."
"If so " is exactly the kind of cohesion you need for a high IELTS score - subtle, unnoticeable, concise.
And it's exactly the kind of cohesion we learn and practice in my unique "Writing with New Scientist" course - a course designed to build your writing skills without the pressure of focusing on the IELTS format too much.
📆 One new group is starting on 16 November:
- Saturday 11-12:30 Moscow time
Course instructor: Anastasia Beisova
📆 Two working groups, join any time:
- Tuesday 14-15:30 Moscow time
- Saturday 11-12:30 Moscow time
Course instructor: Irina Lutsenko
Testimonials and more details (don't need an account to view): https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_5061302
DM me at @iraluts💌
You need to read in order to write. Well, duh! But just reading is not enough. You need to notice things that are useful.
Take a look at this paragraph from a "New Scientist" article about ADHD. What do you notice here?
"I bet I can make you roll your eyes: I think I have ADHD. I imagine you are thinking: "Of course you have. How kooky. How creative. Now, go away and post about it on social media." If so, I totally understand. Since I first saw a list of ADHD symptoms in the mid-2000s and had an “aha” moment, I have lost count of the number of times I have talked myself in and out of seeking a diagnosis."
It's likely that you will get attracted to "kooky" or "aha moment."
The most useful thing I see here, however, is the tiny little and oh-so familiar "
"
And it's exactly the kind of cohesion we learn and practice in my unique "Writing with New Scientist" course - a course designed to build your writing skills without the pressure of focusing on the IELTS format too much.
📆 One new group is starting on 16 November:
- Saturday 11-12:30 Moscow time
Course instructor: Anastasia Beisova
📆 Two working groups, join any time:
- Tuesday 14-15:30 Moscow time
- Saturday 11-12:30 Moscow time
Course instructor: Irina Lutsenko
Testimonials and more details (don't need an account to view): https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_5061302
DM me at @iraluts
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
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Do you need CPE (aka C2 Proficiency) writing recipes? If you do, look no further and join our "Writing Incubator" workshop this Sunday!
🦋 “Ready-made writing recipes for busy CPE candidates” by Alena Nikitina
With the exam looming just weeks away, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. But even if you have dedicated countless hours to honing your writing skills and mastering all the exam genres, you might still wonder if it is possible to be ready for any writing prompt that might come your way in the exam?
In this workshop, we'll work together to create a collection your very own ready-made resources to tackle recurring exam topics.
Join us and discover how to:
- Build a repertoire of effective resources to save you time in the exam.
- Develop a confident approach to tackling exam tasks without being taken aback by an unexpected topic.
Let's make the most of the final days before your exam!
📅 17 November, Sunday, 11:00 am MSK, Zoom
💌 The workshop is free. To join, write a creative ending to this phrase “Preparing for CPE is like … ” and then message me to get the link @iraluts.
‼️ Please note that this is a workshop, not a webinar or a lecture. If you join, you have to write.
🦋 “Ready-made writing recipes for busy CPE candidates” by Alena Nikitina
With the exam looming just weeks away, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. But even if you have dedicated countless hours to honing your writing skills and mastering all the exam genres, you might still wonder if it is possible to be ready for any writing prompt that might come your way in the exam?
In this workshop, we'll work together to create a collection your very own ready-made resources to tackle recurring exam topics.
Join us and discover how to:
- Build a repertoire of effective resources to save you time in the exam.
- Develop a confident approach to tackling exam tasks without being taken aback by an unexpected topic.
Let's make the most of the final days before your exam!
📅 17 November, Sunday, 11:00 am MSK, Zoom
💌 The workshop is free. To join, write a creative ending to this phrase “Preparing for CPE is like … ” and then message me to get the link @iraluts.
‼️ Please note that this is a workshop, not a webinar or a lecture. If you join, you have to write.
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Missing part? 🍁
"... if we can formalise enough proofs so Als can access them, we could train these systems [_?_] they can themselves generate proofs more quickly, and maybe even more effectively, than we can." (Source: New Scientist)
"... if we can formalise enough proofs so Als can access them, we could train these systems [_?_] they can themselves generate proofs more quickly, and maybe even more effectively, than we can." (Source: New Scientist)
Anonymous Quiz
25%
insofar as
26%
such that
23%
so as to
26%
so much so
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Writing a letter of recommendation 💜
This week I wrote something I had never written before – a letter of recommendation. I wrote it for one of my creative writers to support her application for an exchange program.
How do you approach writing something new, something you had never written before? Here is my algorithm.
1️⃣ Don’t google. Googling will likely result in a cliched piece of writing. Write from the heart and be authentic.
2️⃣ Identify the situation / the purpose. Identify the target reader and the information they are looking for.
3️⃣ Write a draft.
4️⃣ Leave the resultant text for a day or two. Your brain will keep thinking about your text and is likely to come up with even more ideas.
5️⃣ Make changes with a fresh perspective.
I enjoyed writing my letter of recommendation immensely – not least because the candidate had done a lot for my community, so the content part was easy and the recommendation was genuine. 💜
If you were to see my letter, you would see all the beautiful cohesive devices I teach in my courses:
- … several important traits. One that stands out is …
- … she does so actively and with true curiosity …
- Equally important is her ability to …
- This, in my opinion, constitutes true …
(Because coherence and cohesion are important in all kinds of writing to make the text flow smoothly. 💜)
Have you ever written a letter of recommendation? Do you think it would be easy if someone asked you? And did you notice "resultant "?
This week I wrote something I had never written before – a letter of recommendation. I wrote it for one of my creative writers to support her application for an exchange program.
How do you approach writing something new, something you had never written before? Here is my algorithm.
1️⃣ Don’t google. Googling will likely result in a cliched piece of writing. Write from the heart and be authentic.
2️⃣ Identify the situation / the purpose. Identify the target reader and the information they are looking for.
3️⃣ Write a draft.
4️⃣ Leave the resultant text for a day or two. Your brain will keep thinking about your text and is likely to come up with even more ideas.
5️⃣ Make changes with a fresh perspective.
I enjoyed writing my letter of recommendation immensely – not least because the candidate had done a lot for my community, so the content part was easy and the recommendation was genuine. 💜
If you were to see my letter, you would see all the beautiful cohesive devices I teach in my courses:
- … several important traits. One that stands out is …
- … she does so actively and with true curiosity …
- Equally important is her ability to …
- This, in my opinion, constitutes true …
(Because coherence and cohesion are important in all kinds of writing to make the text flow smoothly. 💜)
Have you ever written a letter of recommendation? Do you think it would be easy if someone asked you? And did you notice "
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A great IELTS essay by a student 🍁
Topic (an awful one, if you ask me):
"Some people think governments should focus on reducing pollution and housing problems to help people prevent illness and diseases. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
"Whether the government should prioritize combating pollution and solving housing issues to help people become healthier remains a contentious question. In my view, in order to prevent illnesses, other, more efficient, measures need to be taken on the part of the government.
The proponents of tackling pollution and housing issues, however, might argue that both pollution and poor housing require government attention. First, these issues may indeed cause health issues. Contaminated water and mold on the walls of derelict houses, for example, are likely to be responsible for a high rate of illnesses ranging from hepatitis to allergies and asthma, aggravating the risk of chronic cases. Second, the government, rather than ordinary people, can tackle these issues because it is the former that has the power to create and implement regulations aimed at water purification programs and housing renovation.
All the threat posed to health by pollution and impoverished housing notwithstanding, I consider other measures to be more reasonable. The chief measure to consider is prevention medicine. The access to preventative medicine specialists and regular health screenings considerably reduce risk of developing the conditions which are the leading causes of premature deaths, such as heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. Prevention medicine would thus prolong life expectancy and preserve multitude lives. On top of this measure there is a bigger one — promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The government should, in particular, fund sports facilities and foster proper dietetics programs, thereby nurturing regular exercise and healthy eating habits in the population. These are pivotal to the immune, cardio-vascular and respiratory systems, known as vital, as their smooth operation staves off illnesses and guarantees good health in the long run. These measures are bound to bring better results than housing and pollution regulations because the former fight illnesses directly and the latter much less so.
To conclude, although pollution and housing renovation should be on the governmental agenda, neither of them is a priority when it comes to lessening health problems. What has to top the list is investment in prevention medicine and promotion of a healthy lifestyle."
By Anastasiia Semkova
This is a really good essay on a really bad topic. What are "housing problems"? They are plenty and diverse. As are pollution problems. Why are they all lumped together? Anyway, the student did a great job addressing this vast and unclear topic.
#Irina_ielts_students #ieltswritingtask2
Topic (an awful one, if you ask me):
"Some people think governments should focus on reducing pollution and housing problems to help people prevent illness and diseases. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
"Whether the government should prioritize combating pollution and solving housing issues to help people become healthier remains a contentious question. In my view, in order to prevent illnesses, other, more efficient, measures need to be taken on the part of the government.
The proponents of tackling pollution and housing issues, however, might argue that both pollution and poor housing require government attention. First, these issues may indeed cause health issues. Contaminated water and mold on the walls of derelict houses, for example, are likely to be responsible for a high rate of illnesses ranging from hepatitis to allergies and asthma, aggravating the risk of chronic cases. Second, the government, rather than ordinary people, can tackle these issues because it is the former that has the power to create and implement regulations aimed at water purification programs and housing renovation.
All the threat posed to health by pollution and impoverished housing notwithstanding, I consider other measures to be more reasonable. The chief measure to consider is prevention medicine. The access to preventative medicine specialists and regular health screenings considerably reduce risk of developing the conditions which are the leading causes of premature deaths, such as heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. Prevention medicine would thus prolong life expectancy and preserve multitude lives. On top of this measure there is a bigger one — promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The government should, in particular, fund sports facilities and foster proper dietetics programs, thereby nurturing regular exercise and healthy eating habits in the population. These are pivotal to the immune, cardio-vascular and respiratory systems, known as vital, as their smooth operation staves off illnesses and guarantees good health in the long run. These measures are bound to bring better results than housing and pollution regulations because the former fight illnesses directly and the latter much less so.
To conclude, although pollution and housing renovation should be on the governmental agenda, neither of them is a priority when it comes to lessening health problems. What has to top the list is investment in prevention medicine and promotion of a healthy lifestyle."
By Anastasiia Semkova
This is a really good essay on a really bad topic. What are "housing problems"? They are plenty and diverse. As are pollution problems. Why are they all lumped together? Anyway, the student did a great job addressing this vast and unclear topic.
#Irina_ielts_students #ieltswritingtask2
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Missing word? 📊
Thanksgiving is also the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. [___?___], 15% of Americans say it’s extremely or very likely that they’ll shop for the holidays on Thanksgiving Day this year. (Source: pewresearch.org)
Thanksgiving is also the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. [___?___], 15% of Americans say it’s extremely or very likely that they’ll shop for the holidays on Thanksgiving Day this year. (Source: pewresearch.org)
Anonymous Quiz
13%
Respectively
45%
Accordingly
27%
Correspondingly
15%
Proportionately
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Thanksgiving and IELTS Writing Task 1 or read like Irina 🦃
Irina reading an article about Thanksgiving be like: "OK, what do we have here for IELTS Writing Task 1?"
📝 Ways to introduce figures:
- nine-in-ten Americans (91%)
- Another 5%
- Around a quarter (26%)
📝 Avoiding repetition:
- some people are more likely than others to do so
- the same is true of 88% of immigrants who
- Ellipsis: 26% of Americans plan to have dinner with six to 10 other people, 15% with three to five other people, and 4% with one to two other people
📝 Topic sentences and paragraph transitions:
- Immigration status also plays a role.
- Smaller get-togethers are more common
📝 Punctuation to communicate meaning:
- Dashes: – whether it’s because they are working or traveling or for some other reason –
- Colon: Smaller get-togethers are more common: 26% of Americans plan to have dinner with six to 10 other people ...
📝 Even more phrases for cohesion:
- The rest don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.
- The remaining Americans plan to have Thanksgiving dinner alone ...
📝 What else? Ah, right, a correlative conjunction pair:
- whether it’s because they are working or traveling or for some other reason
Do you read like I do? Did you see all this beauty?
Head over to the source to mine even more great IELTS Writing Task 1 language and then share in the comments what you mined. 🦃
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/21/the-vast-majority-of-americans-celebrate-thanksgiving-but-their-traditions-and-activities-vary-widely/
#ieltswritingtask1
Irina reading an article about Thanksgiving be like: "OK, what do we have here for IELTS Writing Task 1?"
📝 Ways to introduce figures:
- nine-in-ten Americans (91%)
- Another 5%
- Around a quarter (26%)
📝 Avoiding repetition:
- some people are more likely than others to do so
- the same is true of 88% of immigrants who
- Ellipsis: 26% of Americans plan to have dinner with six to 10 other people, 15% with three to five other people, and 4% with one to two other people
📝 Topic sentences and paragraph transitions:
- Immigration status also plays a role.
- Smaller get-togethers are more common
📝 Punctuation to communicate meaning:
- Dashes: – whether it’s because they are working or traveling or for some other reason –
- Colon: Smaller get-togethers are more common: 26% of Americans plan to have dinner with six to 10 other people ...
📝 Even more phrases for cohesion:
- The rest don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.
- The remaining Americans plan to have Thanksgiving dinner alone ...
📝 What else? Ah, right, a correlative conjunction pair:
- whether it’s because they are working or traveling or for some other reason
Do you read like I do? Did you see all this beauty?
Head over to the source to mine even more great IELTS Writing Task 1 language and then share in the comments what you mined. 🦃
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/21/the-vast-majority-of-americans-celebrate-thanksgiving-but-their-traditions-and-activities-vary-widely/
#ieltswritingtask1
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Missing word? 📊
New York serves the largest share of disabled students in the country at 20.5% of its overall public school enrollment. Pennsylvania (20.2%), Maine (20.1%) and Massachusetts (19.3%) serve the [_?_] shares. (Source: pewresearch.org)
New York serves the largest share of disabled students in the country at 20.5% of its overall public school enrollment. Pennsylvania (20.2%), Maine (20.1%) and Massachusetts (19.3%) serve the [_?_] shares. (Source: pewresearch.org)
Anonymous Quiz
7%
further
13%
runner-up
31%
remaining
29%
next-largest
7%
second-to-large
12%
lower-ranking
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To capitalize or not to capitalize Category Names in IELTS Writing Task 1? 📊
A great question from students!
If you have the task above, should you write:
- The salaries in Tourism were ...
- The salaries in tourism were ...
- The salaries in "Tourism" were ... ?
Personally, I see no reason to capitalize category names that are usual nouns.
But let's check with some resources.
1️⃣ The Pew Research website
Here are some random sentences about sectors of employment:
"Among the major service-industry sectors, the biggest was trade, transportation and utilities (27.8 million workers), followed by education and health services (24.3 million), professional and business services (21.5 million) and leisure and hospitality (16.7 million)."
(Source: Link 1)
"Last year, the two groups with the highest unionization levels were protective service occupations (such as police officers, firefighters and security guards) and education, training and library occupations, both at 35.3%. Not surprisingly, both groups are composed largely of public-sector workers."
(Source: Link 2)
2️⃣ The Little, Brown Handbook (H. Ramsey Fowler, Jane E. Aaron)
Capitalize only when a rule says you must.
❌ I am determined to take an Economics course before I graduate from College.
✅ I am determined to take an economics course before I graduate from college.
✅ I am determined to take Economics 101 before I graduate from Madison College.
It seems capitalization of category names that are common nouns is not necessary. The question is whether it it a mistake (along with quotation marks)... What do you think? ❓
#ieltswritingtask1
A great question from students!
If you have the task above, should you write:
- The salaries in Tourism were ...
- The salaries in tourism were ...
- The salaries in "Tourism" were ... ?
Personally, I see no reason to capitalize category names that are usual nouns.
But let's check with some resources.
1️⃣ The Pew Research website
Here are some random sentences about sectors of employment:
"Among the major service-industry sectors, the biggest was trade, transportation and utilities (27.8 million workers), followed by education and health services (24.3 million), professional and business services (21.5 million) and leisure and hospitality (16.7 million)."
(Source: Link 1)
"Last year, the two groups with the highest unionization levels were protective service occupations (such as police officers, firefighters and security guards) and education, training and library occupations, both at 35.3%. Not surprisingly, both groups are composed largely of public-sector workers."
(Source: Link 2)
2️⃣ The Little, Brown Handbook (H. Ramsey Fowler, Jane E. Aaron)
Capitalize only when a rule says you must.
❌ I am determined to take an Economics course before I graduate from College.
✅ I am determined to take an economics course before I graduate from college.
✅ I am determined to take Economics 101 before I graduate from Madison College.
It seems capitalization of category names that are common nouns is not necessary. The question is whether it it a mistake (along with quotation marks)... What do you think? ❓
#ieltswritingtask1
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Our last workshop of the season...
🦋 “Grammar mistakes that go past the editor’s eye” by Evgenia Karabatova
Have you ever caught a typo in a book? Spotted an awkward sentence in a published article? Has that experience made you question your own accuracy in English?
In this workshop, we’ll dive into the sea of sneaky mistakes that slip through professional editors and teach you how to identify and correct them.
What will we do?
- Explore real-life examples of published errors.
- Learn about common mistakes, such as the infamous comma splice, misplaced modifiers or subject-verb agreement.
- Participate in exercises to spot and correct errors in text.
- Apply your skills by drafting and editing short passages, focusing on clarity and precision.
This workshop will be of great use for everyone aiming to refine their writing pieces and sharpen their grammar-checking skills.
Evgenia is a regular participant of all my creative writing projects and an avid creative writer. She is also an avid listener (!) of books in English. Follow her Telegram channel Под Звуки Книг https://news.1rj.ru/str/evgreads 🦋
📆 8 December, Sunday, 11:00 am MSK, Zoom
💌 The workshop is free. To join, write a creative ending as a comment on this post for, "Mistakes are nothing but ... " and then message me to get the link @iraluts.
‼️ Please note that this is a workshop, not a webinar or a lecture. If you join, you have to participate.
🦋 “Grammar mistakes that go past the editor’s eye” by Evgenia Karabatova
Have you ever caught a typo in a book? Spotted an awkward sentence in a published article? Has that experience made you question your own accuracy in English?
In this workshop, we’ll dive into the sea of sneaky mistakes that slip through professional editors and teach you how to identify and correct them.
What will we do?
- Explore real-life examples of published errors.
- Learn about common mistakes, such as the infamous comma splice, misplaced modifiers or subject-verb agreement.
- Participate in exercises to spot and correct errors in text.
- Apply your skills by drafting and editing short passages, focusing on clarity and precision.
This workshop will be of great use for everyone aiming to refine their writing pieces and sharpen their grammar-checking skills.
Evgenia is a regular participant of all my creative writing projects and an avid creative writer. She is also an avid listener (!) of books in English. Follow her Telegram channel Под Звуки Книг https://news.1rj.ru/str/evgreads 🦋
📆 8 December, Sunday, 11:00 am MSK, Zoom
💌 The workshop is free. To join, write a creative ending as a comment on this post for, "Mistakes are nothing but ... " and then message me to get the link @iraluts.
‼️ Please note that this is a workshop, not a webinar or a lecture. If you join, you have to participate.
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Missing word? ☃️
"But as the technology evolved, so [__?__] did an extraordinary idea." (Source: New Scientist)
"But as the technology evolved, so [__?__] did an extraordinary idea." (Source: New Scientist)
Anonymous Quiz
31%
as
30%
much
14%
well
13%
too
11%
also
🔥15⚡5❤2🎉2🦄2
Dictionaries for IELTS writing at levels 7.5 and higher 📚
I will tell you right off the bat: The Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries are not it. I tell my students not to rely on them. Not that they are bad. They are just simplified—they only give you the basic understanding of the word, without nuance. They are meant for lower level learners. For top scores, we need nuance and precision.
To really really understand a word, we actually need to check several sources. I tell my students to look the word up in at least three dictionaries. So you can still use Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries, but make sure to use more.
My go-to dictionaries:
1️⃣ Merriam-Webster. I love it for the examples. The phonetic writing is a nightmare. Some definitions can be convoluted.
2️⃣ Collins. It has a different way to give definitions—as a full sentence. The examples are shorter than in Merriam-Webster.
3️⃣ Dictionary. The simplest of the three, I guess. The sources of the examples are different from the two dictionaries above.
Important!‼️
When you look the word up, read the example sentences from the web or from corpora that go with the definitions. The examples might be even more important than the definitions.
Here is what to pay attention to when exploring the example sentences:
- Is the noun mainly used in singular or plural?
- is the verb typically used in active or passive?
- Is the verb transitive or intransitive?
- Is the word mostly used in positive or negative contexts?
- Is it used in specific context only (e.g. economic or biological)?
- What words are used around the word? What are the collocating nouns, adjectives, and verbs? What prepositions is it used with? If the word has several prepositions, for example, which ones are more common? Is there a difference in meaning?
One thing about writing is that students suddenly realize they don't know certain words as well as they think they do. I keep correcting words like "comprise, on the contrary, tendency."
So I tell my students, "Dictionaries are your best friend. Use them religiously and check each word in at least three."
And sometimes dictionaries don't help. In another post, I'll tell you how to use Google search to check phrases, chunks, and half-sentences if dictionaries don't help. (In the meantime, you can give me an example of a chunk you needed or used in your writing, but couldn't check in a dictionary.) 📝
I will tell you right off the bat: The Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries are not it. I tell my students not to rely on them. Not that they are bad. They are just simplified—they only give you the basic understanding of the word, without nuance. They are meant for lower level learners. For top scores, we need nuance and precision.
To really really understand a word, we actually need to check several sources. I tell my students to look the word up in at least three dictionaries. So you can still use Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries, but make sure to use more.
My go-to dictionaries:
Important!
When you look the word up, read the example sentences from the web or from corpora that go with the definitions. The examples might be even more important than the definitions.
Here is what to pay attention to when exploring the example sentences:
- Is the noun mainly used in singular or plural?
- is the verb typically used in active or passive?
- Is the verb transitive or intransitive?
- Is the word mostly used in positive or negative contexts?
- Is it used in specific context only (e.g. economic or biological)?
- What words are used around the word? What are the collocating nouns, adjectives, and verbs? What prepositions is it used with? If the word has several prepositions, for example, which ones are more common? Is there a difference in meaning?
One thing about writing is that students suddenly realize they don't know certain words as well as they think they do. I keep correcting words like "comprise, on the contrary, tendency."
So I tell my students, "Dictionaries are your best friend. Use them religiously and check each word in at least three."
And sometimes dictionaries don't help. In another post, I'll tell you how to use Google search to check phrases, chunks, and half-sentences if dictionaries don't help. (In the meantime, you can give me an example of a chunk you needed or used in your writing, but couldn't check in a dictionary.) 📝
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Number of stages in a process 🤷♀️
This is the task from my IELTS Writing class today. Each next overview raised my eyebrows higher and higher.
- Overall, the process consists of two parts, ...
- Overall, the process involves three key phases: ...
- Overall, the process consists of four main steps: ...
- Overall, there are five main steps involved in the process, ...
So I ask my students, "What does this teach us about process overviews?"
Don't get obsessed with the precise number of stages. Sometimes it's not clear what to count as a separate stage—and that's OK, so don't busy yourself with that.
You can write a great overview without "The process consists of N stages."
My overview begins "The process involves using... ." Try your hand at this overview in the comments (using my beginning or your own.) 📝
This is the task from my IELTS Writing class today. Each next overview raised my eyebrows higher and higher.
- Overall, the process consists of two parts, ...
- Overall, the process involves three key phases: ...
- Overall, the process consists of four main steps: ...
- Overall, there are five main steps involved in the process, ...
So I ask my students, "What does this teach us about process overviews?"
My overview begins "The process involves using... ." Try your hand at this overview in the comments (using my beginning or your own.) 📝
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What coordinating conjunction does 🔤 stand for in FANBOYS? ☃️
Anonymous Quiz
47%
Nor
11%
Neither
11%
Nevertheless
9%
Notwithstanding
22%
Whaaaaa? Gotta google FANBOYS...
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One major stumbling block in IELTS writing for many people is the time constraints. Very few people can comfortably finish their writing in 60 minutes. By "comfortably" I mean calmly, with proper brainstorming and proofreading.
You might struggle too. But when you start working on timing, you might realize you "lose" something else—ideas, cohesion, lexis, and/or grammar—and this thought might deter you from working on timing. And then you are stuck in a vicious cycle.
To help my students get out of this cycle, I told them to do the following as I sent them off on the winter break: Go back and write all our course tasks from September-December again, under strict timing conditions.
Yes, again. I know—you might say, "It's not sensible to write the same task again." But it is. When you write the same task, part of the difficulty is removed because you don't have to come up with ideas (organization, lexis, grammar). Removing part of the difficulty is very sensible if you struggle. At this point, it's also sensible to ignore any other weaknesses and not to seek feedback.
And then you can write the same task the third or even the fourth time—until you hit the desired time limit. You can stop there, or you can continue and add challenges, such as certain lexical items or grammatical structures.
Generally, meeting the time limit in IELTS writing is just a matter of the number of answers you have written, just a sheer number. And if writing many different IELTS answers is out of reach today—for whatever reason—write the same answer two or three times.
And while we are on the topic of timing, I tell my students, "Forget the recommended timing—20 and 40 minutes. Aim for 15 and 30 minutes—you need time to brainstorm, take notes (albeit mentally) and proofread. Maybe even to take a bathroom break."
So if you needed something to do during this insanely long New Year break, here is an idea: Work on finishing your IELTS writing set in 45 minutes.
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Two writing workshops coming up at the beginning of January ⛄️
1️⃣ "Coherence and Cohesion in exam essays"
This workshop on coherence and cohesion will feature:
- explanation of the difference between coherence and cohesion;
- a summary of most common cohesive devices and techniques (at least eight - yeah, it's not just adverbs or pronouns);
- examples of good and flawed or even non-existing CC;
- exercises and quizzes.
All examples are based on my IELTS essays, but the fundamental principles are the same for essays in different exams.
Find out more at (you don't need an account to view):
https://vk.com/market/product/coherence-and-cohesion-47977221-8662991
2️⃣ "Dynamic writing: how to break a wall of text"
No one wants to read a wall of text—and you don't want tot write one.
This workshop will feature some techniques that make texts more dynamic and engaging:
- Paragraphing
- Bullet points and subheadings
- Punctuation to enhance meaning: colon, brackets, dashes, ellipsis
- Varying sentence length, structures, and types
- Word count reduction
- Some simple stylistic devices
Find out more at (you don't need an account to view):
https://vk.com/market/product/quotdynamic-writingquot-workshop-47977221-8621058
💌 @iraluts
This workshop on coherence and cohesion will feature:
- explanation of the difference between coherence and cohesion;
- a summary of most common cohesive devices and techniques (at least eight - yeah, it's not just adverbs or pronouns);
- examples of good and flawed or even non-existing CC;
- exercises and quizzes.
All examples are based on my IELTS essays, but the fundamental principles are the same for essays in different exams.
Find out more at (you don't need an account to view):
https://vk.com/market/product/coherence-and-cohesion-47977221-8662991
No one wants to read a wall of text—and you don't want tot write one.
This workshop will feature some techniques that make texts more dynamic and engaging:
- Paragraphing
- Bullet points and subheadings
- Punctuation to enhance meaning: colon, brackets, dashes, ellipsis
- Varying sentence length, structures, and types
- Word count reduction
- Some simple stylistic devices
Find out more at (you don't need an account to view):
https://vk.com/market/product/quotdynamic-writingquot-workshop-47977221-8621058
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Yet another year with fluctuating fortunes - but with some awesome events too! ❤️
In 2024, I proudly
- ... presented at TESOL 2024 in Tampa, Florida!!! 🇺🇸
The TESOL International Convention and Expo is the biggest event in the ELT industry, with over 3,000 attendees from all over the world. Presenting at this event is undoubtedly one of the most important highlights of my teaching career. More: https://vk.com/iralutse?w=wall-47977221_12168
- ... was a guest on a podcast in Bukhara!!! 🇺🇿
One of the most treasured memories of 2024. Beyond grateful to Mukhammadali, Alisher, and the video team for this podcast. Absolutely loved being a guest on Ad Astra Muse! Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7ZbJUBfYc&t=1s
- ... presented at MISIS University Conference in Moscow. 🇷🇺
Another hugely important highlight of my career because I gave my first ever plenary talk. And it was the first time ever when I presented two days in a row. Absolutely wonderful, warm, welcoming audience!!!
- ... taught a creative writing course at ITMO University. Isn't is great that a technical university invested into a creative writing course for its students?
- ... taught an intensive IELTS camp for gifted kids from the LETOVO school. I don't often work with teenagers, but teaching these kids was pure pleasure. Grateful to have been invited.
- ... took two courses with American instructors as a student: "Writing College and Grant Applications" and "Drama Techniques to Boost Speaking and Writing Skills." New knowledge, new ideas, new perspectives.
- ... wrote another 3000-word story (my third one) in my "Creative Writing Bootcamp" project. Couldn't have done it without my creative team.
- ... continued the short story reading club "Small Stories Big Ideas." Hosted by the one and only Irina Kireeva - an avid reader and a professional book club host, both in person and online.
- ... continued spreading the passion for writing with free projects: "Creative Writing Club," "Writing Incubator," and "Poetry Writing mini-course." These projects are done by my like-minded writing fans who are happy to share their passion too: Veronika Shirobokova, Alena Nikitina, Evgenia Karabatova, Elizaveta Zanozina, Maria Botina, Svetlana Kukharevich.
I couldn't have done so much - and so meaningfully - without the people mentioned and many others helping behind the scenes. My unending gratitude to every single person who contributed and supported us! 💜
And, of course, the wonderful New Year image is by the wonderful Anna Skopina - the artist behind all my visuals on social media over the last two years. So happy to have found her! 🧡
My motto for 2025 is "Do more." What is yours?❤️
In 2024, I proudly
- ... presented at TESOL 2024 in Tampa, Florida!!! 🇺🇸
The TESOL International Convention and Expo is the biggest event in the ELT industry, with over 3,000 attendees from all over the world. Presenting at this event is undoubtedly one of the most important highlights of my teaching career. More: https://vk.com/iralutse?w=wall-47977221_12168
- ... was a guest on a podcast in Bukhara!!! 🇺🇿
One of the most treasured memories of 2024. Beyond grateful to Mukhammadali, Alisher, and the video team for this podcast. Absolutely loved being a guest on Ad Astra Muse! Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7ZbJUBfYc&t=1s
- ... presented at MISIS University Conference in Moscow. 🇷🇺
Another hugely important highlight of my career because I gave my first ever plenary talk. And it was the first time ever when I presented two days in a row. Absolutely wonderful, warm, welcoming audience!!!
- ... taught a creative writing course at ITMO University. Isn't is great that a technical university invested into a creative writing course for its students?
- ... taught an intensive IELTS camp for gifted kids from the LETOVO school. I don't often work with teenagers, but teaching these kids was pure pleasure. Grateful to have been invited.
- ... took two courses with American instructors as a student: "Writing College and Grant Applications" and "Drama Techniques to Boost Speaking and Writing Skills." New knowledge, new ideas, new perspectives.
- ... wrote another 3000-word story (my third one) in my "Creative Writing Bootcamp" project. Couldn't have done it without my creative team.
- ... continued the short story reading club "Small Stories Big Ideas." Hosted by the one and only Irina Kireeva - an avid reader and a professional book club host, both in person and online.
- ... continued spreading the passion for writing with free projects: "Creative Writing Club," "Writing Incubator," and "Poetry Writing mini-course." These projects are done by my like-minded writing fans who are happy to share their passion too: Veronika Shirobokova, Alena Nikitina, Evgenia Karabatova, Elizaveta Zanozina, Maria Botina, Svetlana Kukharevich.
I couldn't have done so much - and so meaningfully - without the people mentioned and many others helping behind the scenes. My unending gratitude to every single person who contributed and supported us! 💜
And, of course, the wonderful New Year image is by the wonderful Anna Skopina - the artist behind all my visuals on social media over the last two years. So happy to have found her! 🧡
My motto for 2025 is "Do more." What is yours?
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Click on the links for more details and for testimonials. You don't need a VK account to view the links.
All classes are taught in real time, on Zoom. No video recordings.
❄️ Writing
1. IELTS writing
A long and thorough skill-building course: several groups, different levels, tons of writing, tons of feedback.
https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_3696544
2. Writing with New Scientist
A writing course based on articles from the "New Scientist" magazine and geared towards IELTS prep. A perfect pre- or post-IELTS course. Different levels.
https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_5061302
3. Write for real: blogging, non-fiction, creative non-fiction
This course is about finding your voice and sharing your message in writing. To hell with exams - it’s time to write for real!
https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_3696542
❄️ Speaking
Speaking with New Scientist (C1, C1+, C2)
A speaking course based on articles from the "New Scientist" magazine and geared towards IELTS and C2 Proficiency Speaking tasks but also good for those who have a penchant for deep, meaningful discussions. Very rich in lexis.
https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_5911089
❄️ C2, old group
C2 Proficiency with New Scientist
A general English course based on articles from the "New Scientist" magazine, with some CPE preparation (speaking and writing tasks).
Schedule: Friday 16:00-17:30 MSK.
❄️ One-to-one
https://m.vk.com/product-47977221_9286849
1. If your profile name is a nickname or an alias, please introduce yourself properly - with your name and last name. My name is Irina Lutsenko. Nameless subscribers and people with nicknames or aliases won't be considered.
2. Tell me about yourself in 100 words or less. Answer all or some of these questions as needed: What course do you want to join? Why? What are your goals and course expectations? What is your experience of learning English? What is your experience of writing? Have you taken IELTS or other exams? What were you scores?
3. If you want to enroll in a writing group, I'll give you a placement task - an IELTS or IELTS-like essay.
4. We'll schedule an interview.
PS:
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