A Conversation between a Student and his Tutor asking for Advice about Essay Writing- IELTS Listening Sample Answer

Nov 3, 2021

In the IELTS Listening test, candidates are required to listen to a few audio recordings played by the examiner and answer the questions given below. These audio recordings will be in the form of monologues or conversations between two or more people.

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The duration of the IELTS Listening test is 30 minutes. This topic is section Three of IELTS listening and contains the following question type:

Answer in one word
No more than 3 letters

Audio Transcript

Topic: A Conversation between a Student and his Tutor asking for Advice about Essay Writing

Section 3

You will hear a student Alex asking his tutor for advice about essay writing. You now have 30 seconds to read questions 21 to 27.

Tutor: Hi, Alex, come in. I gather you wanted some help with writing essays.

Alex: Yes. I'm finding this first term difficult and I'm worried about the assignments we have to do for January.

Tutor: Well, let me see if I can help. You shouldn't panic about it because essay writing is a very straightforward process, really. What it involves, is organizing the information that you want to include. You shouldn't have more than you can easily manage within the word count. Make sure you haven't got too much or anything irrelevant.

Alex: mhm...

Tutor: You need to look at that and work out what you need and what you don't need before you start. And then you just have to think about how you're going to put forward your argument.

Alex: Oh! That sounds very straightforward when you put it like that. But I'm worried that I haven't got the necessary skills for writing an effective essay because English is my second language.

Tutor: Well, perhaps you misunderstand the skills you need. You need to be able to analyze your data and then I would say, the skills of interpretation and expressing yourself are important. Perhaps it's this last one that bothers you but the more essays you write, the more you will develop these skills.

Alex: Yes, and I don't quite know how to improve with that. Though as you say, I know practice will help.

Tutor: Mmm…

Alex: And I need to make sure I've got everything ready before I start.

Tutor: Yes. What is vital to good essay writing is preparation. So make sure you build in enough time to do the research you need.

Alex: Are there any other sources I can use, to help me with essays?

Tutor: Yes, you should go to the library and look through the reference section because there are books that focus on the style we use in academic writing and those will help you a lot. The other thing that you should think about is what happens when you've actually written your essay. Too many students just complete their work and hand it in. Whereas what you should be doing, is making sure that you edit it as thoroughly as possible.

Alex: Oh! Yes. That's a good idea. Then I’d pick up any mistakes and also see if it reads logically.

Tutor: Exactly. The other thing is again, what a lot of students do is get their essays back, look at the marks then just file it away. They don't realize that if they checked it through and looked at what the tutor had written, then they can learn from their old essays.

Alex: Yeah, I can see that's a good idea.

Tutor: So, is that okay? You can always come back to me.

You now have 15 seconds to read questions 28 to 30.

Alex: Actually, there were a couple of other things I wanted to ask you about essay writing. I had had a few thoughts of my own about what I should do, such as really taking good notes when I'm reading because that helps. Doesn't it?

Tutor: I think it improves your knowledge rather than your actual writing. But one tip I can give you is to try and not read too much. Otherwise you end up including irrelevant material in your essay. Remember to stay on task.

Alex: Yes, sometimes, I have problems interpreting the questions correctly or the whole question seems overwhelming to me.

Tutor: Mmm….

Alex: What I try to do, is highlight the key parts and divide it into smaller chunks, so I can manage it.

Tutor: Well, you might find it useful to break it down even further by making sure you understand all the words perfectly before you start. Things like assess or comment and such like.

Alex: Yes. I see.

Tutor: Sometimes after an objective analysis, the question actually asks you for a subjective opinion, but you must remember to support your arguments if that's the case. And one final comment I can make is about using your own words. You must try to do this as far as possible. You're expected to summarize what you've read. Not just string together a list of quotations. In fact, you shouldn't have too many. Just use them where it's really important.

Alex: Okay. Thanks.

Tutor: Do you read other students’ essays when you’ve finished.

Alex: No. Why is that a good idea?

Tutor: Well, you can confuse each other. So I'd advise against it, but it's up to you.

Alex: Okay. Thanks very much for your time.

Questions 21-30

Questions 21-27
Complete the summary below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Essay Writing

Essay writing is simply the process of 21_____________ information and presenting your 22___________ You will need to use skills of analysis, 23___________and expression. The more essays you write, the more you will develop these skills. The key to producing a good essay is in the 24________. Allow plenty of time to work out what you need to do. You will find several books in the library to help you with the particular 25__________of academic writing. When you have completed your essay you must remember to 26_____________ it carefully and take out anything irrelevant. Also, once you have received your mark, you should check your essay through as, by doing this, you can 27_____________ from it.

Answer 21: organizing

Explanation: Tutor says that he wants to help and advise the student not to panic about it because essay writing is a very straightforward process, really. What it involves, is organizing the information that you want to include.

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Answer 22: argument

Explanation: Tutor says that the student needs to look at that and work out what you need and what you don't need before you start. And then you just have to think about how you're going to put forward his argument.

Answer 23: interpretation

Explanation: Tutor says that the student needs to understand the skills that they need. He suggest that his student need to be able to analyze their data and then would say, the skills of interpretation and expressing yourself are important.

Answer 24: preparation

Explanation: The tutor tells Alex about the vitality of good essay writing in preparation. So make sure you build in enough time to do the research you need.

Answer 25: style

Explanation: The tutor tells Alex that he should go to the library and look through the reference section because there are books that focus on the style we use in academic writing and those will help you a lot.

Answer 26: edit

Explanation: The tutor tells Alex that there are many students who just complete their work and hand it in. Whereas what he should be doing, is making sure that you edit it as thoroughly as possible.

Answer 27: learn

Explanation: The tutor tells Alex that there are many students who don't realize that if they checked it through and looked at what the tutor had written, then they can learn from their old essays.

Questions 28-30

Choose THREE letters A-G. Write answers next to 28-30 on your answer sheet.
Which THREE pieces of advice does the tutor give the student?