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Action plan for IELTS (Academic module) | |
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Authors: Vanessa Jakeman, Clare McDowell
€23.30
ISBN 312-5343-763
Every student knows the feeling. The exam date is getting closer, and it's beginning to seem that perhaps not enough time was spent on revision. Now, with just a few weeks until the big day, what can be done? Cambridge publishers have decided to do what they can for students in this position and make a few pennies for themselves in the process. At €23 for 124 pages this is not a cheap book, but if it gets someone through the exam who would otherwise fail, it should be worth the money. The name says 'action plan' and the cover points out this is a 'Cambridge book for Cambridge exams'. If anything can help this should do it.
The book has a violet cover and a violet-and-white colour scheme within that takes a bit of getting used to. A look within the covers shows that there is not one action plan but several - at least one for each of the papers of the exam. The book is divided into sections, each covering a different aspect of the exam, but note that only the academic reading and writing are dealt with. Those doing the GT (General Training) exams should look at some of the other books in the series. Each module starts with an introduction and a description of the paper and the questions. A sample test is shown with an 'action' plan at the top telling you how to approach the question. Little purple tags in the margin tell you what to look for, and why each correct answer is so. After going through the book, a student will know exactly what is expected from each question or task in the exam and how to go about dealing with it. There are few pictures, and these are strictly business - they are either part of the test or show how the test papers should be filled in. At the end there is a complete exam for students to test how well they have understood the book. A CD with about 55 minutes of talking is supplied for the listening, and the last sixteen pages of the book have the answer key.
Who is this book for? This book does not teach English, it teaches how to cope with the IELTS. It is for any students who are unfamiliar with the IELTS exam and want to know what they are going to face. It is less useful for last-minute revision than it is for clearly explaining what the examiners want and how to supply this. The test exam at the back is useful, but there are cheaper ways to get this material (including on this website). Overall, if you are worried about what taking the exam involves, this book will provide information and reassurance. If your English is not good enough to get you a high mark in the exam, this is not a miracle solution. It is not really suitable as a class book, but any teacher who has never taught the IELTS before might consider getting this book and incorporating the points it makes into the lessons.
Verdict: Good for understanding the exam.
Assessment 7/10