Homework · Day 2

Paraphrase Practice · Directions Listening

Estimated time: 30 minutes Due: Before Day 3 Submit by: Email (button at bottom)

What you'll do tonight

  1. Build a 10-pair synonym list with words you might hear in Section 1 or 3.
  2. Translate a set of "question phrases" into the paraphrases speakers actually use.
  3. Listen to one online directions clip and label what you hear.
  4. Self-check and submit by email.

Exercise 1 — Build 10 synonym pairs

Fill in a synonym you'd realistically hear in the recording for each of these common question words. The first one is done.

Question wordLikely paraphrase
1. buypurchase
2. start
3. finish
4. cheap
5. important
6. problem
7. help (verb)
8. show (verb)
9. quickly
10. interesting

Any reasonable synonym works. Sample: start → begin, commence, launch · finish → complete, end, wrap up · cheap → inexpensive, affordable, low-cost · important → significant, key, crucial · problem → issue, difficulty, drawback · help → assist, support, aid · show → demonstrate, illustrate, indicate · quickly → rapidly, swiftly · interesting → engaging, fascinating, intriguing

You'll often hear the recording use the synonym while the question paper uses the simpler word — that's the test.

Exercise 2 — Predict the paraphrase

For each question phrase that might appear on the answer sheet, write what you'd most likely actually hear in the recording.

  1. Question: "the disadvantages of the new system" → likely heard:
  2. Question: "the location of the meeting" → likely heard:
  3. Question: "the project requires more funding" → likely heard:
  4. Question: "the most dangerous part of the trip" → likely heard:
  5. Question: "the effect on local wildlife" → likely heard:
  1. "the drawbacks of the new system" / "the downsides of…"
  2. "where the meeting will take place" / "the venue for…"
  3. "the project needs more money" / "we need extra funds for…"
  4. "the riskiest part of the trip" / "the most hazardous…"
  5. "the impact on local wildlife" / "how this affects local animals"

Exercise 3 — Directions decoder

Read these three direction descriptions. For each, sketch the route on paper (or visualise it) and answer the question.

  1. "Come out of the station, turn left, walk past the post office, and the café is on your right just before the roundabout." Where is the café relative to the roundabout?
  2. "Head north on Queens Road. At the second crossroads, take a left. The library is the second building on your left, opposite the cinema." Which side of the road is the library on?
  3. "Go straight along Riverside Street. At the end, you'll see Bridge Street running across. The bank is on the corner of Bridge Street and Riverside Street, on the right." If you're walking east along Riverside Street, which side is the bank on?
  1. Just before the roundabout, on the right side of the road. "Just before" = approaching but not at it.
  2. Left side of the road, opposite (directly across from) the cinema.
  3. The south side of Riverside Street, east end — if you're walking east, the right side is the south side.

Exercise 4 — Extension (optional)

Search YouTube for "IELTS Listening map task" and watch one Cambridge example. Note three pieces of direction language you didn't have on the handout vocabulary list.

New phrase 1:

New phrase 2:

New phrase 3:

Free practice resources

Extra free practice for tonight — each link opens in a new tab. These are free online resources (no purchase needed); a few may ask you to create a free account.

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