Improve your writing skills for IELTS 6-7.5 Lesson 6 - Unit 3

Aims:

• ​Noun phrases

• Structuring viewpoints

• Presenting and refuting a viewpoint

Topic: Tourism and travel

Unit 3: Tourism and travel

​Noun phrases

Topic: Tourism and travel

​Exercise 1

Underlined phrases:

1. money spent around the globe

2. Tourism boards have recently released figures which

3. destinations that most people choose

4. tourists who are over 18

5. a place with cultural or historical interest

6. finances that are drained

7. the other things tourists spend money on

8. way the economy develops in that country

Topic: Tourism and travel

Match

Match the underlined phrases in the text in 1 with one of the noun phrases a-h.

• way the economy develops in that country

• the other things tourists spend money on

• money soent around the globe

• Tourism boards have recently released figures which

a) development of the economy

b) other expenditure

c) global spend

d) the release of recent figures

• a) development of the economy

• b) other expenditure

• c) global spend

• d) the release of recent figures

Match

Match the underlined phrases in the text in 1 with one of the noun phrases a-h.

• destinations that most people choose

• tourists who are over 18

• a place with cultural or historical interest

• finances that are drained

e) destinations of choice

f) adult tourists

g) heritage site

h) drain on finances

• e) destinations of choice

• f) adult tourists

• g) heritage site

• h) drain on finances

Underlined phrases:

a) development of the economy

b) other expenditure

c) global spend

d) the release of recent figures

e) destinations of choice

f) adult tourists

g) heritage site

h) drain on finances

Match a-h in 2 with the noun patterns below. Some can fit more than one category.

1) noun 'of noun

2) noun in object position

3) compound noun

4) noun phrase with preposition​

​

Topic: Tourism and travel

Technique

" We use noun forms to improve the way that we write things our writing style and reduce the amount of space needed to describe things the economy of our writing.. " 

Look at the Task 2 question below and underline the keywords. Does the question ask you to think about more than one opinion?

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people believe the benefits of tourism outweigh the problems it creates in a particular place. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Improve your writing skills | 6-7.5

Topic: Tourism and travel

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people believe the benefits of tourism outweigh the problems it creates in a particular place. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Improve your writing skills | 6-7.5

Topic: Tourism and travel

Technique

"When wilting essays, a common mistake students make is not planning enough. Spend a few minutes brainstorming ideas. e.g. using a benefits/ disadvantages table or a mind map before writing. You can then focus on language issues." 

​Some people believe the benefits of tourism outweigh the problems it creates in a particular place. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

​IDEA 1

Topic: Tourism and travel

At first glance, tourism seems to be a huge advantage for the local area. Certainly, it can bring in a lot of money and the growth in hotels and the service industry ensures that the local economy improves rapidly. In addition to this, job creation means that more of the people living in the area can find work. Nevertheless, the assumption that tourism is always a benefit is increasingly under fire. Incoming money pushes up prices so, although the local economy improves, house prices and costs for local people increase as well. The improvement in employment levels can help but even this is not all positive: much of the work created is seasonal, meaning people are still unemployed for part of the year.

​

Read the model paragraph for 'Idea one'. Underline the sentence that introduces a benefit and the sentence that introduces a contrasting disadvantage.​

​

body paragraph

Benefit: brings in money/local economy improves - more jobs for local people

Disadvantage: also increases costs, e.g. house prices go up and prices aimed at tourists so local people suffer; jobs only seasonal

brainstorm

Multiple Select

Decide which of the sentences introduce an argument (a) and which introduce an opposing idea (b). Choose sentences introduce an argument (a).

• 1. It is often assumed that ...

• 2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

• 3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

• 4. A commonly held view is that ...

Multiple Select

Decide which of the sentences introduce an argument (a) and which introduce an opposing idea (b). Choose sentences which introduce an opposing idea (b).

• 5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

• 6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

• 7. An argument that is often asserted is ...

• 8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...

​sentences introduce an argument and an opposing idea

Topic: Tourism and travel

2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

​5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...​

​Nevertheless, the assumption that.... is increasingly under fire.

introduce an opposing idea

1. It is often assumed that ...

​3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

4. A commonly held view is that ...

​6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

7. An argument that is often asserted is ...

introduce an argument

​sentences introduce an argument and an opposing idea

Topic: Tourism and travel

Match

Match the verb phrases 1-6 with an equivalent noun phrase a-f.

• b. However, this makes the assumption that ...

• e. Although I have some sympathy for this view ...

• d. A common view is that ...

• c. It seems a fair suggestion (that) ...

• f. A typical assertion is (that) ...

1. It is often assumed that ...

2. Although I sympathize with this view ...

3. A commonly held view is that ...

4. It seems reasonable to suggest (that) ...

5.An argument that is often asserted is ...

• 1. It is often assumed that ...

• 2. Although I sympathize with this view ...

• 3. A commonly held view is that ...

• 4. It seems reasonable to suggest (that) ...

• 5.An argument that is often asserted is ...

Match the verb phrases 1-6 with an equivalent noun phrase a-f

1) It is often assumed that ...

b) However, this makes the assumption that ... ​

2) Although I sympathize with this view ...

e) Although I have some sympathy for this view ... ​

3) A commonly held view is that ...

d) A common view is that ... ​

4) It seems reasonable to suggest (that) ...

c) It seems a fair suggestion (that) ... ​

5) An argument that is often asserted is ...

f) A typical assertion is (that) ...​​

6) Although there is some truth to these ideas ...

a) Although accurate in part, these ideas .

Subject | Subject

Topic: Tourism and travel

Rewrite the sentences underlined in 9 using two of the phrases in 11

1) It is often assumed that ...

b) However, this makes the assumption that ... ​

​

2) Although I sympathize with this view ...

e) Although I have some sympathy for this view ... ​

​

3) A commonly held view is that ...

d) A common view is that ... ​

​

4) It seems reasonable to suggest (that) ...

c) It seems a fair suggestion (that) ... ​

​

5) An argument that is often asserted is ...

f) A typical assertion is (that) ...​​

​

6) Although there is some truth to these ideas ...

a) Although accurate in part, these ideas .

Subject | Subject

Topic: Tourism and travel

At first glance, tourism seems to be a huge advantage for the local area. Certainly, it can bring in a lot of money and the growth in hotels and the service industry ensures that the local economy improves rapidly. In addition to this, job creation means that more of the people living in the area can find work. Nevertheless, the assumption that tourism is always a benefit is increasingly under fire. Incoming money pushes up prices so, although the local economy improves, house prices and costs for local people increase as well. The improvement in employment levels can help but even this is not all positive: much of the work created is seasonal, meaning people are still unemployed for part of the year.

​

Rewrite the sentences underlined in 9 using two of the phrases in 11.

Technique

" Don't write out the rubric of the question in the same words. Reword the question as much as possible and remember that if you copy out the rubric, it won't be included in your word count." 

​IDEA 2

Topic: Tourism and travel

use the following phrases to

introduce an argument:​

1. It is often assumed that ...

​3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

4. A commonly held view is that ...

​6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

7. An argument that is often asserted is ...​

introduce an opposing idea:

2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

​5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...​

​Nevertheless, the assumption that.... is increasingly under fire.​

body paragraph

Benefit: tourism improves infrastructure - more facilities for tourists/transportation better, etc. - helps local population, too

Disadvantages: damages the environment/not good long term, e.g. beautiful area gets overdeveloped

brainstorm

Open Ended

Benefit: tourism improves infrastructure - more facilities for tourists/transportation better, etc. - helps local population, too

Disadvantages: damages the environment/not good long term, e.g. beautiful area gets overdeveloped

use the following phrases to

introduce an argument:​

1. It is often assumed that ...

​3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

4. A commonly held view is that ...

​6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

7. An argument that is often asserted is ...​

introduce an opposing idea:

2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

​5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...​

​Nevertheless, the assumption that.... is increasingly under fire.​

​IDEA 3

Topic: Tourism and travel

use the following phrases to

introduce an argument:​

1. It is often assumed that ...

​3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

4. A commonly held view is that ...

​6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

7. An argument that is often asserted is ...​

introduce an opposing idea:

2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

​5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...​

​Nevertheless, the assumption that.... is increasingly under fire.​

body paragraph

Benefit: brings in new people/new types of attractions and cafes, etc.

Disadvantages: history and culture sometimes damaged -becomes very commercialized

​

brainstorm

Open Ended

Benefit: brings in new people/new types of attractions and cafes, etc.

Disadvantages: history and culture sometimes damaged -becomes very commercialized

use the following phrases to

introduce an argument:​

1. It is often assumed that ...

​3. The view that ... is gaining popularity.

4. A commonly held view is that ...

​6. It seems a fair suggestion that ...

7. An argument that is often asserted is ...​

introduce an opposing idea:

2. Although I have some sympathy for this view, it is also true that ...

​5. However, this makes the assumption that ...

8. Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...​

​Nevertheless, the assumption that.... is increasingly under fire.​