Maya rents her first flat. Sixteen words that IELTS candidates often spell wrong — learned four at a time.
Let's start with the story. The highlighted words are the ones to learn. Read slowly. Press 🔊 to hear a part read aloud.
After a year of sharing rooms with strangers, Maya was ready for a flat of her own. On Tuesday she spotted an advert for a one-bedroom place near the station — ideal, since it would be far more convenient for getting to work. Apparently, several other people were interested, and the owner wanted a decision within days.
The flat was almost bare. Apart from a bed and a small table, there was hardly any furniture, and the kitchen equipment looked as if nobody had replaced it for decades: an ancient cooker, a dented kettle, and a fridge that made a weird humming noise. Maya was not put off. What won her over was the light, especially early in the morning.
The rent turned out to be higher than she had hoped. Unfortunately, she would also have to hand over a deposit worth two months of rent. The owner explained that she would be responsible for the electricity bill, which was kept separate from the rent. Maya went through the figures twice before deciding that she could just about afford it.
She drew up a detailed schedule for the move and packed every evening until midnight. Hiring a van cost ninety pounds, and boxes and tape came to another forty. Remarkably, nothing went wrong on the day, and the move was entirely successful. That night Maya wrote in her diary: "For the first time since I arrived, I feel truly at home."
What persuaded Maya to take the flat, despite its problems? What would matter most to you when choosing somewhere to live — and what would you be willing to compromise on?
Each word is split into small parts. The yellow part is where people make mistakes. For each word: hear it → say it in parts → read the trick. Then press Hide the words and try to spell all four out loud.
Press 🔊, listen, read the clue, then type the word. If a letter is wrong, you will see which letters are already right. You get a second try before the answer appears.
In IELTS Listening, a correct word that is spelled wrongly scores zero. British and American spellings are both accepted — just be consistent.
Describe a place you have lived in, or would like to live in. Use at least five of the sixteen words. For two of them, spell the word out loud, part by part: "sep – a – rate".
You are arranging to view a flat. Press 🔊 and write the missing word in each gap. Then check.
1. Day of viewing: ______
2. Electricity bill: ______ from the rent
3. Van hire: £ ______ (write the number as a word)
4. Included in the flat: kitchen ______
5. Location of the flat: very ______
1. Tuesday · 2. separate · 3. ninety · 4. equipment · 5. convenient
Write four or five sentences: "Some people prefer to live alone, while others prefer to share a home. Discuss both views and give your own opinion." Use and spell correctly: especially, responsible, unfortunately, successful.
Which helped you most today: hearing the word, seeing it in parts, or the memory trick? Which word is still the hardest for you — and what trick could you invent for it?