✦ IELTS Speaking Practice – Linking Words for Time

Part 1: Introduction & Interview

1. What’s the first thing you do in the morning?

2. What did you do after school yesterday?

3. Do you usually do several things at the same time?

4. What do you usually do before going to bed?

5. Do you often plan your day step by step?

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Part 2: Cue Card

Describe a day you remember well.
You should say:

• what happened

• when it happened

• what you did
  and describe the events in order using at least three linking words for time.

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✦ Sample Answers Using the Phrases

Part 1

1. At first, I drink water, and then I make coffee.

2. I did my homework, and afterwards, I watched TV.

3. Yes, sometimes I study and listen to music at the same time.

4. I usually read a book before sleeping; eventually, I fall asleep.

5. Yes, I often use a diary to plan. Initially, I write my tasks, and finally, I check them off.

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Part 2 Sample Answer
One day I remember well was my first day at university. At first, I felt very nervous walking into the campus. Then, I met some classmates, which made me feel more relaxed. Meanwhile, other students were exploring the library and clubs. Afterwards, we all attended the welcome lecture. Eventually, I felt much more confident, and finally, I realised that university life would be exciting.

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✦ Comprehension Test: Linking Words for Time

1. "At first, I found IELTS listening difficult."
Q: What was the speaker’s first impression of listening?

2. "Initially, the company focused only on domestic markets."
Q: Where did the company focus first?

3. "We visited the museum, then went to the park."
Q: What did they do after the museum?

4. "We had dinner and afterwards went for a walk."
Q: What happened after dinner?

5. "The new law was passed; subsequently, crime rates fell."
Q: What happened after the law was passed?

6. "She was studying in her room; meanwhile, her brother was watching TV."
Q: What was the brother doing?

7. "The two projects started at the same time."
Q: When did the projects start?

8. "We got lost but eventually found the right road."
Q: What happened in the end?

9. "Finally, we reached the top of the mountain."
Q: What happened at the end of the climb?

10. "First of all, let me explain the background of the issue."
Q: What is the speaker going to explain first?

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✦ Answer Key

1. It was difficult.

2. Domestic markets.

3. Went to the park.

4. Went for a walk.

5. Crime rates fell.

6. Watching TV.

7. At the same time.

8. Found the right road.

9. Reached the top.

10. The background of the issue.

 

📖 Tom Sawyer – Chapter 14 (Adapted for English Learners)

Title: Pirates at Play

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Life on the Island

Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Joe Harper woke on Jackson’s Island to the sound of birds singing and the warm sun on their faces. For a moment, they forgot everything about home. They were free—no school, no chores, no rules.

They cooked breakfast over the campfire and then went swimming in the Mississippi River. They played at sword-fighting with sticks, shouting like real pirates. “Surrender, you dog!” Joe cried, as Tom leapt at him dramatically. Huck laughed so hard he nearly fell into the water.

All morning they explored the island, eating berries, climbing trees, and pretending to be fearsome outlaws.

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First Doubts

But by the afternoon, a quiet feeling settled over them. The laughter grew softer. Huck was the first to speak.

“Do you reckon Aunt Polly’s worried, Tom?”
Tom frowned. “Maybe. But pirates don’t worry about mothers or aunts. We’re free men now.”

Joe didn’t look convinced. He kicked the dirt with his foot. “I wonder if my mother misses me,” he muttered.

The boys tried to push away their doubts. They built another fire, roasted fish, and sang songs until night fell.

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A Surprise on the River

The next day, they were swimming again when Huck suddenly pointed to the horizon. “Look!”

A small boat was gliding along the river, and behind it came more boats. People were calling, searching the water with long poles.

The boys crouched behind bushes, watching. Then they heard a voice call out from a boat:

“Poor boys! We’ll find them if we can!”

The boys froze. They realized the truth—these were search parties. Everyone in town thought they had drowned.

Tom’s stomach twisted. He pictured Aunt Polly crying, Sid looking smug, and Mary praying. A strange mixture of pride and guilt washed over him. People were mourning them as if they were dead.

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A Secret Plan

That night, while Huck and Joe slept, Tom stayed awake, staring into the fire. An idea came to him—a daring plan.

He would sneak back into town, not to return home, but to spy on what people were saying. Maybe, he thought, he could even plan a surprise that would make their adventure unforgettable.

Smiling to himself, Tom crept closer to the fire, wrapped his jacket around him, and whispered, “They’ll never forget the Pirates of Jackson’s Island.”

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📘 Glossary

Word	Meaning
Chores	Small jobs at home, like cleaning or feeding animals
Surrender	To give up in a fight
Outlaws	People who live outside the law, often criminals
Reckon	(informal) Think or believe
Search parties	Groups of people looking for someone who is lost
Mourning	Showing sadness for someone thought to be dead
Spy	To watch secretly

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. How did the boys spend their first morning on the island?

2. Why did they begin to feel doubtful in the afternoon?

3. What did the boys see on the river the next day?

4. Why did the townspeople think the boys were dead?

5. What secret plan did Tom think of at night?

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✅ Answers

1. They cooked breakfast, swam, explored, and played pirate games.

2. They began to think about their families and whether they were missed.

3. Boats searching the river with people calling out.

4. Because they believed the boys had drowned.

5. To sneak back into town and spy on what people were saying, planning a surprise.

 

✦ IELTS Speaking Practice – Linking Words for Comparison

Part 1: Introduction & Interview

1. Do you prefer cities or the countryside? (Make a comparison)

2. Do you think men and women have similar hobbies?

3. Do you study better alone or with others?

4. Do you think schools today are different from the past?

5. Do you think young people and old people share similar interests?

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Part 2: Cue Card

Describe two things that are similar.
You should say:

• what they are

• how they are similar

• why they are similar
  and use at least three linking words for comparison.

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✦ Sample Answers Using the Phrases

Part 1

1. Cities are busy, whereas the countryside is calmer. But in the same way, both offer opportunities for relaxation.

2. Men enjoy football; likewise, women also play it more nowadays.

3. Studying alone helps me focus; in common with many students, I sometimes prefer group study too.

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Part 2 Sample Answer
I’d like to compare English and Spanish. Just as English is spoken widely around the world, Spanish is also an international language. Similarly, both languages have many regional accents. In a similar fashion, learning either one requires practice in reading, writing, and speaking.

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✦ Comprehension Test: Linking Words for Comparison

1. "Cities face housing problems; similarly, rural areas struggle with healthcare."
Q: What problem do rural areas face?

2. "Technology is advancing rapidly; likewise, education methods are changing."
Q: What else is changing like technology?

3. "Exercise improves health; in the same way, meditation benefits the mind."
Q: What benefits the mind?

4. "Just as reading improves vocabulary, speaking improves fluency."
Q: What improves fluency?

5. "Both skills are equally important for IELTS success."
Q: What two skills are important?

6. "The company expanded in Europe, in a similar fashion to its growth in Asia."
Q: Where did the company expand?

7. "Prices increased, and correspondingly, demand fell."
Q: What happened to demand?

8. "As with many modern cities, traffic is a serious issue here."
Q: What issue is common in modern cities?

9. "The cost of living in London is comparable to New York."
Q: What is being compared?

10. "In common with most students, I find listening practice challenging."
Q: What skill do many students find difficult?

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✦ Answer Key

1. Healthcare.

2. Education methods.

3. Meditation.

4. Speaking.

5. Reading and speaking.

6. Europe.

7. It fell.

8. Traffic.

9. Cost of living.

10. Listening practice.