Original BandLadder material
Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, word cards with meanings and examples (heavy traffic, traffic congestion, a long commute and exhaust fumes), a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.
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The first 3 of 9 cards
true, but it says almost nothing
A lot of, good and bad fit any topic, so they tell your reader little about transport. A precise pair does.
Cities have a lot of traffic,when? how slow? so going to work is badbad how? and the buses are not good.late? crowded?
Better: heavy traffic means a long commute on unreliable buses.
ask what exactly goes wrong
| Vague | Precise |
|---|---|
| a lot of traffic | heavy traffic |
| bad buses | an unreliable service |
| going to work | the daily commute |
| fix the traffic | ease congestion |
| get there faster | cut journey times |
| a tourist place | a tourist destination |
IELTS Band 7: "an awareness of style and collocation". PTE Essay scores vocabulary as its own trait.
noun phrases for what goes wrong
Roadworks mean heavy traffic on the bridge.
Buses run late because of traffic congestion.
Cheaper homes often come with a long commute.
Cyclists breathe in exhaust fumes at junctions.
Card 4 of 9 onwards
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The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.
Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.
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