If you are studying on your own. Improve your IELTS Writing Skills is designed to guide you step-by-step through the activities. This book is also completely self-contained: a clear and accessible key is provided so that you can easily check your answers as you work through the book. In addition, there is a sample answer to accompany each Task 1 and Task 2 question. | Comparing information 7 Rewrite the following sentences using the given words so that the meaning is the same. a Far more PhD students read over twelve articles a week compared with junior lecturers. Far fewer. b The average student reads fewer journal articles than the average junior lecturer. The average junior lecturer. c The other students at the university do not read as many articles as the average PhD student. The average PhD student. d Junior lecturers do not have as much time to read articles as those students who are researching for a PhD. Those students who are researching for a PhD. Describing proportions 8 The phrases in the list are alternative ways of describing proportions. Divide the list into four groups that each have similar meanings. three quarters almost half one third 75 per cent one in three nearly half 26 per cent 48 per cent about one in four 33 per cent three out of four just under one half just over a quarter close to one half 9 These adjective-noun collocations can also be used to describe proportions. Write the adjectives next to the correct meaning in the table. the vast majority a tiny minority a massive 85 per cent a modest twelve per cent a hefty 85 per cent a mere twelve per cent the overwhelming majority Very big Very big used before numbers Very small Not very big used before numbers 3 Technique Vary the way you express proportions -sometimes use words instead of numbers. a a a 10 Rewrite sentences a-e replacing the phrases in italics with an alternative expression. We see from the chart that 23 per cent of students failed to finish their university degree. In 1990 nine out of ten engineering students were male but by 2000 this figure had fallen to exactly three quarters. a b c In 1960 34 per cent of science graduates went into the teaching profession but in 1970 the figure was just ten percent. d Exactly one halfot the student population were members of the union in 2001 but five years later the figure was 64 per cent. e .
