How to Answer Questions in the IELTS Speaking Test-Step 2

How should one answer the part 2 of the IELTS Speaking module (also known as the individual long turn)? Read this post to find out.

Step 2: Individual Long Turn

• You will be given a topic card that usually has four instructions written on it. You will be given a minute to look at the card and think of your answer.
• Most of the time if not always, the examiner will tell you when you can start your talk about the topic. You have at least a minute until 2 minutes to talk about the topic given. As I've mentioned, you will usually encounter 4 instructions in the card. It would be wise to allot around 30 seconds in answering each instruction so that you can answer all four instructions in approximately 2 minutes. This way, you don't leave out any instruction unanswered.
• The examiner will not intervene in any way while you are giving your talk so don't ask him/her questions like "right?" "Don't you agree?" or "What do you think?".
• Make sure you have practiced talking for two minutes before the speaking test so that you already have the 'feel' of when your talk is already around 2 minutes. Even if you're wearing a watch, it's not okay if you keep on glancing at it to check your time.
• If you are not familiar with the topic, try to make a guess by looking at context clues in the instructions. Do not ask the examiner what is meant by the topic because you are supposed to talk without help in this part of the test.
• Be organized in giving your answer. It would be better to follow the order of the instructions in the topic card so as not to forget any instruction. Also, use words to bridge ideas together.

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How to Answer Questions in the IELTS Speaking Test-Step 1

If you have already read my previous posts about IELTS Speaking, then you most probably already know what to expect from this subtest of IELTS and what you are to do to create a good impression during the interview. Hence, what's left is how you are to answer questions in each part of this test. These are some tips for you:

Step 1: Introduction and Interview

• The examiner usually introduces himself/herself. Introduce yourself too in a relaxed and friendly manner. Say basic things about yourself just like when you introduce yourself to other people. If offered, shake the examiner's hand firmly to show your confidence. The examiner will get your identification (usually your passport) and will ask you to sit down.
• This part is the easiest part of the IELTS Speaking Test because all the topics are familiar to you...they are about you. Thus, there's no need to be nervous in answering the questions. Common questions are about your hometown, interests, family, job, studies, and other familiar topics.
• Since the questions will be based around those familiar topics, it will be better if you already have an answer for those questions beforehand. Practice answering those types of questions, but DO NOT memorize your answers. I don't advise memorization of answers because instead of helping you out, it might even be a disadvantage especially when you forget a word or two or if you sound as if you memorized the answer. Just have a mental outline of the things you will be mentioning as part of your answer, that'll do.
• Don't give very short answers to questions. Give additional information about your answer to have at least 2 or 3 sentences. For instance, you are asked about how many you are in the family. Don't just tell the examiner the number. Say something more about your family members.
• Don't be afraid to correct your mistakes in grammar or pronunciation. Self-correction means you know your English. However, don't make it too often.

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How to Make a Good Impression in the IELTS Speaking Test

• Like what I mentioned in my previous post, the IELTS speaking test takes only 11-14 minutes. How do you prove to the examiner you have the necessary English speaking skills in such a short amount of time? TALK. Yes, be willing to talk. Don't just answer questions with a 'yes' or 'no' (yeah, and 'maybe' too^^) Don't wait for the examiner to ask you a follow up question on the same topic to give more details. For instance, you are asked what your hometown is. Don't just mention the name of the hometown. Give the examiner more details about your hometown. Say something interesting about it. Mention its location, population or what it's famous for. The more you speak (just make sure what you're talking about is still related to the topic), the more bases the examiner will have in giving you a score.
• Be positive. Wear a smile (make sure it's genuine or at least looks genuine^^). Mention good things about yourself, your hometown, etc. This is not the time to release the critical side of yourself. It wouldn't make a good impression. Just imagine talking to someone who is so negative. You have probably experienced that and perhaps you wouldn't want to talk to that kind of person again.
• Like in any interview, be respectful of the interviewer. Do not sit down unless you are asked...but of course if you've already been standing there for quite some time, ask the examiner where you can probably sit. Also, greet the examiner. As for shaking hands,I think it would be better to let the examiner initiate it.
• Do not slouch when you sit because it would make you look overconfident or disrespectful. Sit straight and look attentive by sitting near the edge of your seat.
• Avoid wearing inappropriate clothes. Like what I said before, imagine that it's a job interview. For girls, don't wear very sexy outfits (with the long slits and plunging necklines) because your examiner might feel uncomfortable or distracted. For guys, try to put on something formal or at least a shirt with collar (instead of T-shirt). Try not to wear jeans and rubber shoes (and definitely not slippers). Wearing appropriate clothes gives an impression that you really prepared for the exam and are serious about it.
• Do not wear too many pieces of jewelry, especially the big distracting ones. (danglings, big chunky, flashy and colorful bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings) Keep it simple. Personally, I think the only piece of accessory you need is a wristwatch in order to keep yourself from talking too short or too long.
• Do not show them how nervous you are. (and please DO NOT TELL THEM you're nervous, or how relieved you are the exam is over, or that you're not good in English) Believe it or not, some people tend to do those and it wouldn't leave a nice impression. Being nervous and telling them you're not good in English is like already admitting you should not have taken the exam in the first place. If you don't believe in yourself, why would they? right?
• Avoid looking at the examiner's table especially at what he or she is writing while you are talking. Some might think that you're trying to read their comments. I heard of one incident before that an examinee was asked by the examiner to sit in the middle of the room instead of next to his or her table because the examiner thought the interviewee was looking at what he/she was writing. Also, instead of just spending 11-14 minutes in the speaking test, the examinee had to stay for around 20 minutes because the interviewer was so angry with him/her.
• Establish eye contact. This would show your confidence and this can also be a way to get the examiner's attention. Avoid staring at the ceiling or the floor.
• Minimize unnecessary gestures and mannerisms that may be distracting to the examiner. Make sure your gestures can help stress your point instead of them showing your nervousness or lack of anything to say. (It's not the time to scratch your head or pick your nose...please.^^)
• Sound enthusiastic about what you are talking about. Feel what you are saying. Do not sound monotonous unless you want your examiner to fall asleep.
• Don't ask the examiner how well you did because they won't tell you anyway. Also, remember that the exam isn't over yet until you go out of the room so keep your composure until then.^^

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What to Expect in the IELTS Speaking Test

Some say that fear of some things is caused by lack of knowledge about them. I think this is true for the speaking subtest of the IELTS. If you know what to expect about the said subtest, you'll probably be less afraid, or should I say nervous about it, and with that confidence comes a higher chance of getting a better score. So, what are you to expect about the IELTS Speaking test?

• The speaking test may be scheduled differently from your written test date. For instance, you might take your speaking test the day after your written test or 2 days after it. However, in some cases, the test date of the speaking exam is the same. It might be later in the afternoon after the written tests. Make sure you know when your speaking test will be and where it will be held, for at times it's held in a different location.
• The speaking test will be in the form of a live/face to face interview with the examiner. Just imagine that you're going to a job interview; it's more or less like that, only that instead of proving yourself worthy of a job, here, you are proving that you are equipped with the English communication skills necessary in that certain job, country or agency you need to get into.
• The test will be around 11-14 minutes. Some may be relieved to know that it wouldn't take that long, but let me tell you that it might be to some people's disadvantage. Eleven to fourteen minutes may or may not be enough time for you to prove your English speaking skills. It will be up to you. During the interview, don't think of how much time is left (like when you were studying and you kept on looking at the class clock and hoped that the school bell would already ring.^^) Instead, think of how you could use such little time to give the examiner enough basis on giving you a good score.
• The test is recorded.
• The examiner may be a foreigner or a person from your country who has exceptional English speaking skills. Some examiners are friendly, some aren't. Some might nod or say 'yes' to let you know they understand what you mean and some might even laugh with you when a joke is mentioned. However, some might wear a blank expressionless face all throughout the interview. When faced with some examiners, keep your spirits up and just do your best. Maybe they just want to know how you'd react and how your English speaking skills would be affected in such a situation. Or maybe, it's really just their personality. Just remember that being interviewed by examiners like that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a low score. For all you know they might even give you a perfect score.^^
• The test is divided into 3 parts/steps.

Step 1 is the Introduction and Interview part which will last from 4-5 minutes. Here, you are to introduce yourself and tall about topics which are very familiar to you such as your family, your job, your hobbies, your hometown, etc.

Step 2 is the Individual Long Turn wherein you will be asked to talk in some detail about a topic written on the card that will be given to you. Once the examiner gives you the card, you will have 1 minute to think of what you will say about the said topic. Then, you will have around 2 minutes to give your talk, without any interference from the examiner.

Step 3 is the Two-Way Discussion where you will be asked questions related to the topic you talked about in step 2. The questions here are more difficult than in steps 1 and 2. You might be asked to give your opinions, describe in detail, compare situations, among others.

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IELTS Speaking Assessment Areas

In order to get good scores in the speaking module of the IELTS, you would need to know the speaking assessment areas. Below are the 4 areas of speaking ability to be assessed:

Time: 11-14 minutes

Parts/Steps: 3

4 Areas of Speaking Ability to be Assessed:

1. Fluency and coherence-Does the examiner need to exert much effort in order to understand you? Does your speech flow smoothly or does it have a lot of pauses?
2. Lexical Resource-Do you use expressions and vocabulary correctly? Do you have a wide range of vocabulary or do you keep on repeating the same expressions and words?
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy-Is your English grammar accurate?
4. Pronunciation-Do you use the right intonation patterns, stress and sounds of English?

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A Blog Carnival of English Learning - October 23, 2008

Welcome to the October 23, 2008 edition of a blog carnival of english learning.

Jimmy Foo presents Eleanor and the Magic Lamp posted at 50/ CINQUENTA.

Wakish presents Writing A Pillar Article - Know What Is A Pillar Article And What It Takes! posted at Wakish Wonderz.
Wakish presents Knowledge - An Important Word In All Important Inspirational Words Of Important People Wakish Wonderz posted at Wakish Wonderz.
Wakish presents Method For Presentation Of Topics Wakish Wonderz posted at Wakish Wonderz.
Wakish presents How to write good english Wakish Wonderz posted at Wakish Wonderz.

One Language presents Learn English Articles » Blog Archive » Some Tips for Navigating Nouns in English posted at Learn English Articles, saying, "Here are some tips for getting nouns right in English."

Spanish Kit presents Using Connecting Words In Spanish posted at Learn Spanish Blog, saying, "Some tips on using connecting words in Spanish for people who are interested in learning Spanish."

English Subject presents Avoiding Tricky English Grammar Mistakes posted at English Tutorial, saying, "Some ideas on avoiding some of the tricky mistakes that you might learn into while learning english"

Sarah Scrafford presents 100+ Free Open Courseware Links for Web Designers posted at eLearning Gurus.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips

Below are tips on how to ace writing task 2 of the IELTS:

Time: 40 minutes

Minimum Number of words: 250

Task Type: Essay

IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips:

l There are 2 types of questions that maybe asked in task 2: argument and account. For the argument type, the question would most likely be a yes/no question where you would be presented with an issue/argument and you are to take sides and support your opinion. For the account type, the question would most likely begin with what and how. You will most likely be given a problem or situation and you're asked to describe, enumerate or present a likely solution.

l First, you ought to identify what the question type is so that you can plan how to address the task.

l Plan the answer by outlining what side you'll take (for arguments) or what things you are asked to describe (for accounts). Then, plan the number of paragraphs by knowing what your topic/opinion would be for each paragraph.

l For argument types of questions, make sure you've chosen a side. It's also possible to have a neutral opinion but that would be more difficult to defend, so I suggest you take a side. Then, balance the argument by explaining both sides but giving more weight on the side you chose. Give at least 3 reasons for your chosen side. Then, explain them and give examples.

l For account types of questions, make sure you answer all questions in the tasks.

l Use left and right margins.

l You can indent the first line of each paragraph or you can use the block style but leave a space between paragraphs.

l Don't split your words. If the last word on the line is too long, just put it on the next line.

l Avoid using contractions (ex. Don't, can't, it's) and acronyms in task 1.

l It is said that it's better to use cursive writing in the writing tasks. However, make sure you write legibly.

l In making mistakes, just cross out the error with one line instead of covering the whole word with ink or putting it inside parentheses.

l Don't use double spacing and don't write with very big letters just so your report would reach the end of the second page. Around 10 words per line would be okay.

l Avoid using question marks and exclamation marks because formal writing doesn't make use of them.

l Make sure your grammar and spelling are correct.

l Unlike task 1, you can write a conclusion for task 2.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Tips (Academic)

Written below are the things you must know about the IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic Module):

Time: 20 minutes

Minimum Number of Words: 150

Task Type: Interpreting and presenting information based on a graph, table, chart, diagram, pictures, etc.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Tips:

l Make sure you thoroughly understand the instructions to begin on the right track.

l Manage your time wisely by planning the number of paragraphs and what you will cover for each paragraph. Make a mental outline of what you want to say.

l You can start your introduction by telling the readers what it is you are supposed to interpret. Is it a graph? A table? (ex. The graph shows.... ) Then, follow it with what information that graph/table shows. You can look at the title, x and y axes (if it's a graph), pie slices, etc.) for clues on what main ideas to convey. Yes, start with the main ideas first. What in general does the graph show?(ex. The graph shows the sales figures of Honda cars in Australia from 1995 to 2005.

l From the general point of view, you can then move on to the supporting details by presenting the specific figures or detailed description of the diagram (whatever the case maybe).

l If you are not sure of the exact number you are to present, you can use words like 'approximately, around, nearly, almost, about, just over' before the figure.

l For expressing changes in the data, you can use verbs such as 'rose, increased, peaked, doubled, jumped, decreased, fell, dropped, fluctuated,' and other such words to describe the kind of changes that took place. If you would rather use nouns instead of verbs to describe the changes, it's also okay. Just use the noun form of the words mentioned.

l To give readers a more vivid picture of the data changes, you can add adverbs to describe the verbs (ex. Suddenly rose, gradually decreased...and so on). If you are using nouns to describe the changes though, you will have to use adjectives to make the description clearer. (ex. A sudden increase, a gradual decrease...and so on)

l There's no need to write a title nor a conclusion for task 1.

l Use left and right margins.

l You can indent the first line of each paragraph or you can use the block style but leave a space between paragraphs.

l Don't split your words. If the last word on the line is too long, just put it on the next line.

l Avoid using contractions (ex. Don't, can't, it's) and acronyms in task 1.

l It is said that it's better to use cursive writing in the writing tasks. However, make sure you write legibly.

l In making mistakes, just cross out the error with one line instead of covering the whole word with ink or putting it inside parentheses.

l Don't use double spacing and don't write with very big letters just so your report would reach the end of the second page. Around 10 words per line would be okay.

l Avoid using question marks and exclamation marks because formal writing doesn't make use of them.

l Make sure your grammar and spelling are correct.

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IELTS Reading Tips

Below are IELTS Reading tips that could help you ace the reading section of the IELTS:

• Read and follow the instructions. Although some might think this is a waste of time, it'sactually a time saver and it increases your chances of writing accurate answers. For instance, not all multiple choice questions only ask for one answer. Sometimes you are instructed to choose 2 or even 3 answers. If you can't give the right number of answers, you'll get it wrong.
• Examine and learn from the examples for they give you a clue on what kind and form of answers you are supposed to give.
• Use your time wisely. There are 3 passages and you have only 1 hour to answer all 40questions. Hence, you have approximately 20 minutes to spend per passage. However, if you can spend more time on passages 2 and 3, that would be better since they are more difficult than the 1st passage and thus need more attention.
• Unlike the Listening subtest in which you will be given time to transfer your answers on the answer sheet, in the Reading subtest you have to write your answers on the answer sheet right there and then.
• If you are not a fast reader, it is not advisable to read the passages right away. It would be better to read with a reason first in mind in order to predict what information you need or might need. So what are the important things to read in this part of the test? Read the title, the headings or subtitles if there are any, the bold and italized words, the instructions and examples, the questions and look at pictures, graphs or diagrams included in the passage. All of these will give you clues on the important information you will need for your answers. Sometimes, even without reading the whole passage, you'd be able to answer the questions correctly just by looking at the things I mentioned above.
• Use your scanning skills to find specific information and use your skimming skills to get main ideas.
• Read the topic sentence of each paragraph. The topic sentence is the sentence that summarizes the meaning of the whole paragraph. It is usually found at the first sentence. However, it can also be found at times in the last sentence of the paragraph or in the middle of the paragraph. Sometimes, however, it can't be found in just one sentence because it is only implied. If this is the case, you'll need to use your skimming skills.
• If the passage is a little technical and there are words used there you can't understand, try to find the glossary of the passage where you can find the difficult words' meanings.
• Read around the keywords to find the answers. The keywords can be taken from the questions. Find words similar in meaning in the paragraphs and read around them to find the information you need.
• If there's any question regarding a number or date, find the answer for that question first, since numbers are easier to locate in paragraphs than words.
• Usually, the answers come in the same order as the questions. Hence, the answer to question number one will most likely be found in the first paragraphs and the last question's answer can be found in the last paragraph.
  

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IELTS Reading

Below are the things you ought to know about IELTS Reading:

Time: 60 minutes

Number of Questions: 40

Passages: 3

Difficulty: next passages more difficult than the one before it

Passage Topics: general interest

IELTS Reading questions types:

*mutiple choice

*sentence completion

*matching type

*true/false

*gapfill

*classification

*short-answer questions

*table/chart/diagram completion

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A Blog Carnival of English Learning-1st edition

Welcome to the October 16, 2008 edition of a blog carnival of english learning.

Christina presents Teaching English learners posted at Early Childhood Teacher.

English tips

Heather Johnson presents 100 Free Self-Assessment Tools to Choose Your College, Major, and Career posted at eLearning Gurus.

literature

NAOMI presents SHAKESPEARE IS IN DA HOUSE! posted at Diary From England.

others

One Family presents List Of Elementary Public School Textbooks - ISBN Numbers, Used And List Prices posted at One Family's Blog, saying, "The post lists the textbooks used in Elementary Public Schools in the US with full details on ISBN numbers and pricing."

Crystal Heyland presents Web Resources in one site posted at Site4Teachers.com, saying, "My website is for English teachers, as well as ALL teachers! Here you will find tips, ideas, resources and freebies for Teachers! There are great resources (including online sites) that will help in teaching English as well as other subjects. Come visit!"

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IELTS Listening Tips

Below are the IELTS listening tips you'll need in order to get a satisfactory score in the listening section of the IELTS:

• Read the instructions carefully. Why? Because even if you would get the right answer, it would be no use if you didn't follow the instructions. For instance, the instructions tell you to write no more than 3 words and you ignoring the instructions, wrote 4 words. Even if the content of your answer is the same, you would still be marked wrong.
• Look at the examples given. They will give you a clue as to what kind and form of answers you will need. How are you supposed to write the date? (Should the day or the month come first?) What number do you need? (ordinal or cardinal number)
• Learn to predict the answer. Before you get to listen to the tape, you will be given time to look at the questions first. You can use that time to read the questions and know what type of information you will need to get from the conversation or talk. Are you supposed to get a name? An address? A number? A date? A place? With this in mind, you can already predict what the answers are or at least what you are supposed to listen for in the conversation or talk.
• Listen carefully. Remember that in the actual exam you only get to listen to the tape once so focus, focus, focus.
• Manage your time wisely. You will be advised when to look at the questions, which parts to focus on and when to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Know when you're supposed to move on to the next question or section or else the tape might have already ended and you're still stuck on section 1, waiting for the answer to one of the questions there. You will hear some phrases that would tell you when you already need to move on to the next question. Hearing markers such as 'next, then, we'll now move on to, that's it, and what about', etc. means the topic is already changing.
• Your answers should be grammatically correct. Even if you heard the answer in the form of a noun but what's needed in the question is a verb, you have to change the answer's form into what is being asked.
• Listen for synonyms and antonyms. The words used in the questions may not be the same as the form of the answer you will hear from the conversation or talk; thus, you have to be alert and expect similar terms will be given as the answer not the exact words to be seen on the paper. Also, different varieties of English would be used so some terms in Britain can be repeated with using American English, etc. so if the answer is ‘apartment’, don’t expect the exact same word to be used. You might hear the word ‘flat’ instead. (apartment is the same as flat)
• The answers are often repeated, sometimes by the same speaker and sometimes by another speaker. The answers may be repeated in exactly the same words or maybe just their synonyms will be mentioned. So if you think you missed the answer or didn't hear the answer the first time, don't panic because chances are you will hear the answer again. Just stay focused. Listen to the stressed words too, for answers aside from being repeated are stressed often.
• Listen until the part of the talk or conversation that supposedly answers the question is finished before writing your answer because before the conversation ends the speaker might take back what he or she said and change his or her answer.
• Your answers must be spelled correctly especially when they are spelled out in the conversation or talk. Correct answers spelled incorrectly will be marked wrong.
• Are your answers easy to read? They'd better be or all your efforts might go down the drain.

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IELTS Listening

Time: approximately 30 minutes; 20 minutes for listening to the tape and 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the answer sheet
Number of Questions: 40 questions

Section 1: This section is all about situations encountered in life and in the society such as travel arragements, planning trips, etc. You will be hearing a conversation between 2 people.

Section 2: Just like section 1, this section is about life and social situations. However, unlike the first task, you will usually hear only one person speaking here like in a news broadcast or a description of something.

Section 3: The topics in this section will be mainly about education and training. The conversation to be heard usually involves 2-4 people. The speakers might talk about some school projects or changes in school. It can also be a conversation between teachers and students regarding homework or career options.

Section 4: This section will also be about education and training, but there will only be one speaker who might give a lecture about certain subjects or topics of general interest.

Types of IELTS Listening question tasks:
*gapfill
*matching type
*true/false questions
*multiple choice
*sentence completion
*labelling diagrams
*table/chart completion
*short-answer questions

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IELTS Overview

This post shows an overview of IELTS.
Ielts - Upload a Document to Scribd

IELTS FAQS

1. How long does the exam take? It takes approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes to finish the test.
2. What is the passing score for IELTS? There is no passing or failing mark. The score you will need to get will depend on the university, employer and/or country you wish to study or work in.
3. If I didn't get the score I needed to get, can I take the test again? Yes, you may take IELTS as many times as you like so long as you wait for 3 months before taking it again. It's the time thought to be necessary to improve your English skills and get a higher band score.
4. Does the result of the IELTS expire? Yes, the usefulness of the test result form you will receive after taking IELTS expires in two years.
5. Can I write on the question papers? Yes, you may, but make sure you don't take them out of the examination room.
6. When do I expect to get the results of my exam? You will get it 2 weeks after you have taken the test.
7. How do they computer the overall band score? You will receive a mark from 0-9 in the subtests. These scores will be added and then divided by 4 (because there are four subtests). Then, the fractional scores will be rounded up to the nearest x.0 or x.5 (with x.25 and x.75 rounded up). For instance, your overall band score is 6.125, this score will then be rounded down to 6. If you got 6.25 on the other hand, your score will be rounded up to 6.5.
8. Where can I get more information about IELTS and how to register? Click this link-http://www.ielts.org/

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What is IELTS?

I taught IELTS for many years. I met a lot of people in my country, especially those in the medical field, who had to take this examination before they could be allowed to work in English speaking countries. So, what is this IELTS?

IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing System. It's actually designed to assess the English language abilities of candidates who wish to pursue their studies in colleges or universities in English-speaking countries. It is also used to test the English communication abilities of those who would like to work and migrate there.

IELTS has two test modules available:

Academic Module—test taken by those who would like to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level

General Training Module—test taken by those who would like to continue their studies at a diploma level only; also used for immigration purposes and those who would like to finish their secondary education in an English-speaking country

Under these modules are subtests (which are sometimes also called modules). There are four of these subtests:

Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking

The Reading and Writing subtests in the General Training Module are less difficult compared to their Academic counterparts. The Listening and Speaking subtests on the other hand, are just the same for both modules.

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Subject and Predicate

How do we distinguish between subjects and predicates? It will be hard for English learners to understand many concepts and rules on English if these two are not that understood yet.

Subject-the person or thing being talked about in the sentence
Predicate-tells something about the subject

ex. He swims. (He is the subject and swims is the predicate.)
The old woman dressed in red looks very lonely. (The old woman dressed in red is the subject and the predicate is looks very lonely.)

It is easy to find where the subject and the predicate is if we will try to find the verb. The verb is the line that separates subjects from predicates.

Interjections

Among all the parts of speech, I think interjections are the easiest to understand. They are word/s used to show sudden feelings like surprise, anger, fear, pain, disgust, dismay or even disappointment. It's easy to find interjections within paragraphs for they are generally followed by exclamation marks. It's also grammatically independent, so it can be placed or omitted from sentences without much difference in the meaning of the sentences.

There are 2 types of interjections:

Pure interjections-ex. Ah! Alas! Oh! Ouch! Tsk-Tsk! Wow! Whew!

Other Parts of Speech Used as Interjections-ex. Listen! Get out! What a pity!

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words in a sentence used to join words or groups of words. There are 3 kinds of conjunctions:

1. Coordinating-They connect words, phrases, or clauses of the same rank. To remember coordinating conjunctions well, remember the acronym-FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
ex. Bacon and egg is his breakfast. ('And' joins two nouns-bacon and egg.)
Under the stars and over the sea he went to find her. ('And' joined two equal phrases.)
Touya cooks the lunch, and Yukito prepared the table. ('And' joined two independent clauses.)

2. Subordinating-They introduce dependent clauses and join them with independent clauses. The most common subordinating conjunctions are when, that, while, because, although, though, since, after, as, if, until, as if, as though, so that, and in order that.
ex. I will stay here because I love you. (Because I love you is the dependent clause joined with the independent clause I will stay by using the word because.)

3. Correlatives-They are conjunctions used in pairs like as...as, both...and, so...as, either...or, neither...nor, not...only, but...also, though...yet.
ex. Either Mike or Jerry will go to the farm.