Passage Reference: I'm going to focus on the Icelandic language, which is spoken by around 321,000 people, most of whom live in Iceland, an island in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write 320,000 or three hundred thousand, but IELTS requires the exact number. This is a number/spelling trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'spoken by around 321,000 people' = Notes: 'has approximately [number] speakers'

Tips: Write numbers exactly as you hear them.

Key Vocabulary:

• approximately = about

Question Focus: Synonym match - 'words' paraphrased as 'vocabulary'

Correct Answer: vocabulary

Passage Reference: In fact, the vocabulary of Icelandic is continually increasing, because when speakers need a new word for something, they tend to create one rather than borrowing from another language.

Why this is correct: The speaker says the vocabulary is continually increasing. The notes paraphrase this as 'has a ___ that is still growing'.

Common Mistake: Writing language or words is wrong because you must copy the exact word from the recording. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the vocabulary of Icelandic is continually increasing' = Notes: 'has a vocabulary that is still growing'

Tips: Always copy the exact word you hear, not a synonym.

Key Vocabulary:

• vocabulary = words of a language

Question Focus: Distractor trap - example list of digital terms

Correct Answer: podcast

Passage Reference: Then there's an Icelandic word for 'podcast', which is too hard to pronounce, and so on.

Why this is correct: The speaker gives podcast as another example of a computer-based concept with its own Icelandic word.

Common Mistake: Some students write browser because it is mentioned first. That misses the second example. This is a sequence trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'an Icelandic word for podcast' = Notes: 'computer-based concepts, such as web browser and podcast'

Tips: Listen carefully when the speaker lists more than one example.

Key Vocabulary:

• podcast = online audio program

Question Focus: Synonym match - example of digital technology

Correct Answer: smartphones

Passage Reference: Think about smartphones. They didn't even exist until comparatively recently. But today, young people use them all the time to read books, watch TV or films, play games, listen to music, and so on.

Why this is correct: The speaker highlights smartphones as a key example of digital technology young people use all the time.

Common Mistake: Students may write computers or internet, but those are not the word the speaker uses here. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'Think about smartphones' = Notes: 'digital technology, such as smartphones'

Tips: Examples often come right after phrases like 'think about'.

Key Vocabulary:

• smartphone = mobile phone with internet

Question Focus: Synonym match - effect of English exposure

Correct Answer: bilingual

Passage Reference: Obviously, this is a good thing in many respects because it promotes their bilingual skills.

Why this is correct: The speaker says exposure to English promotes their bilingual skills, meaning they are becoming bilingual.

Common Mistake: Writing fluent here is wrong because fluency is discussed later. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'promotes their bilingual skills' = Notes: 'are becoming bilingual very quickly'

Tips: Listen for adjectives after phrases like 'are becoming'.

Key Vocabulary:

• bilingual = speaking two languages

Question Focus: Context shift trap - place at school

Correct Answer: playground

Passage Reference: For example, teachers have found that playground conversations in Icelandic secondary schools can be conducted entirely in English

Why this is correct: The speaker says playground conversations can be entirely in English. This tells you the location.

Common Mistake: Students may write classroom, but that is not what the speaker says. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'playground conversations' = Notes: 'discussions using only English while they are in the playground'

Tips: Listen for place words like 'in', 'at', or 'on'.

Key Vocabulary:

• playground = school outdoor area

Question Focus: Synonym match - describing visual content

Correct Answer: picture

Passage Reference: teachers of much younger children have reported situations where their classes find it easier to say what is in a picture using English rather than Icelandic.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that children find it easier to say what is in a picture using English.

Common Mistake: Writing photo or image is wrong because you must use the exact word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'what is in a picture' = Notes: 'identify the content of a picture'

Tips: Do not change the form of the word you hear.

Key Vocabulary:

• picture = image

Question Focus: Partial truth trap - reason companies avoid Icelandic

Correct Answer: grammar

Passage Reference: The other drawback of Icelandic is the grammar, which is significantly more complex than in most languages.

Why this is correct: The speaker says the grammar is significantly more complex, which discourages tech companies.

Common Mistake: Students may write vocabulary, which is mentioned earlier, but the problem here is grammar. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the grammar, which is significantly more complex' = Notes: 'how complicated its grammar is'

Tips: Be careful when the speaker contrasts different problems.

Key Vocabulary:

• grammar = language structure

Question Focus: Synonym match - cultural concern

Correct Answer: identity

Passage Reference: When you consider how much of the past is tied up in a language, will young Icelanders lose their sense of their own identity?

Why this is correct: The speaker worries young Icelanders may lose their identity as Icelanders.

Common Mistake: Writing culture is tempting, but the speaker uses identity. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'lose their sense of their own identity' = Notes: 'may lose their identity as Icelanders'

Tips: Listen for abstract nouns near the end of the talk.

Key Vocabulary:

• identity = sense of who you are

Question Focus: Negation trap - not fully fluent

Correct Answer: fluent

Passage Reference: If children are learning two languages through different routes, neither of which they are fully fluent in, will they be able to express themselves properly

Why this is correct: The speaker questions whether children will be fully fluent in either language.

Common Mistake: Students may write bilingual, but the issue here is fluency, not number of languages. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'neither of which they are fully fluent in' = Notes: 'not being fluent in either Icelandic or English'

Tips: Pay attention to negatives like 'not' and 'neither'.

Key Vocabulary:

• fluent = able to speak easily

General Tips:

• FIB answers follow the order of the recording. Use the previous answer to predict when the next one is coming.
• Always check the word limit. One extra word makes the answer wrong.
• Copy the exact word or number you hear. Do not change it to a synonym.
• Listen for signpost words like 'for example', 'but', or 'however'. The answer often comes right after.
• The speaker may contrast ideas. Make sure you choose the word that matches the correct context.