Attitudes to language: reading answers and analysis
Why debates about language get so heated, and the two opposing approaches behind them. Prescriptivists say one variety is correct and set rules; descriptivists, as early as Priestley in the 18th century, say grammarians should record how people really speak. Today each side paints an unfair picture of the other.
The YES / NO / NOT GIVEN statements (1-8) follow the passage from paragraph 1 to the end. The summary (9-12) covers paragraphs 3-5, and the purpose question (13) needs the whole text.
Answer key and self-check
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the passage yet. Every question number jumps to its explanation.
How to attack this block: Two NOs depend on small words: an 'as easily as' comparison, and 'already' with a date. The NOT GIVEN mentions 18th-century grammar books, which the passage discusses, but adds something it never covers.
Question 1
Answer: YESParagraph 1, third and fourth sentences
Does the writer think it makes sense that people argue about language?
Language belongs to everyone, so most people feel they have a right to hold an opinion about it. And when opinions differ, emotions can run high.
Question says → Passage says
understandable reasonsLanguage belongs to everyone, so / As a result
arguments occuremotions can run high / Arguments can start
Why: The writer explains why arguments happen: everyone owns language, so everyone has an opinion, and differing opinions stir emotions. Paragraph 2 adds that language is public and tied to identity. Giving reasons that make sense is YES.
The trap: The first lines say debate 'deteriorates into invective and polemic', which sounds critical. The writer dislikes how the debate goes, but still explains why it happens.
Question 2
Answer: NOParagraph 1, last sentence
Do people get more worked up about language education than about small usage points?
Arguments can start as easily over minor points of usage as over major policies of linguistic education.
Question says → Passage says
small differences in language usageminor points of usage
language educationmajor policies of linguistic education
more strongly… thanas easily… as
Why: 'As easily… as' puts the two on the same level. The statement says one causes stronger feelings than the other, which contradicts the writer's equal comparison.
The trap: 'Major' versus 'minor' makes it look as if education matters more. The writer's point is that even minor points trigger arguments just as easily.
Question 3
Answer: YESParagraph 2, second sentence
Does someone's use of language affect how intelligent we think they are?
linguistic factors influence how we judge personality, intelligence, social status, educational standards, job aptitude
Question says → Passage says
Our assessment ofhow we judge
is affected by the way he or she uses languagelinguistic factors influence
Why: 'Judge' is 'assessment', 'influence' is 'affected by', and intelligence is on the list. A direct YES.
The trap: The list is long, so you may skim past 'intelligence'. Find the exact word before deciding.
Question 4
Answer: NOT GIVENParagraph 4, first sentence
Were 18th-century prescriptive grammar books expensive?
All the main languages have been studied prescriptively, especially in the 18th century approach to the writing of grammars and dictionaries.
Question says → Passage says
Prescriptive grammar books… in the 18th centurythe 18th century approach to the writing of grammars
Why: The writer describes what 18th-century grammarians wanted and how authoritarian they were. Price is never mentioned.
The trap: There's a lot of detail about these books, so it feels like the passage must say something about them as products. It says nothing about cost.
Question 5
Answer: YESParagraph 5, first sentence
Is prescriptivism still around today?
These attitudes are still with us, and they motivate a widespread concern that linguistic standards should be maintained.
Question says → Passage says
still exists todayare still with us
PrescriptivismThese attitudes
Why: 'These attitudes' points back to the prescriptive approach of paragraph 4, and 'still with us' means they exist today. Paragraph 6 confirms it: prescriptivists are still arguing 'in our own time'.
The trap: Paragraph 4 is all in the past tense ('In this early period'), which makes some students think prescriptivism is history. Read the next sentence.
Question 6
Answer: YESParagraph 5, third sentence
Do descriptivists think trying to stop language change is pointless?
to record the facts of linguistic diversity, and not to attempt the impossible tasks of evaluating language variation or halting language change
Question says → Passage says
pointless to trynot to attempt the impossible tasks
stop language changehalting language change
Why: The descriptive approach calls halting change an 'impossible task' that shouldn't be attempted. Trying the impossible is pointless, so YES.
The trap: 'Impossible' and 'pointless' aren't the same word, which worries some students. If something can't be done, trying is pointless.
Question 7
Answer: NOParagraph 5, fourth sentence
Did descriptivism only start after the 18th century?
In the second half of the 18th century, we already find advocates of this view, such as Joseph Priestley
Question says → Passage says
Descriptivismadvocates of this view
only appeared after the 18th centuryIn the second half of the 18th century, we already find
Why: Priestley was arguing for description in 1761, so descriptivism was already there during the 18th century. 'Already' shows it was earlier than you might expect.
The trap: The writer calls it 'the modern linguistic approach', which suggests it's recent. Modern use doesn't mean it started later.
Question 8
Answer: YESParagraph 6
Have both camps been described unfairly?
the opposition between 'descriptivists' and 'prescriptivists' has often become extreme, with both sides painting unreal pictures of the other
Question says → Passage says
Both descriptivists and prescriptivistsboth sides
have been misrepresentedpainting unreal pictures of the other
Why: An 'unreal picture' of someone is a misrepresentation, and the writer says both sides do it to each other. The paragraph then gives the unfair portrait of each.
Summary completion (word list A-I)
Questions 9-12
How to attack this block: Decide first whether each gap needs a group of people or a thing. The list has near-misses for both: 'modern linguists' and 'language experts' for the people, 'formal language' and 'evaluation' for the things.
Question 9
Answer: HParagraph 3, first sentence
Which group believes only one form of language is correct?
prescriptivism is the view that one variety of language has an inherently higher value than others, and that this ought to be imposed on the whole of the speech community
Question says → Passage says
only one correct form of languageone variety of language has an inherently higher value / Adherents to this variety are said to speak or write 'correctly'
Why: Prescriptivism favours one variety and calls everything else 'incorrect'. The people who hold that view are prescriptivists, H.
The trap: D (formal language) is the favoured variety itself, but the gap follows 'According to', so it needs people, not a type of language. B (language experts) is too vague: both sides are experts.
Question 10
Answer: FParagraph 4, middle
What do prescriptive linguists treat as very important in grammar?
The authoritarian nature of the approach is best characterised by its reliance on 'rules' of grammar.
Question says → Passage says
place great importance onreliance on
grammatical ___'rules' of grammar
Why: The summary's 'grammatical ___' matches 'rules of grammar', and 'reliance on' shows how much weight they give them. F.
The trap: E (evaluation) is tempting because prescriptivists do judge usage. But 'evaluating language variation' appears in the descriptivist sentence as something not to attempt, and 'grammatical evaluation' isn't what they're said to rely on.
Question 11
Answer: AParagraph 5, middle
Which group does Joseph Priestley belong to?
it is the task of the grammarian to describe, not prescribe… we already find advocates of this view, such as Joseph Priestley
Question says → Passage says
Conversely, the view ofthere is an alternative point of view
such as Joseph Priestleysuch as Joseph Priestley
Why: Priestley is an advocate of the view that grammarians should 'describe, not prescribe'. People who describe are descriptivists, A.
The trap: G (modern linguists) is close because the writer says this view is now the modern approach. But Priestley wrote in 1761, so 'modern' doesn't fit him.
Question 12
Answer: CParagraph 5, Priestley quotation
What does Priestley think grammar should be based on?
'the custom of speaking is the original and only just standard of any language'
Question says → Passage says
popular speechthe custom of speaking
grammar should be based onthe original and only just standard
Why: 'The custom of speaking' means the way people normally speak, which is popular speech. For Priestley it's the only fair standard. C.
The trap: D (formal language) is the prescriptivists' standard, the exact opposite. I (change) links to descriptivists, but Priestley's quote is about speaking, not change.
Multiple choice
Question 13
How to attack this block: Look at how the passage moves: 18th century, then Priestley, then 'our own time'. It presents both views and doesn't argue for either.
Question 13
Answer: BWhole passage, Paragraphs 3-6
What is the writer's main purpose?
All the main languages have been studied prescriptively, especially in the 18th century… In the second half of the 18th century, we already find advocates of this view… In our own time
Question says → Passage says
a historical accountin the 18th century / In our own time
differing views of languagethe opposition between 'descriptivists' and 'prescriptivists'
Why: The passage moves through time, from 18th-century prescriptivism to Priestley's opposing view to the modern stand-off. It presents both sides without taking one. That's B.
The trap: D is the strongest distractor, but the writer says prescriptive attitudes 'are still with us', so they haven't been discredited. A fails because the writer doesn't argue for either side, and C is never discussed.
Priestley holds the descriptive view, but he lived in the 18th century, so 'modern linguists' doesn't fit him.
Words from this passage worth keeping
invective(Paragraph 1)
angry, insulting language
polemic(Paragraph 1)
a strong verbal attack on an opinion
exempt(Paragraph 2)
free from something that affects others
inherently(Paragraph 3)
naturally, as a basic quality
propounded(Paragraph 3)
put forward for others to consider
codify(Paragraph 4)
organise into a formal system of rules
proscribed(Paragraph 4)
officially forbidden
tenet(Paragraph 5)
a central principle or belief
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 9 Test 3 reading paper: all three passages, 60 minutes, marked the second you finish with a review of every answer. Already done it? Take it again and see if the same traps still get you.
Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 3, Reading Passage 1. The passage and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full text, or sit the test on Langujet.
The rest of Cambridge 9 Test 3
Passage 1 · Questions 1-13 · You're hereAttitudes to language
