Attitudes to Language Reading Answers

The IELTS Reading section includes different passages followed by questions that test your ability to understand information, identify specific details, and recognise paraphrased ideas. This page covers the attitude to language IELTS reading answers in full detail. 

The Attitudes to Language Reading Passage looks at why people judge each other by the way they speak. It covers two opposing views: prescriptivists, who believe there's only one correct form of language, and descriptivists, who believe language should just be described as it's actually used. Joseph Priestley is named as an early descriptivist. The passage has 6 paragraphs and covers 13 questions.

This text comes from Cambridge IELTS 9, an official practice book published by Cambridge University Press that uses real past IELTS papers. So if you're checking the Attitudes to Language reading answers for the Cambridge 9 version, this is the exact passage and question set you'll find there. 

The questions test a mix of skills too, spotting the writer's claims, matching summary words correctly, telling apart similar-sounding ideas, and catching paraphrased language. If you're looking for the IELTS reading Attitudes to Language answers specifically for Cambridge 9, this set matches it exactly. 

Attitudes to Language Reading Answers IELTS Passage

The Attitudes to Language Reading Passage in the IELTS exam looks at why people often have strong opinions about the way language is spoken and written. It explains how language can influence the way we judge others and why disagreements over grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation can become so heated.

The passage then introduces two different approaches to language study: prescriptivism, which focuses on setting rules for what is considered correct, and descriptivism, which looks at how language is actually used. It also traces how these ideas developed and why the debate between them continues today.

The passage runs across 7 paragraphs and covers Questions 1 to 13. The Attitudes to Language reading answers are based on details, arguments, and viewpoints presented throughout these paragraphs.

Attitudes to Language Reading Answers IELTS Passage

Paragraph 1: It is not easy to be systematic and objective about language study. Popular linguistic debate regularly deteriorates into invective and polemic. 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. Arguments can start as easily over minor points of usage as over major policies of linguistic education.

Paragraph 2: Language, moreover, is a very public behaviour, so it is easy for different usages to be noted and criticised. No part of society or social behaviour is exempt: linguistic factors influence how we judge personality, intelligence, social status, educational standards, job aptitude, and many other areas of identity and social survival. As a result, it is easy to hurt and to be hurt when language use is unfeelingly attacked.

Paragraph 3: In its most general sense, 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. The view is propounded especially in relation to grammar and vocabulary, and frequently with reference to pronunciation. The variety which is favoured, in this account, is usually a version of the ‘standard’ written language, especially as encountered in literature, or in the formal spoken language which most closely reflects this style. Adherents to this variety are said to speak or write ‘correctly’; deviations from it are said to be ‘incorrect’.

Paragraph 4: All the main languages have been studied prescriptively, especially in the 18th-century approach to the writing of grammars and dictionaries. The aims of these early grammarians were threefold: (a) they wanted to codify the principles of their languages, to show that there was a system beneath the apparent chaos of usage, (b) they wanted a means of settling disputes over usage, and (c) they wanted to point out what they felt to be common errors, in order to ‘improve’ the language. The authoritarian nature of the approach is best characterised by its reliance on ‘rules’ of grammar. Some usages are ‘prescribed’, to be learnt and followed accurately; others are ‘proscribed’, to be avoided. In this early period, there were no half-measures: usage was either right or wrong, and it was the task of the grammarian not simply to record alternatives, but to pronounce judgement upon them.

Paragraph 5: These attitudes are still with us, and they motivate a widespread concern that linguistic standards should be maintained. Nevertheless, there is an alternative point of view that is concerned less with standards than with the facts of linguistic usage. This approach is summarised in the statement that it is the task of the grammarian to describe, not prescribe, to record the facts of linguistic diversity, and not to attempt the impossible tasks of evaluating language variation or halting language change. In the second half of the 18th century, we already found advocates of this view, such as Joseph Priestley, whose Rudiments of English Grammar (1761) insists that ‘the custom of speaking is the original and only just standard of any language’. Linguistic issues, it is argued, cannot be solved by logic and legislation. And this view has become the tenet of the modern linguistic approach to grammatical analysis.

Paragraph 6: In our own time, the opposition between ‘descriptivists’ and ‘prescriptivists’ has often become extreme, with both sides painting unreal pictures of the other. Descriptive grammarians have been presented as people who do not care about standards because of the way they see all forms of usage as equally valid. Prescriptive grammarians have been presented as blind adherents to a historical tradition. The opposition has even been presented in quasi-political terms, of radical liberalism vs elitist conservatism.

Paragraph 7: The debate between descriptivists and prescriptivists continues to shape the way people think about language. While prescriptivists focus on maintaining standards and defining correct usage, descriptivists are more concerned with recording linguistic diversity and understanding how language changes. The passage presents both approaches and shows how disagreements about language have developed over time.

Learn all about IELTS Reading Test

Attitudes to Language Reading Answers: Q & A with Explanations

The attitude to language IELTS reading answers cover 13 questions in total, spread across three formats. The first eight fall under Yes/No/Not Given, then four come as Summary Completion, and the last one is a single Multiple Choice question. Most students lose marks not from the tricky questions, but from mixing up what each format actually wants.

Every attitude to language reading answer with location comes with its paragraph number and a short reason pulled straight from the text. That way, when two options sound almost the same, you'll know exactly what sets them apart.

Questions 1–8 Yes/No/Not Given Answers and Explanations

For each attitude to language reading answer with location below; don't lock onto one matching word and call it done. Read the whole sentence around it first, then decide if the passage agrees, disagrees, or says nothing at all.

Q1: There are understandable reasons why arguments occur about language.

Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 1 says language belongs to everyone, so people feel they have a right to an opinion on it. And when opinions clash, emotions run high. That's a clear reason for arguments. Therefore, YES is correct.

Q2: People feel more strongly about language education than about small differences in language usage.

Answer: NO

Explanation: Paragraph 1 says arguments start just as easily over small usage points as over big education policies. Both cause the same level of reaction, not one more than the other. Therefore, NO is correct.

Q3: Our assessment of a person's intelligence is affected by the way he or she uses language.

Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 2 lists intelligence directly as something people judge based on how someone talks. This matches the statement exactly. Therefore, YES is correct.

Q4: Prescriptive grammar books cost a lot of money to buy in the 18th century.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: Paragraph 4 talks about grammar books being written in the 18th century, but never mentions the price. There's simply nothing in the passage about cost. Therefore, NOT GIVEN is correct.

Q5: Prescriptivism still exists today.

Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 5 opens by saying these attitudes are still with us. That's a direct confirmation. Therefore, YES is correct.

Q6: According to descriptivists, it is pointless to try to stop language change.

Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 5 says descriptivists see halting language change as an impossible task. An impossible task basically means pointless here. Therefore, YES is correct.

Q7: Descriptivism only appeared after the 18th century.

Answer: NO

Explanation: Paragraph 5 names Joseph Priestley as an advocate of descriptivism, writing in 1761. That's already the mid-18th century, not after it. Therefore, NO is correct.

Q8: Both descriptivists and prescriptivists have been misrepresented.

Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 6 says both sides paint unreal pictures of each other. That's exactly what misrepresentation means. Therefore, YES is correct.

Also Read: Best IELTS Reading Tips 

Questions 9–12 Summary Completion Answers and Explanations

Look at what kind of word fits each blank before rereading the passage. A person, a thing, an idea, that alone rules out a couple of options fast.

Word bank: A. descriptivists, B. language experts, C. popular speech, D. formal language, E. evaluation, F. rules, G. modern linguists, H. prescriptivists, I. change

Q9: According to ______, there is only one correct form of language.

Answer: H (prescriptivists)

Explanation: Paragraph 3 defines prescriptivism as the belief that one form of language is more correct than others. That's the exact group being described here. Therefore, H is correct.

Q10: Linguists who take this approach place great importance on grammatical ______.

Answer: F (rules)

Explanation: Paragraph 4 says this approach relies heavily on rules of grammar. That's a direct match. Therefore, F is correct.

Q11: Conversely, the view of ______, such as Joseph Priestley, is that grammar should be based on popular speech.

Answer: A (descriptivists)

Explanation: Paragraph 5 names Priestley as an advocate of the descriptivist view. The word conversely also signals that we need the opposite camp from prescriptivists. Therefore, A is correct.

Q12: Grammar should be based on ______.

Answer: C (popular speech)

Explanation: Paragraph 5 quotes Priestley saying that the custom of speaking is the only true standard for language. The custom of speaking and popular speech mean the same thing. Therefore, C is correct.

Question 13 Multiple Choice Answer and Explanation

Just one question in this group, but don't skim it. Think about the passage as a whole, not just one paragraph.

Q13: What is the writer's purpose in Reading Passage 1?

Answer: B (to present a historical account of differing views of language)

Explanation: The passage traces prescriptivism from the 18th century, then descriptivism through Priestley, then shows how both views still clash today. That's a historical account of two opposing views. Therefore, B is correct.

Also Read: How to Register for the IELTS Exam in India

How to Solve the Attitudes to Language IELTS Reading Passage

Most students lose marks on the IELTS reading passage Attitudes to Language answer key not because the passage is hard, but because they miss the prescriptivist vs descriptivist split running through it. Once you know who stands for what, the questions stop feeling like guesswork. These three habits cover exactly what this passage keeps testing.

Identify Opinions and Attitudes Carefully

This passage mixes plain facts with people's personal views, and telling them apart determines quite a few Yes/No/Not Given answers.

• Words like "argue" or "believe" usually signal an opinion, not a settled fact
• Paragraph 5 calls halting language change an "impossible task", that's a belief, not something proven
• Read the full sentence first, don't decide based on one word alone

Look for Paraphrased Ideas

The passage almost never uses the same wording as the questions, so hunting for exact phrases won't get you far.

• Passage says: "The custom of speaking is the original and only just standard"
• Answer option says: "popular speech"
• Same idea, just worded differently

Once you spot this pattern, matching gets a lot faster.

Confirm Answers Using Context

Spotting one matching word feels like proof, but it isn't; the sentence around it is what actually confirms your answer.

• Read a line before and after the matching word
• Check if the full meaning lines up, not just the word
• This matters most in Yes/No/Not Given, where NOT GIVEN often hides behind a near match

Common Mistakes in Attitudes to Language Reading Answers

Most students who lose marks here already understood the passage just fine. It's usually one of these three small habits that quietly gets in the way.

Confusing Facts With Opinions

It's easy to read something Giles or Priestley said and treat it as the writer's own claim, which flips a Yes/No/Not Given answer fast.

• Check who's actually speaking, the writer or someone being quoted
• An opinion credited to someone else isn't the same as the writer stating it as fact

Choosing Answers Based on One Matching Word

Seeing a familiar word feels like a shortcut, but it often leads you straight to the wrong option here.

• A word can appear in the passage and still point to the wrong answer
• Always check the full sentence, not just the one word that stands out

Ignoring the Question Instructions

Summary Completion questions look simple, but the format rules trip up more students than the actual meaning does.

• A correct-sounding word still gets marked wrong if it's not in the word bank
• Check the required format before writing your final answer

Also check out IELTS Band Score Chart

Tips to Improve Your IELTS Reading Score

A good reading score isn't about knowing more vocabulary; it's about reading smarter under time pressure. Whether you're working through Attitudes to Language reading answers or any other passage, these habits make a real difference once you build them in:

• Read each question slowly before jumping into the passage
• Pick out the strongest keywords first
• Scan for details instead of rereading the whole passage each time
• Watch out for synonyms and reworded ideas
• Confirm your answer using the full sentence, not just one word
• Stick to word limits, no exceptions
• Go back over the wrong answers and figure out exactly where it went off
• Practice similar passages under a timer to build speed over time

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Conclusion

Working through the attitude to language IELTS reading answers really comes down to one thing: knowing what each question type wants from you before you even start hunting for words in the passage. That's the real skill behind solving Attitudes to Language IELTS reading answers correctly, not just memorising the key.

Yes/No/Not Given needs careful reading of what's actually said versus what's only implied. Summary Completion needs precision, since only words from the given bank count, nothing outside it.

Here's the full IELTS reading passage Attitudes to Language answer key one more time for quick reference: 

• Q1: YES
• Q2: NO
• Q3: YES
• Q4: NOT GIVEN
• Q5: YES
• Q6: YES
• Q7: NO
• Q8: YES
• Q9: H (prescriptivists)
• Q10: F (rules)
• Q11: A (descriptivists)
• Q12: C (popular speech)
• Q13: B

A few things matter most here:

• Knowing which question type you're solving before you start scanning
• Locating specific information instead of going off memory
• Catching paraphrased wording instead of hunting for exact matches
• Reading the full context around a keyword, not just the keyword itself
• Sticking to word limits and instruction formats exactly as given
• Checking your answer against the passage once more before moving on

If you're prepping for the IELTS reading Attitudes to Language answers or similar Cambridge passages, try these next: 

• Practise a few more Yes/No/Not Given and Summary Completion passages
• Lean on what's written in the text, not assumptions or general knowledge
• Time yourself while solving; it helps with both speed and accuracy
• Go back over every wrong answer and figure out where it slipped, don't just memorise the right one

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