Understanding and utilizing advanced grammatical structures like “be deprived of + noun” can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. This phrase is particularly useful in describing situations where someone lacks or has been denied access to something important or necessary. Let’s explore how to use this structure effectively in your IELTS preparation and exam.
The Meaning and Significance of “Be Deprived of + Noun”
The phrase “be deprived of + noun” is a passive construction used to express that someone has been prevented from having something, especially something considered essential or desirable. This structure appears frequently in IELTS reading passages and can be a powerful tool in writing and speaking tasks to convey ideas related to lack, absence, or denial of rights or necessities.
Examples:
- Many children in developing countries are deprived of basic education.
- The prisoners were deprived of sleep during the interrogation.
- Elderly people in rural areas are often deprived of access to healthcare.
Grammar and Usage in IELTS
Formula and Structure
The basic structure is:
Subject + be (conjugated) + deprived + of + noun
- The subject is the person or thing lacking something.
- “Be” is conjugated according to tense and subject.
- “Deprived” remains in its past participle form.
- “Of” is always used as the preposition.
- The noun represents what is lacking or denied.
Application in IELTS Writing and Speaking
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IELTS Writing Task 2:
Use this structure to discuss social issues or inequalities.Example: “In many societies, women are still deprived of equal opportunities in the workplace, leading to economic disparities.”
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IELTS Speaking Part 3:
Employ this phrase when discussing broader social topics.Example: “I believe that no one should be deprived of the right to education, regardless of their economic background.”
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IELTS Writing Task 1:
While less common, it can be used in certain graph descriptions.Example: “The graph shows that 30% of the population was deprived of access to clean water in 1990, but this figure decreased to 10% by 2020.”
Sample Passages and Analysis
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample
Topic: Discuss the effects of poverty on children’s education.
Sample paragraph:
“Children living in poverty are often deprived of essential resources necessary for effective learning. They may be deprived of proper nutrition, affecting their cognitive development, or be deprived of access to technology, limiting their ability to engage with modern educational tools. Furthermore, these children are frequently deprived of a conducive study environment at home, as their families struggle with basic necessities. This deprivation cycle perpetuates educational inequality and hinders social mobility.”
Analysis: The repeated use of “be deprived of” emphasizes the multiple aspects of deprivation faced by children in poverty, creating a coherent and impactful argument.
IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample
Topic: Describe a time when you felt you lacked something important.
“I’d like to talk about a time when I felt deprived of social interaction during the COVID-19 lockdown. As an extrovert, I thrive on human connection, but suddenly I was deprived of face-to-face meetings with friends and colleagues. This experience made me realize how much I value personal interactions. Being deprived of my usual social outlets led me to appreciate the small moments of connection, even if they were virtual. It taught me the importance of adapting to new ways of maintaining relationships when deprived of physical presence.”
Analysis: The candidate effectively uses variations of “be deprived of” to describe the emotional impact of social isolation, demonstrating a good command of advanced vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Strategies for High Band Scores
To achieve higher band scores in IELTS, consider these strategies when using “be deprived of”:
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Variety in noun choices: Use a range of nouns to show lexical resource.
- Basic (Band 6): “deprived of food”
- Advanced (Band 7-8): “deprived of sustenance”
- Sophisticated (Band 8-9): “deprived of nutritional adequacy”
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Complex sentence structures: Combine with other clauses for more sophisticated expression.
- “Despite government efforts, many citizens in remote areas continue to be deprived of access to basic healthcare, exacerbating existing health disparities.”
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Idiomatic usage: Incorporate idiomatic expressions for a more native-like use of language.
- “The constant noise deprived them of peace and quiet, leaving them at their wit’s end.”
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Tense variations: Demonstrate your grasp of different tenses.
- Present: “Millions of refugees are being deprived of their basic human rights.”
- Past: “Throughout history, certain groups have been deprived of equal representation in politics.”
- Future: “If current trends continue, future generations may be deprived of a habitable planet.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Incorrect preposition:
- Incorrect: “deprived from education”
- Correct: “deprived of education”
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Wrong form of ‘deprive’:
- Incorrect: “is depriving of sleep”
- Correct: “is deprived of sleep”
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Misuse with uncountable nouns:
- Incorrect: “deprived of a freedom”
- Correct: “deprived of freedom”
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Overuse: While it’s a useful structure, overusing it can make your writing repetitive. Vary your language with synonyms like “lack,” “be denied,” or “be without.”
Conclusion
Mastering the use of “be deprived of + noun” can significantly enhance your IELTS performance, particularly in Writing and Speaking tasks. This structure allows you to discuss complex social issues, personal experiences, and global challenges with precision and impact. Remember to practice using this phrase in various contexts and combine it with other advanced structures to achieve higher band scores. As you prepare for your IELTS exam, consider incorporating this phrase into essays on topics such as social inequality, education, human rights, or environmental issues, where the concept of deprivation is particularly relevant.