Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
Log in
Not a member?
Sign up or learn more here
Writing Task 1: ‘Electricity’ bar chart details (2)
Can you write the final sentence to finish my report?
General Writing Task 1: Informal features
Can you find 9 informal features in these phrases?
Today’s Zoom lesson
Please read this message about today’s Zoom lesson.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a rule (point 3)
Today we continue with the third point in the ‘Describe a rule’ task.
IELTS Listening: The Prisoner’s Dilemma (multiple choice)
Listen to a description of a well-known ‘game theory’ scenario, and complete the multiple choice exercise.
IELTS Reading: Chores for children (true, false, not given)
Try today’s IELTS reading exercise.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Topic ‘thread’
To ensure that I stay on topic, I like to imagine a ‘topic thread’ running or weaving through my paragraphs.
News from Simon: Live lesson trial
Please read this message about a ‘live’ lesson this coming Thursday.
Writing Task 1: ‘Electricity’ bar chart details (1)
Can you finish the final sentence of my first ‘details’ paragraph?
General Writing Task 1: Formal to informal
Can you rewrite five formal phrases in an informal way?
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a rule (point 2)
Today we continue with the second point in the ‘Describe a rule’ task.
IELTS Listening: Make keyword tables
When you do a practice listening test, it’s always a good idea to make a note of the vocabulary that gave you the answers.
IELTS Reading: ‘Richard Feynman’ multiple choice
Try today’s multiple choice exercise.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Improving ‘task response’
In this lesson I’ve rewritten a student’s paragraph so that it responds more directly and strongly to the task.
IELTS Vocabulary: ‘Idiomatic items’
What are ‘idiomatic items’ and are they the same as ‘idioms’?
Writing Task 1: ‘Electricity’ bar chart overview
Can you write the second sentence of my overview paragraph?
General Writing Task 1: ‘Work experience’ answer
Here’s my band 9 answer for the ‘work experience’ letter task. I’ve also made a list of the useful phrases in my answer.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a rule
Let’s look at a new topic: Describe a rule that is important in your school or work.
IELTS Listening: ‘Sleeplessness’ gap-fill
Listen to a short presentation about ‘sleeplessness’ in animals, and fill the gaps in the summary sentences.
IELTS Reading: Choose the title 15
Try today’s practice exercise. Read the passage and choose the best title.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Improving a topic sentence
Can you rewrite a topic sentence to make it address the topic properly?
IELTS Vocabulary: Idioms, proverbs, slang, phrasal verbs
Here’s a quick guide to help you with these terms.
Writing Task 1: ‘Electricity’ bar chart
Can you write a one-sentence introduction for this bar chart task?
General Writing Task 1: ‘Work experience’ part 4
How would you end this letter?
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Improving a student’s answer
Read a student’s answer and then compare it with my improved version.
IELTS Listening: Spelling test 14
The following 10 phrases come from recent lessons here on the site. Can you spell the missing words correctly?
IELTS Reading: Technique?
I use the words “keyword technique” to describe how I approach the reading test. But this is really just a label.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Stuck at band 7
Today I want to show you a paragraph written by a student who needs a band 7.5 in writing but is stuck at band 7.
Speaking Advice: Natural and direct
Today I want to share some advice that I gave to a subscriber below a recent lesson.
Writing Task 1: ‘Solar panels’ process
Here’s my model answer for a process diagram task about solar panels.