General Writing Task 1: ‘Product return’ part 1
Can you finish the first paragraph in this letter task?
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a new friend (2)
Read my example and see if you can write a similar description for the first part of this task.
IELTS Listening: Is ‘once only’ your main problem?
If you are struggling to get the score that you need in the listening test, this is perhaps the first question to ask yourself.
IELTS Reading: Is time your main problem?
If you are struggling to get the score that you need in the reading test, this is perhaps the first question to ask yourself.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘University subjects’ essay
Here’s my full band 9 model answer for the ‘university subjects’ topic.
Live Zoom lesson 3
Please read this message about a live lesson this coming Friday.
Writing Task 1: ‘Mirror’ the overview
Here’s an easy way to decide how to group the information for your two details paragraphs.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Product return’ task
Let’s start work on a new formal letter task.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a new friend
Let’s look at a new topic: Describe a new friend you would like to make.
IELTS Listening: Drumlins (gap-fill)
Listen to a description of a geographical feature, and fill the gaps in the summary sentences.
IELTS Reading: ‘Government officials’ paragraph heading
Try today’s paragraph heading exercise.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Finish the paragraph (2)
Can you finish my paragraph by writing a “By contrast” sentence?
IELTS Grammar: Some recent mistakes
Can you find and correct the mistakes in five sentences written by members of this site?
Writing Task 1: ‘Household income’ details
Before we describe specific details, there are two important questions to consider…
General Writing Task 1: No need to be ‘interesting’
One thing that you can forget about is the idea that your task 1 letter should be interesting.
Speaking Part 2: Describe… you would like to…
This is a common task structure that we should prepare for.
IELTS Listening: Drumlins (multiple choice)
Listen to a description of a geographical feature called a ‘drumlin’, and complete the multiple choice exercise.
IELTS Reading: It’s a vocabulary test
If you don’t understand the words that you read in the questions or passage, you probably won’t get the right answer.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Finish the paragraph
Can you finish my paragraph by giving a relevant example?
Students’ Questions: Starting essays with ‘Nowadays’
Is it ok to start an essay with ‘Nowadays…’?
Writing Task 1: What to put in the overview
Tip: When the overview seems difficult, keep it short, clear and simple.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Packing for a trip’ answer
Here’s my band 9 answer for the ‘packing for a trip’ letter task. I’ve also made a list of the useful phrases in my answer.
Speaking Advice: Written preparation
Use writing to improve your speaking! This might seem like strange advice, but…
IELTS Listening: Compound nouns
Listen to 10 compound nouns. Would you write them as one word or two?
IELTS Reading: ‘Coral reefs’ which paragraph contains?
As you do this exercise, think about the differences between “match the headings” and “which paragraph contains?”.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussion essay ‘skeleton’
Write a conclusion to complete my essay outline or ‘skeleton’.
IELTS Advice: Learn one thing
Here’s my favourite question to ask students at the end of each lesson.
Writing Task 1: ‘Household income’ overview
Can you write a two-sentence overview for this bar chart task?
General Writing Task 1: ‘Packing for a trip’ part 4
Can you write a short ‘ending’ sentence to finish this letter task?
How to ‘control’ Speaking Part 2
Here’s an edited recording of my second Zoom lesson, which took place last Friday.