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.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Work experience’ part 3
Can you finish the third paragraph in this letter task?
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Past and future events
Here are two sample answers in which I’ve labelled the ‘job’ of each sentence.
IELTS Listening: Spelling test 13
Listen to the following 10 phrases from my most recent essay. Can you spell the missing words correctly?
IELTS Reading: Two useful questions
Here are two useful questions about exam technique, with my answers of course.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Aims of science’ essay
Here’s my full band 9 model answer for the ‘main aim of science’ topic.
IELTS Advice: Edit yourself
To become a better writer, you must edit yourself. Try doing the following…
Writing Task 1: Comparing numbers
Try this quick gap-fill exercise.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Work experience’ part 2
Can you finish the second paragraph in this letter task?
IELTS Speaking: Pauses and hesitations
A student asked me for advice about avoiding pauses and hesitations in the speaking test.
Listening Advice: Work on your mistakes
Are you working on your mistakes and learning from them?
IELTS Reading: ‘Deep work’ multiple choice
Try today’s multiple choice exercise.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Science’ paragraph 2
Here’s another band 9 paragraph with some key vocabulary missing. Can you fill the gaps?
IELTS Advice: Remove redundant words
If a word or phrase can be removed without any real effect on meaning, it’s (probably) redundant.
Academic Writing Task 1: Did you notice the 80%?
In my experience, not many people are able to write a good overview paragraph under exam conditions.