Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
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Writing Task 1: Using a model sentence
In this lesson we practise using the structure of a ‘model’ sentence to write our own sentences.
General Writing Task 1: Book review part 1
In this lesson we look at the ‘purpose sentence’ and the ‘ending sentence’ for a formal letter to a magazine editor.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Cooking
Here are some more part 1 questions with my model answers. Today’s topic is ‘cooking’.
IELTS Listening: Critical thinking gap-fill
Try today’s quick listening exercise, which also contains some useful phrases.
IELTS Reading: Scanning made me panic!
Here’s a quick story about when I tried scanning for answers in a lesson with a group of students.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Paragraph about roads
Read my paragraph about the importance of roads, then try today’s study task which looks at vocabulary and sentence ‘jobs’.
IELTS Advice: Message and word choice
Try this: Stop worrying about grammar, big words, impressing the examiner, your score, and what you’ve studied. Do this instead…
Writing Task 1: Charts showing countries
Here are some things to remember when the graph or chart shows countries.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Book review’ task
Let’s start work on a new formal letter task. This time we’re writing to the editor of a magazine.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Long answer method
Most people don’t follow a method when answering part 3 questions, so their answers tend to have no direction or structure.
IELTS Listening: Spelling test
Many IELTS candidates lose marks because of spelling mistakes. See if you can spell the 10 words in today’s exercise.
IELTS Reading: Easy examples of T, F, NG
To understand the difference between true, false and not given, it helps to look at some easy examples.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Opinion + refute’ skeleton
Can you finish my essay ‘skeleton’ by writing a one-sentence conclusion?
IELTS Advice: Examiners like examples
If you’re not sure what to say or what to write, give an example!
Audiobook: Ideas for IELTS Topics
Today I’m sharing a full audio recording of my ebook “Ideas for IELTS Topics”. NOTE: This lesson might load slowly because it contains a large audio file.
IELTS Grammar: ‘Collecting’ topic mistakes
Can you find and correct the mistakes in five sentences about yesterday’s speaking topic?
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Collecting
Here are some more part 1 questions with my model answers. Today’s topic is ‘collecting’, and my answers are short and direct.
IELTS Listening: Gap-fill about writing
Listen to a recording about the importance of learning to write well, and fill the gaps in the summary below it.
IELTS Reading: Choose the title 8
Try today’s practice exercise. Read the passage and choose the best title.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Strong opinion + refute
Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
IELTS Advice: How long will it take?
How long will it take you to get the IELTS score that you need? I think it depends…
Writing Task 1: ‘Internet and video games’ chart
Read my model answer for a task that compares the time that young people spend on the Internet and playing video games.
General Writing Task 1: Informal phrases
Can you rewrite five informal phrases in a more formal way?
IELTS Speaking: Which part is most important?
Do the 3 parts of the speaking test carry equal weighting when your score is calculated, or is one part more important?
IELTS Listening: Multiple choice keywords
For multiple choice questions in the listening test, try to underline just one or two keywords in each choice before the recording starts.
IELTS Reading: Media
Read the passage about ‘mass media’, and complete the ‘true, false, not given’ exercise below it.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Ex-prisoners’ essay
In this lesson I ask you to read a band 9 essay and tell me two things: Why does it deserve a band 9, and which ‘method’ did I use?
IELTS Advice: Simple linking is fine!
Telling someone not to use the word “firstly” is like telling someone not to use the word “and”.
Writing Task 1: Important little words
Try today’s exercise, which looks at the following important little words: at, in, on, to, for, by.
General Writing Task 1: Invitation letter
Here’s my band 9 answer for the ‘invitation’ letter task. You’ll also see a list of the good vocabulary that I used.