Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
Log in
Not a member?
Sign up or learn more here
Writing Task 1: Land degradation task
Let’s start work on a new ‘pie chart and table’ task. Follow my advice to write the introduction.
General Writing Task 1: Job advice part 1
In this lesson I’ll show you how I would begin the ‘job advice’ letter, and then we’ll move on to the first bullet point.
Speaking Part 1: Home town
This is a very common topic, so it’s a good idea to prepare some easy answers that you can give without much hesitation.
Listening Advice: Listen again and again
If you want to improve your ‘ear’ for English, try the ‘deep listening’ exercise that I describe in this lesson.
IELTS Reading: Harry Houdini
Read the passage about a famous illusionist, and complete the ‘true, false, not given’ exercise below it.
Writing Task 2: Pictures vs Words
In this lesson we start work on a new essay topic, and I’ve asked ChatGPT for some ideas. Look what it gave me!
IELTS Advice: Being ‘original’
Question: Millions of students take the IELTS exam in my country, so should I try to write differently and be original? Read my answer in this lesson.
General Writing Task 1: Job advice task
Let’s start work on a new informal letter task. It’s a letter to a friend giving him or her some advice about getting a job.
Academic Writing Task 1: Different word forms
A good way to vary the language you use is by learning different forms of the same word e.g. rise (verb), a rise (noun).
Speaking Part 3: Hospitality
In your country, how do people treat visitors from abroad? Today’s lesson contains my sample answers to this question and two other related questions.
IELTS Listening: Trick questions
Be ready for ‘tricks’. For example, more than one possible answer is mentioned, or the speaker gives an answer and then changes it.
IELTS Reading: Cities and environment
Read the passage about cities and the environment, and complete the ‘true, false, not given’ exercise.
How to show that A outweighs B
How do you “prove” that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
IELTS Advice: Basic study plan
People often ask me to give them a study plan. I don’t believe that study plans need to be complex or detailed, so I usually suggest a basic plan like the one in this lesson.
Have you tried ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence system that is going to revolutionise learning. In this lesson I discuss how we can use it as a tool for IELTS preparation.
Writing Task 1: Further education answer
Here’s my full answer for the further education bar chart task. Can you fill the gaps to complete it?
Speaking Part 2: Describe a conversation
Read my model answer for the following task: Describe an interesting conversation. I’ve also listed the most useful vocabulary in my answer.
IELTS Listening: Plagiarism in schools
Try this multiple choice listening exercise about the problem of students copying work in schools.
IELTS Reading: What is Wisdom?
Read the passage about wisdom and choose the best answer for each question.
Advantages / disadvantages essay: Global Tourism
Here’s my full essay on the advantages and disadvantages of international tourism. Can you list the ‘less common’ vocabulary that it contains?
IELTS Advice: Be concise!
‘Concise’ means ‘brief but comprehensive’. Let’s have a look at a couple of examples of how I tried to make students’ writing more concise.
IELTS Vocabulary: ‘Tourism’ mistakes
Can you find and correct the vocabulary (not grammar) mistakes in five sentences written by members of this site?
Writing Task 1: Four numbers in one sentence
In this lesson I’m going to compare four numbers in one sentence. Can you fill each gap with the correct number?
Speaking Part 3: Free time (past and future)
Notice the verb tenses in today’s questions. The examiner will be listening to see whether you can use the appropriate tenses in your answers.
IELTS Listening: One-minute transcriptions
A good way to improve your listening is to transcribe short recordings.
IELTS Reading: Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
Read the passage about “IQ” and choose the best answer for each question.
Disadvantages paragraph: International tourism
In this lesson we’ll write a 5-sentence paragraph about the disadvantages of international tourism. Can you finish the last sentence?
IELTS Vocabulary: Practise paraphrasing
If you want to improve your vocabulary repertoire*, you should practise paraphrasing.
General Writing Task 1: Only 8 sentences!
Whether you are writing a formal letter or an informal letter, you only need to write 8 sentences. This lesson contains my 8-sentence template.
Writing Task 1: Finish my overview
Further education bar chart: Read my introduction, and then see if you can finish writing my overview paragraph.