Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
Log in
Not a member?
Sign up or learn more here
IELTS Speaking: One topic, all three parts
A good way to prepare for IELTS speaking is to take one topic area and practise possible questions for all 3 parts.
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: It’s all about the paraphrasing!
In this lesson I explain why paraphrasing is the key to the reading test, and there’s a quick exercise to support this idea.
Writing Task 2: Nursing fees essay skeleton
Read my introduction, main body topic sentences, and conclusion (the essay skeleton) for a question about tuition fees for nurses.
IELTS Advice: The basics
So, what are “the basics” when it comes to the IELTS test? This lesson contains my advice.
Writing Task 1: Travel charts answer
Read my model answer for a task that asks us to describe two different charts. When the charts are different, can we compare them?
General Writing Task 1: Minor accident task
In this lesson we’ll begin working on a new letter task. We’ll start by looking at a perfect outline for the letter.
Speaking Part 2: Describe a piece of furniture
This lesson contains an IELTS Speaking Part 2 task and my sample answer: Describe a piece of furniture that you own.
IELTS Listening: Bilinguals
Listen to a talk about three types of bilingual people, and fill each gap in the transcript with one word.
IELTS Reading: Mindset
Here’s another quick multiple choice exercise. To get the answers, look for keywords in the questions and passage.
Writing Task 2: New topic about nurses
Some people believe that nurses should not have to pay for their nursing degrees. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
IELTS Advice: Do the basics well
People who become good at things do the basics well, and they only show off occasionally. Discuss!
Writing task 1: Are these sentences correct?
In this lesson we look at two sentences written by a student. Are they correct? Can the same ideas be expressed in a better way?
General Writing Task 1: Correcting a letter
See how I correct the grammar and vocabulary mistakes in a student’s letter.
Speaking Part 1: Clothes
Here are some more part 1 questions and sample answers. The topic in this lesson is ‘clothes’, and my answers are short and direct.
IELTS Listening: Plagiarism
Listen to a short talk about the issue of plagiarism in universities, and fill each gap in the summary with one word.
IELTS Reading: Extinction
Here’s another quick ‘true, false, not given’ exercise.
Positive or negative: Countries becoming similar
This lesson contains an essay that I wrote with a group of students. Can you fill the gaps to add your own examples?
IELTS Grammar: A complex sentence
In this lesson I break down and analyse a long, complex sentence from the essay that I shared on Monday.
Writing Task 1: TV and radio graph
This lesson contains my band 9 model answer for the ‘television and radio’ line graph task that we’ve been working on.
General Writing Task 1: Tone
This lesson contains a table that compares differences in ‘tone’ according to whether the letter is formal or informal.
Speaking Part 1: Communication
Here are some more part 1 questions and sample answers. The topic in this lesson is communication, and my answers are short and direct.
IELTS Listening: Volunteering
Listen to six people talk about their experiences of doing volunteer work, and fill each gap in the summary sentences with one word.
IELTS Reading: Three study tips
Here are 3 tips to help you prepare for the IELTS reading test.
Model essay: Music and arts
Note: The quality of vocabulary in this essay is particularly high – above band 9.
IELTS Grammar: Linking with ‘this’
Read this lesson to understand why “this” is one of the best linking words.
Writing Task 1: Perfect sentence practice
Can you write one error-free sentence that compares figures on a graph? Most people find this difficult.
General Writing Task 1: Scoring a letter
See how I score a student’s letter.
IELTS Speaking: 3 useful expressions
Here are three expressions that you could use in the speaking test.
IELTS Listening: Agriculture
Listen to a recording about the future of agriculture, and fill the gaps in the summary.