Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
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Some sad personal news.
IELTS Grammar: noticing verb tenses
Tip: Whenever you read one of my model answers for speaking or writing, underline the different verb tenses that I used.
Writing Task 1: Park plans
Here’s a task that I’ve never used with my students or in any previous lessons. So let’s work on it together.
Writing Task 1: Concert ticket letter
The model letter in this lesson contains some good informal phrases. Check the list below the letter to see if you know them.
Speaking Part 2: ‘Formula’ phrases
Some students learn a ‘formula’ or certain organising phrases for part 2 of the speaking test. In this lesson I argue against doing this.
IELTS Listening: Students’ questions
Here are some common questions that people ask me about the listening test, with my answer below each one.
IELTS Reading: Effects of television
Read the passage about the effects of television on young children and decide whether the statements are true, false or not given.
Writing task 2: ‘Best time to be alive’ question
Some people say that now is the best time in history to be alive. What is your opinion about this? What other time in history would be interesting to live in?
Advanced Cohesion
Have you read the band 9 descriptor for coherence and cohesion? It says the same thing for both writing task 1 and writing task 2.
Writing Task 1: Study charts
This lesson contains my model description of two bar charts that give information about reasons for study among different age groups.
General Writing Task 1: The opening sentence
In this lesson we look at the best ways to begin formal and informal letters.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: ‘paragraph’ answers
‘Paragraph’ answers are particularly useful in part 3 of the speaking test. Here are some examples.
IELTS Listening: Transcribing practice
Listen to the following short talk by a school teacher. Can you transcribe (write down) exactly what she says?
IELTS Reading: Healthcare technologies
Read part of an article about healthcare technologies, and fill each gap with a word from the list.
Sentence pairs analysis
Let’s take a closer look at the “sentence pairs” in the essay about self-employment that I shared last week.
Advice: Think in paragraphs
Whether you’re writing, speaking or even just thinking about something, it always helps to think in paragraphs.
Writing Task 1: Paraphrasing
The easiest way to start your Task 1 report is by paraphrasing the question. This lesson contains a list of paraphrasing examples.
General Writing Task 1: Sports centre closure
Here’s another band 9 formal letter with a list of useful phrases and collocations.
Speaking Part 2: Describe a foreign culture
This lesson contains an IELTS Speaking Part 2 task and my sample answer: Describe a foreign culture that you like.
IELTS Listening: Biometrics
Listen to a talk about biometrics, and fill each gap in the summary with one word only.
IELTS Reading: Coffee consumption
Here’s another quick reading exercise for you. Feel free to share your answers in the comments area.
Two-part essay: Self-employment
Here’s my band 9 sample answer for the self-employment question that we’ve been working on. Make a list of the best phrases and collocations that I used.
Writing Advice: Sentence ‘pairs’
Writing “pairs” of sentences encourages you to develop coherent ideas, add detail, and use different cohesive devices (linking).
Writing Task 1: Transport incidents chart
This lesson contains my model description of a chart that shows incidents and injuries on different types of public transport.
General Writing Task 1: Formal thank you
Here’s another band 9 formal letter with some useful phrases.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Accommodation
Here are some speaking part 1 questions and my model answers on the topic of accommodation.
Listening Advice: Keep a spelling list
Simple spelling mistakes can lose you marks in the IELTS listening test, even if you have the right answer.
IELTS Reading: Book review
Read the excerpt from a book review and decide whether the statements are true, false or not given.
Essay writing: 13 sentence jobs
When you have a 13-sentence plan, it’s easy to write your essay. Just write a full sentence for each of the 13 points.
IELTS Advice: Changing your Approach
Many students and teachers have the wrong approach to IELTS preparation and language learning. But some are seeing that there’s a better way!