Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
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IELTS Speaking: a student’s questions
In this lesson I’m going to answer some questions about the speaking test that a student sent me. I hope my answers will help you too.
IELTS Listening: numbers and letters
This lesson gives you some useful practice for questions that require you to write down the numbers or letters that you hear.
IELTS Reading: Alien Life
Try this paragraph headings exercise about the possibility of alien life.
Writing task 2: ‘home history’ essay
Read my plan, model essay, and vocabulary review for the question about ‘home history’, then try the homework task.
Teaching IELTS grammar
The following advice is for teachers, but students are also welcome to read it and comment below.
The 3 Keys to IELTS Preparation
If you want to improve your IELTS score, do the three things that I explain in this lesson.
Writing task 2: detailed examples
How do you write a really effective ‘example’ sentence? The answer is: make it interesting and detailed. Read this lesson to see what I mean.
Speaking part 2: Describe a skill
Describe a practical skill that you have learnt. Read my sample answer and note down the good vocabulary that I used.
IELTS Listening: Obesity
The gap-fill exercise in this lesson gives you some useful words and phrases for the ‘obesity’ topic.
IELTS Reading: Linguistics
Read the passage about linguistics and then decide whether the statements are true, false or not given.
Writing task 2: ‘home history’ conclusion
In this lesson you’ll see my introduction and two main body paragraphs. Your task is to write the conclusion.
IELTS Advice: The Importance of Paraphrasing
Here’s a theory that I have: Your ability to paraphrase is the best indicator of your level of English.
Writing Task 1: Job application
This lesson contains a General Training IELTS letter task and my model answer. Make a note of the good vocabulary that I used.
Writing Task 1: Museum bar chart
The chart shows the percentage of people in one country, by age group, who visited one or more museums in 2006, 2011 and 2016.
IELTS Speaking: different perspectives
If you find it difficult to come up with ideas when speaking, this technique might help.
IELTS Listening: Global Warming
The gap-fill exercise in this lesson gives you some useful words and phrases for the ‘global warming’ topic.
IELTS Reading: Marshmallow Experiment
Read the passage about a famous psychology experiment and then decide whether the statements are true, false or not given.
‘Home history’ sentence practice
In this lesson we begin writing a main body paragraph using a five-sentence plan. Each sentence has a unique job.
IELTS Advice: Daily Progress
In my opinion, the way to achieve any goal in life is to take a small step in the right direction every day.
Writing Task 1: Letter to a singer
This lesson contains a General Training IELTS letter task and my model answer. Make a note of the good vocabulary that I used.
Writing Task 1: Recycling process
The diagram shows how a company called HB Office Recycling recycles unwanted office furniture and equipment from other businesses.
IELTS Speaking: mirroring grammar
In the speaking test, listen carefully to the grammar in the question, and try to ‘mirror’ it in your answer. Read this lesson to see what I mean.
IELTS Listening: Immigration
The gap-fill exercise in this lesson gives you some useful words and phrases for the ‘immigration’ topic.
IELTS Reading: Adolescent Psychology
Try this paragraph headings exercise about the psychology of teenagers. Look for keywords in the questions and passage.
‘Home history’ paragraph
In this lesson you’ll see how I used our essay plan to write the first main body paragraph.
Teaching IELTS: Be a good model
A fair number of IELTS teachers are members of this site, so I’ll be sharing some teaching advice with them here too.
Writing Task 1: Asking for help
This lesson contains a General Training IELTS letter task and my model answer. Make a note of the informal phrases that I used.
Writing Task 1: Internet graph
The graph shows changes in the proportion of Internet users in three different countries from 1999 to 2009.
How to improve your speaking
Spoken language is usually less structured, organised and precise than written language. But there’s a simple way to improve it.
IELTS Listening: Crime Prevention
The gap-fill exercise in this lesson gives you some useful words and phrases for the ‘crime’ topic.