Daily lessons with Simon,
ex-IELTS examiner
Log in
Not a member?
Sign up or learn more here
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Stop and smile!
Many IELTS candidates make the mistake of saying too much in part 1 of the speaking test. You should learn to answer then stop confidently.
IELTS Listening: Plastic pollution (multiple choice)
Listen to a short talk about the problem of plastic pollution and answer the multiple choice questions.
IELTS Reading: The printing press (T, F, NG)
Try today’s ‘true, false, not given’ exercise.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ essay
You can now read my model answer for the ‘old people’s health’ task. Have a look at the useful vocabulary list too.
IELTS Vocabulary: Usage instead of explanation
An explanation might help you to understand a meaning, but it won’t necessarily help you to use vocabulary in a natural way.
Writing Task 1: ‘Appliances and housework’ answer
Read my model report and answer the quick study questions below it.
General Writing Task 1: Informal phrases
Can you explain why the five phrases in this lesson are informal?
IELTS Speaking Part 1: ‘Age’ topic
Here are some part 1 questions and model answers on the topic of ‘age’.
IELTS Listening Advice: Just practise!
You won’t improve your listening by learning exam tricks or techniques; you’ll improve your listening by practising.
IELTS Reading: Early policing (which paragraph contains?)
Read the passage about the ‘early modern policing’, then decide which paragraph contains the given information.
Writing Task 2: Proper examples
A proper example should not explain, it should illustrate.
IELTS Advice: ‘Difficult’ words
Many IELTS candidates mistakenly think that the way to get a higher score is by using big, difficult or original words.
Writing Task 1: Start simple, add detail
When writing a sentence, start with the clearest, simplest structure first. This is your foundation; if it is strong, you can add detail.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Activity recommendation’ answer
Here’s my band 9 answer for the ‘activity recommendation’ letter task. It’s full of good phrases that you can copy.
Speaking Part 2: Can you change the topic a little?
In speaking part 2, do we have to answer the question exactly as it is, or can we change the topic a little?
IELTS Listening: The ozone layer
Listen to a short presentation about the ozone layer, and fill the gaps in the summary.
IELTS Reading: Hermit crabs (T, F, NG)
Try today’s ‘true, false, not given’ exercise.
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ paragraph
Can you finish my paragraph about the benefits of sport for older people?
IELTS Grammar: Task 1 error correction
Can you find and correct the mistakes in five sentences that come from a recent task 1 homework exercise?
Writing Task 1: Comparison sentence(s)
Today I’d like you to practise comparing different items in the same year.
General Writing Task 1: Addressing the prompts
Many students could improve their GT task 1 letters by addressing the prompts (the three bullet points) more directly.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: ‘Achievements’ topic
In this lesson you’ll see examples of two different structures that we can use in our speaking part 3 answers.
IELTS Listening: Attachment Theory (multiple choice)
Listen to a presentation about a childhood development concept called ‘Attachment Theory’ and answer the multiple choice questions about it.
IELTS Reading Advice: Timing
Some IELTS candidates spend so long on reading passages 1 and 2 that they don’t even reach passage 3.
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ brainstorm
In this lesson we will apply yesterday’s brainstorming advice to the “old people’s health” writing task.
IELTS Advice: How to brainstorm ideas
How to brainstorm the IELTS Simon way!
Writing Task 1: Two graphs overview
Follow my tips to write an overview paragraph for the ‘appliances and housework’ task.
General Writing Task 1: ‘Activity recommendation’ part 3
Can you write two sentences to complete the third paragraph in this informal email?
IELTS Speaking Part 1: ‘Singing’ topic
Here are some part 1 questions and model answers on the topic of ‘singing’.
IELTS Listening: AI and jobs
Listen to a TV news presentation about the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, and fill the gaps in the summary sentences.