This is a book I’ve used with Beginner and Elementary level students to teach grammar and vocabulary. If you are looking for a good resource to use for self-study, this is a book I would recommend. It has 80 units of grammar and vocabulary items and also comes with an audio CD on the back […]
Read more "IELTS self-study book of the month"If you don’t already know, I am a horror film fan and so you shouldn’t be surprised when I tell you that I enjoy watching the television series, Dexter. The story is about a serial killer who also works for the police. Interesting, yes? Hollywood films have been very unoriginal and disappointing these days so […]
Read more "Talking about your daily routines in IELTS Speaking Part 1"Would you like to improve your grammar? Good news! There will be a FREE ONLINE CLASS on 15 June at 3.00 pm London GMT (check your time here). The topic of the lesson is English Grammar – Articles and it is for learners at Pre-Intermediate/Low-Intermediate level. To join, follow these steps very carefully: Go to: […]
Read more "Calling ALL English Students!"I have just been on the phone with two companies who had called me long-distance to help me 1) sort out problems that I have been having with my accounts lately. Although I couldn’t see their faces, I could hear their 2) genuine 3) uncondescending smiles as they were talking to me. This type of […]
Read more "Discussing customer service in IELTS Speaking Part 2"With so many technological distractions around us these days, a lot of people find it hard to focus on work that is more important. Some feel that there are not enough hours in the day to do what they want to do and so this gives a feeling of stress and frustration to those who […]
Read more "The importance of time management in the IELTS test"Today is a public holiday for many countries around the world as it is a special day for Buddhist devotees. You can read more about it at BBC – Schools – Religion – Buddhism. There are links on this page where you can download worksheets for yourself or for your classes if you are a […]
Read more "Vesak Day"Some candidates are still struggling with this part of the test and I went through some key techniques with my students during our online lessons yesterday. If you need help with Part 1, here are some websites to get you started: IELTS speaking 10 top tips | Dominic Cole’s IELTS and Beyond (some good tips […]
Read more "Resources to help you become great at IELTS Speaking Part 1!"This is not the first time I’ve seen someone working on the edge of a window without a safety 1) harness. The worst one must have been in the UAE where I’d seen a fitter 2) installing a window frame at a 14-floor vertical drop. I do not understand this 3) disregard for personal safety […]
Read more "Discussing health and safety in the IELTS"My IELTS online lessons yesterday involved adjectives to do with personality. The topic was: Describe a child that you know. You should say: who this child is and how often you see him or her how old this child is what he or she is like and explain what you feel about this child. This […]
Read more "Personality Adjectives for IELTS Speaking Part 2"ESLhiphop.com has requested that I do a post on –ed and –ing adjectives as English learners are often confused by these. As a teacher myself, I have also come across several students struggling with this in their IELTS Speaking practice. For instance, I would quite often hear: I hate travelling by plane. It makes me feel […]
Read more "How to use -ed or -ing correctly in IELTS Speaking"