Throughout my IELTS teaching as well as examining career with the British Council, I get asked these same questions each time wherever I go. I normally try to answer them to the best of my ability especially for those who are doing the test at first attempt. I hope you will find the responses below […]
Read more "3 questions I get more than anything else as an IELTS examiner"Recently, I have been asked whether synonyms are allowed when answering questions in the IELTS Listening test. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this. If you have been doing lots of practice using past IELTS test papers and going through the answers at the end, you may find that there are strict instructions where you […]
Read more "An Important Tip for IELTS Listening"If you are very familiar with the IELTS test, you will probably already know that it is more or less theme-based. You would do well to gather enough information to not only be more acquainted with the vocabulary or have adequate background knowledge when following the information given in IELTS Listening or Reading texts, but also argue your […]
Read more "Discussing ‘nature’ vs ‘nurture’ in IELTS Writing and Speaking"IELTS candidates who are struggling with their listening skills may find micro-listening exercises quite useful in understanding how words are uttered. The website below shows clips of films, containing words, which the listener will then have to guess the meaning of, in context. You can either watch the clip with or without subtitles, but I strongly recommend […]
Read more "Understanding meaning in context in IELTS Listening"Here’s another quick one about recent developments in the world of medical technology. Scientists have now found a way to help detect signs of dementia through an app called Sea Hero Quest. Before you download it to find out what it’s all about and how to play this game, let’s do a quick IELTS exercise […]
Read more "Understanding and discussing medical advancements in the IELTS"If you’ve been keeping up with the news, particularly up-to-date developments in the area of science, you will have heard about the recent breakthrough in GM Food. Have a look at the video from the link below and choose the correct letter that best describes the topic. Scientists have made changes to the way plants use photosynthesis […]
Read more "Common IELTS Topic: GM Food Production"Many candidates probably wish that there is a ‘magic’ pill somewhere that would enable them to solve all their exam problems. Apparently, here is one such pill. Easily obtainable online. Anything is possible on the internet these days. Try the activity below to check your understanding of the discussion: How many students were asked about […]
Read more "Are you taking “smart” pills for the IELTS?"“I have no idea of what to write about or what to say on certain topics.” This is something I occasionally hear from students who experience a “mental block” when it comes to writing an answer to an IELTS essay topic or respond to an IELTS interview. One mistake students quite often make is relying on the teacher to […]
Read more "How to create ideas for the IELTS Test"The single most important thing is to READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. In the reading paper you should read the questions more carefully than the reading texts. Look at the questions first, circle or underline any important words, and make sure you understand what they are asking you to do. In listening, you will have 1 […]
Read more "Tips for the IELTS Listening and Reading papers"Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Cancer Breakthrough Cancer patients will be able to receive bespoke cancer treatments. Scientists can kill cancer cells using 1_____ immuno-therapy injection. Immune cells can 2_____ and target unique cancer cells, which are immune to therapy. British scientists need to: Try to get past cancer’s 3_____ […]
Read more "Can you do this IELTS Listening Test practice?"