For this week’s student correction we’re going to correct a student’s introduction for an opinion essay question. With opinion essays, you need to state your opinion about the topic and support that opinion throughout the essay. This is not the same as the discussion essay we talked about last week, which requires to you discuss both sides. For an IELTS opinion […]
“1-2 and Stop”- A Simple Technique for Perfect Speaking Part 1 Answers
The “1-2 and Stop” is a simple technique you can use to give perfect IELTS Speaking Part 1 answers, every time. It works because it forces you to give strong, confident answers without getting stuck for words. Many of my students have used this technique to make a great first impression on the IELTS examiner and get […]
IELTS Reading Practice: Newsela
It’s a well-known secret that to do well on the IELTS reading test, you need to have a strong vocabulary and be comfortable reading academic-style articles. One website I’ve found extremely useful with many of my students is the news website, Newsela. It has news articles taken from around the internet and re-written at different reading levels. The […]
IELTS Writing Task 2 Correction & Sample: Discussion Essay Introduction
In this post I’m going to show part of a student essay and correct it. It can be helpful to see common mistakes so you don’t make them yourself. Before we begin, keep in mind that the four areas that IELTS markers will look at (click here for the official IELTS descriptors). IELTS Markers Task Achievement: Does it […]
IELTS Speaking: Part 1 Basic Overview and Strategy
For IELTS speaking part 1, the examiner will introduce him or herself and ask you general questions about common topics such as home, family, work, studies, and your interests. General Information: Time: 4-5 minutes Topics: 3 topic areas on common topics such as home, family, work, studies, and your interests. Number of questions: 10-11 questions (examiner […]
The Number One Reason People Don’t Score Well on IELTS Speaking: Part 2
In the part 1 of this series we discussed how nerves and anxiety are the number one reason people don’t score well on IELTS speaking. We also talked about how to use visualization to improve your test-day confidence. In this article we’re going to learn a technique to help you relax during the test, when you need it most. Box Breathing […]