Hey! As the year draws to an end, it is time to sit back and reflect on what 2021 brought for IELTS test-takers. Obviously, there have been difficulties. Many test centres around the world have remained closed thanks to COVID, and migration programmes, particularly express entry into Canada, have been hit hard.
Yes – it is time for our annual Christmas episode! This year, I have taken some of my favourite Christmas games and adapted them to test your knowledge of IЕLTS. It is nothing too serious, so if your test is soon and you are looking for some genuine lessons, you can access over 100 in our archive here.
I have always found it interesting that many students are fixated on learning vocabulary for IELTS. If you asked my students what area they should focus on to improve their score, almost all would say lexis, and yet in my experience, vocabulary is rarely, if ever, their true problem area. In fact, for many students that work with us at My IELTS Classroom, the focus is more on learning to control existing vocabulary than expanding it with new words (and if this sounds like you, you can read this blog post about common mistakes with lexical resource).
In today’s podcast, Nick and I are going to interview two of our new teachers, Kristina and Tanya, about their experience teaching metacognition for IELTS learners. This is a technique that I was introduced to only recently, but one which I think has the potential to transform the way many students prepare for IELTS (and, indeed, learn throughout their lives).
Never before have IELTS students had so much free material to learn from. But is having so many free IELTS videos, really helping students to prepare for the test in the best way or could they actually be having a detrimental effect on some students’ preparation? Today, Nick and I discuss the dangers of watching IELTS videos and give clear advice about how to make the most of online content.
Every week I get questions from students asking how they can generate good ideas for essays. Usually, my advice starts from the point of thinking of ideas, but this week I realised that many students are skipping a vital step before that – analysing IELTS essay questions to make sure they 100% understand what exactly they are being asked to address. This is a mistake!
If there is one sentence structure that IELTS students are obsessed with, it is inversion. But, as Nick said today “Not only do I hate inversion, but I wish the students would forget it!” Why? Because too many students attempt these sentences without really understanding how they work and, as a result, they make mistakes. Today, Nick and I take a deep dive into inversion in IELTS writing to show you not just how to form these sentences correctly, but also how to use them in the right context. Wish us luck!
You put down your pen. The essay and report / letter are written. Yes! But there are still 3 or 4 minutes left on the exam clock What do you do in this time? The temptation may be to read through your essay from start to finish to check for errors, but is this really the most efficient way to find your errors? And which mistakes should you actively be looking for? Find out today as Nick and I talk IELTS error correction!
What is the Duolingo English Test and is it a good option for you as a test-taker? That’s what Nick and I will be discussing in today’s lesson! If you have ever thought about studying a second language and searched online for an app to help you, then there is a high chance the you have come across Duolingo. It is one of oldest and most-well know language learning apps, and is well-known for being easy to use, especially for beginners. I remember using the app to get to grips with Italian before going on holiday to Tuscany, and I found it was a great way to learn the basics in a fun way.
You can guarantee that some point during your IELTS exam, you will need to demonstrate that you can make good comparisons. Interestingly, although the language of comparison is introduced at an Elementary level in most English course books, this is something that many high-level students still struggle with. Today, Nick and describe 4 ways that you can make comparisons in IELTS compare essays, and then show how the same techniques can be used to good effect in the speaking test (which Nick giving a masterful demonstration of how to answer some Part 3 questions)!