IELTS is not the only exam that you can take to prove your level of English. TOEFL is also a well-established test of academic English and is accepted in thousands of universities worldwide. So, which is the best exam for you? IELTS or TOEFL? Well, that’s what we will be discussing today as we take a deep-dive into the world of TOEFL to show you how it is similar and different to IELTS.
What is our new Podcast Patreon? Since we launched in May 2020, Nick and I have recorded over 80 episodes of the My IELTS Classroom Podcast. We have covered topics as diverse as how to tackle multiple choice questions in Listening Part 3, to how to stay calm in your IELTS exam, and how to brainstorm ideas for recently reported questions.
IELTS Online: A new way to sit the test in 2022 From 2022 IELTS test-takers around the world will have the opportunity to take a secure version of the test at home in a new product called IELTS Online. In a stunning announcement today, IELTS announced that the Academic version of the test that will enable students to take the test from their own home on a purpose built secure remote proctoring form will be launched in 2022.
Read Once, Read Well for IELTS reading time management Do you struggle with IELTS reading time management? Do you use scanning and skimming but still find that you run out of time? Do you find some types of question very difficult and can never find the right answer (particularly headings match, MCQ’s and information match)? Is your neck sore by the end of the exam from looking back and forth and back and forth from the questions to the passage and back again? Well, this is the podcast episode for you!
IELTS Summary Completion Questions IELTS Summary Completion questions may be my favourite type of question in the IELTS exam. They are quick and often relatively easy to answer and give you the opportunity of grabbing 3 or 4 quick points in a the space of one short paragraph. If you compare that to Multiple Choice or Headings Match questions, which can require you to read and interpret an entire paragraph for just one point, you can see why I like them so much!
IELTS Semi-Formal Letters If you are a general training student, the most important elements of your score for Task Achievement in writing task one are addressing the bullets and having the right tone. However, while the tone of formal and informal letters is quite black and white, students often struggle with IELTS semi-formal letters as the tone may vary depending on the topic of the letter.
6 more IELTS Essay Questions from 2021 broken down! Yes! Nick and I are back with one of our most popular episodes – breaking down IELTS essay questions that have been reported in recent exams! Today, we look at 6 that I think are interesting because they either introduce a new topic that we have never seen covered in the exam before OR are a common essay question format that students often find difficult
How to approach an IELTS 2-Part Essay Over the last 12 months, I have noticed a definite trend in the type of questions that IELTS students are being asked to address in writing task two. It seems that the classic “problem / solution” questions are appearing less and less and, instead, test-takers are being asked to write an IELTS 2-Part essay. But, what is a 2-part essay? And how should you approach one to maximise your chance of a high score? That is what Nick and I are discussing in today’s podcast episode!
IELTS Exam Results One of the main frustrations for IELTS test-takers is that IELTS does not provide a breakdown of the scores for writing or speaking. In other words, you know that you got a 6.5 for writing, but you don’t know why. Was it a problem with lexis? Did you write off-topic? Or was it your Task One that let you down? Until now the answer has simply been, only the examiner knows. IELTS exam results were essentially a black box.
IELTS Progress Check: A Review A number of students have asked recently what we think about the new IELTS Progress Check. This is a relatively new service that offers students the chance to complete a full mock test in exam conditions that is marked by a trained examiner. The marketing for the service says that you will receive “an official feedback report, which includes an indicative overall test band score as well as a band score for each section of the test”, plus you will “receive personalised feedback chosen by the IELTS markers on all assessment criteria in your Speaking and Writing tests.”