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  IELTS Speaking: Vocabulary for Part One

  30 March 2021

  IELTS Speaking Vocabulary for Part One Hey! Nick and I talk a lot on the podcast about the importance of “topic-specific vocabulary” in speaking and writing. However, it can be difficult to give clear examples of what this “magical” lexis is, as it changes for each topic. So, today, we thought that would try something different. We have invited 3 native speakers to attempt 6 of the current reported IELTS Speaking Part One topics. We gave them zero preparation or advice – all we asked is that they answer the questions naturally. The result? Lots of natural IELTS speaking vocabulary, plus a chance to hear fantastic intonation and use of filler words.

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  Speaking Part 2: The Problem with the IELTS PPF method!

  02 February 2021

  Speaking Part 2: The IELTS PPF method There is no doubt that Speaking Part Two can be challenging for many students. After all, talking continuously for 2 minutes is not something we do very often in every day life! However, is using the IELTS PPF method the best way to keep going until the examiner interrupts you? Nick and I think that it is definitely NOT for three reasons (that sounds like a To What Extent essay!) Listen to today’s episode to find out why we would never recommend this method and to find out our alternative suggestions.

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  The Best Approach to IELTS Speaking Part 3

  03 November 2020

  IELTS Speaking Part 3 In IELTS Speaking Part 3, the focus moves away from you to the world around you. This means that you will have to be able to speak about abstract topics, which is not easy even for high-level test takers. In the episode above, Nick and I explain how to approach these questions well by looking at the types of question you will be asked, the common topics covered, and the best way to answer the questions in this part of the test.

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  IELTS Cue Card Feedback

  14 July 2020

  Hey! This week we have something different! Last week, I sent out a call on social media for our listeners to record themselves attempting three speaking part two questions. So today, Nick and I will be giving IELTS cue card feedback.

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  5 tips for practicing without an IELTS speaking partner!

  09 July 2020

  5 tips for practicing without an IELTS speaking partner! Hey! We all know that the best way to improve our speaking is to work with an experienced teacher who can guide you and target your practice to focus on each of the IELTS speaking band descriptors. But what if you can’t afford a teacher, or you want to practice more outside of class? Well, today I will give you five pieces of advice that you can use to improve your performance at home without an IELTS speaking partner or a teacher.

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  Understanding the IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors

  30 June 2020

  Hey! In your speaking test, the examiner will use the IELTS speaking band descriptors to give you a score in 4 areas: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. But, what exactly is the examiner looking for in your speaking performance to give you a 6, 7, or 8 in each of these areas? As always, the answer is in the Band Descriptors!

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  IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Six Common Mistakes

  09 June 2020

  Although the first part of the IELTS speaking test should be the easiest as you are asked questions all about yourself, you still want to make sure that you get off to a strong start. So, today, Nick and I look at six common errors that students make in IELTS Speaking Part 1 and how you can avoid them. This is a Patron Only Episode: Click here to support the show and gain access to the audio or continue reading about  the 6 common mistakes in the blog post below https://www.patreon.com/myieltsclassroom Below, you can find a summary of the episode. This includes all of the links to useful materials and the times of each part of the discussion (so you can[…]

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  The 9 Types of IELTS Cue Cards

  06 March 2020

  Hey! The IELTS cue cards change every 4 months, with 50% of topics being replaced every April, September, and December. This means that it is almost impossible for students to know and prepare for the 50 possible cards that could appear in their test. Honestly, I think that this is a good thing! Part 2 of the speaking test is supposed to test your ability to speak naturally about a topic, not to test your ability to memorise pre-prepared answer.

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  Introduction to IELTS Speaking

  21 February 2020

  Welcome to the second lesson in our IELTS 101 series – an introduction to IELTS speaking. This should be a fantastic episode for anybody who is just starting their IELTS preparation as Nick and describe what happens in each part of the test and what the examiner is looking for in your performance.

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  IELTS Speaking Tips: 5 Things No Examiner Wants to Hear

  09 October 2019

  Hey! Believe it or not, your IELTS speaking examiner is hoping that you will do well in the exam. Seriously, nothing is easier for an examiner in any field to assess a candidate who performs well in a test. Unfortunately, not every student performs as well as they can on test day (often because they have been given some “IELTS Speaking Tips” that are just plain wrong!). In fact, there are some words that every examiner dreads hearing. What are they? Let’s find out!

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