IELTS Articles | IELTS Learning Tips

YNNG and TFNG Made Easy

Today’s topic is a thorny one and one which many students flag up as being an issue. Sometimes a little bit of thinking needs to go into these questions to weigh up the merits of each but generally if you have the right approach you can get them all correct.

7 Secrets to Successful IELTS Study

I don’t know if these are really secrets or not. In fact most of them are really just common sense but I am often surprised how many students seem to make life more difficult for themselves in terms of IELTS than it needs to be. By taking this route it not only costs more (how […]

How to get BAND 7 in IELTS Writing

This is a million dollar question! To really understand what you require for band 7 and 8 writing you can look at the Writing Assessment Criteria (public version) and study the criteria. You can download these here.

The Truth about MCQ in Listening

So what is the problem with MCQ in the listening test? Well, the listening test itself is a real exercise in multi-tasking. Not only do you have to listen carefully but you also have to read the questions and write down the answers simultaneously. There is a lot to do. The main focus must be […]

The Facts you should know about IELTS Speaking

IELTS Speaking isn’t just a ‘chat’. Just like all the other parts of the IELTS test, it is put together in such a way that you can demonstrate a variety of speaking skills to the examiner – such things as showing your vocabulary, being able to communicate at length about various topics and presenting a […]

Warning: What you must check before you take the IELTS Exam

I meet students every day who need IELTS for various reasons; higher education, immigration to get jobs, to keep jobs or for promotions. One thing that strikes me often about some students is how they will just book a test without giving any thought to, firstly, whether they are ready to achieve the band […]

5 Secrets to Great IELTS Grammar

Students often ask me if grammar is important in IELTS. The answer is of course, YES. The IELTS exam tests your English language ability and grammar is fundamental to any language learning. The examiners will test your grammar as well as vocabulary, spelling, and any other aspect of language.

The Ultimate IELTS Study Plan for Band 7 and 8

The Ultimate IELTS Study Plan for Band 7 and 8 It’s important to remember that a language is a skill (like driving a car or playing the piano). The more you practise the better you will become and if you don’t practise then you won’t be able to do these things well at all. There […]

The Facts you should know about IELTS Reading

Along with IELTS Writing, IELTS Reading is the area of the IELTS exam that I find most people find challenging. The amount of text to read, the number of questions and the short amount of time to do it all conspire to create something which most students feel is impossible and create panic in many.

The Listening Linchpin: Why Listening is Key in Learning a Foreign Language

Anyone who has ever studied a second language in a classroom and then had the experience of speaking with a native speaker in a real conversation can tell you; the real thing is so much harder to understand! You might think that you are fluent in French until you are greeted by your waiter at […]