IELTS Articles | IELTS Learning Tips

More on IELTS writing

IELTS writing seems to have been a theme in my posting for the last week. I see lots of students who are reaching high bands in listening and reading but not quite making the mark with writing (and also sometimes speaking). I see lots of people asking lots of questions about how to organise paragraphs, how […]

Having a plan for your IELTS can make ALL the difference to your success

I’ve spoken about this before in posts, in Live videos and in posted videos. If you have a plan of action that you follow each and every day which is organised, dedicated, easy to do and certain to develop both your English and IELTS skills then how can you not pass your IELTS with flying colours? Knowing […]

Should I write over 300 words for my IELTS Task 2?

The short answer to this question, which I get asked often, is NO! Students sometimes believe that if they write long essays for task 2 then they will be able to pick up more marks. The examiner may not welcome 350 words of text – so as a writing strategy it is foolhardy. Firstly the examiner […]

Focus on what is important – Ignore the noise!

The ‘noise’ I mean is social media noise. We’re all guilty of it – sending messages, commenting, sharing tips and advice – some good, some perhaps not. Just the sheer volume of ‘stuff’ out there is enough to give you a headache. And then, what do you do with it all and how does it […]

Every Word Counts – IELTS Reading

When I start working with IELTS students on their IELTS reading I often find that they spend a lot of time on the passages and only read through the questions quickly before rushing off to find the answers. This strategy is the wrong way around. Much of the content of the reading passages is irrelevant […]

I don’t have a magic IELTS wand!

I think sometimes when I speak to IELTS students, there seems to be a quest for a magic wand that will deliver the IELTS band that is required. This can be – the best books and materials – lots of Facebook comments asking for this – as if there is a book that will weave […]

3 tips to help with Headings in IELTS Reading

(a quick one today ) I often get asked about headings in IELTS reading so if this question type causes you some problems here are 3 things to do to try and get more answers correct. Skim the paragraph (you need good skimming skills here to make this quick), then ask yourself ‘what is this telling […]

Why IELTS Writing keeps people stuck in IELTS

A quick thought today I’m noticing that a lot of people are getting stuck in writing especially at Band 6.5. I’ve been teaching IELTS for over 20 years and I can tell you that this has always been the case for as long as I can remember. There are reasons for this:We all learn to speak […]

5 Top Tips for your IELTS Task 2

Did you know that the IELTS writing usually scores the lowest band in any IELTS exam session? The IELTS writing test can be a hard mountain to climb but with the right preparation you can make sure that your IELTS essay will be good enough to attract the score that you really want. Taking time over […]

3 Top IELTS Reading Tips

I’ve been thinking about reading a lot this week (did you see the video I posted?) – mostly because I have been working on this area of IELTS with a few students and looking at some of the things that they are doing which are stopping them from getting a good result. I thought I would […]