- Computer Delivered IELTS: 18 Tips From Test TakersThe computer delivered IELTS test follows the exact same format and timings that the paper based IELTS test does. The tips below are based mainly on what has worked for past students of mine and might help you to: #1 – Adjust text size and background colour Make your eyes comfortable by changing the size…
- TOEIC VS TOEFL: 4 Key Differences, FAQs and Comparison ChartTOEIC and TOEFL are two English language tests owned by US based, Educational Testing Service (ETS). Results of these tests can be used by universities, immigration depts and workplaces to decide who they offer places, work or visas to. The main differences between the tests are as follows: TOEFL is taken by students applying to…
- PTE vs IELTS vs TOEFL: Comparison Table, Key Differences And GuidePTE, IELTS, TOEFL – All these different acronyms can seem very confusing at first. However, they are simply acronyms for different English language tests that universities and immigration departments often require you to take to prove your level of English. The main differences between the three are as follows: IELTS and TOEFL are the most…
- A Grad Schooler’s Guide To GRE, IELTS And TOEFLNorth American universities typically require a GRE score, and a further IELTS or TOEFL score for non native speakers of English. But, what exactly are the differences between these tests? US and Canadian graduate programmes often require a GRE General and/or a GRE Subject Test score. General, tests reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills.…
- IELTS Speaking: 12 Common Mistakes Killing Your Band ScoreWhen I examine IELTS speaking candidates I know what mistakes I am going to hear before the candidates have even arrived. It is frustrating as these common mistakes are easily avoided and they damage your band score. I hate seeing candidates have to re-sit IELTS and hand over more money, so promise me that you…
- IELTS vs TOEFL: 14 Key Differences Reveal Easiest OptionA big decision that many people face is whether to take an IELTS or TOEFL as a way of proving their level of English. As a sixth form tutor who advises people on this daily, here is my advice: Take the IELTS test if you are applying for a UK/European university or visa, unless you…
- British Council v IDP: Key Differences And The Easiest OptionAs a high school teacher and IELTS examiner, students often ask me about the differences between the British Council and IDP and if one was easier. My reply usually goes something like this: The British Council and IDP provide the exact same testing service. They use the same questions created by Cambridge English and they…
- How Can I Get Band 9 In IELTS Writing?As well as having native level English, you also need to understand the IELTS band requirements if you want a band 9. Many native speakers would not get a band 9 in writing because they do not know how to write IELTS style essays. Here I’m going to run through nine things you need to do…
- IELTS Band 9 Writing Samples: Task 2 EssaysOne of the best ways of learning how to write better is to simply read sample IELTS band 9 essay answers, and that is exactly what we have here: 10, Band 9 sample IELTS essays. Each essay is followed by a teaching point to show you why it is a band 9 IELTS essay. Finally,…
- Failed IELTS? Here’s What You Need To KnowFailing IELTS, or not getting the score you need, can certainly make you feel bad, but it is not the end of the world either. I mean, you can take the test as many times as you like and there is lots of quality free material out there, this site for example, that can help…
- 10 ‘Highly Effective’ IELTS Tricks and HacksGot an IELTS test coming up soon? Need some quick tricks and hacks to improve your band score quickly and easily? Good, because I hate IELTS, I don’t like how they make so much money from failing candidates, and I want you to beat them! Here are a some quick tricks and hacks for IELTS…
- When Should I Take My IELTS?This question of when to take your IELTS gives myself and my students so many headaches. As a sixth form student counselor and former IELTS examiner, here is my honest answer. Firstly, you should not take your test until your English level is ready, otherwise you may waste time and money retaking. Secondly, if you…
- 3 Ways To Know You Are Ready For IELTSFind out if you are ready to take the IELTS test before you book and prevent yourself from wasting your time and money. Here is how: You are ready to take IELTS if you can get the band score you need in three consecutive IELTS practice tests, or if you have taken a CEFR placement…
- Is IELTS UKVI Harder To Pass?As a former IELTS examiner, I constantly get asked whether the IELTS UKVI test is hard to pass, and if the standard IELTS test is easier than UKVI IELTS?’ So, here’s my answer after teaching and testing thousands of students worldwide… The UKVI IELTS test is as hard as the standard IELTS test. It follows…
- How To Write Complex Sentences For An IELTS Band 7+In this post, I want to use my decades of IELTS teaching experience and examining to show you how to write complex sentence structures for IELTS writing tasks 1 and 2, and also for IELTS speaking. If you want the short answer though, complex sentences can be made by simply linking together two or more…
- How Complex Sentences Are Used In IELTS Writing And SpeakingHowdy people! Do you want to smash the IELTS test? The let me show you how complex sentences are used in IELTS so you can use them too! Complex sentences are used in IELTS writing and speaking anytime you want to link more than one idea or piece of information together in a sentence. Normally…
- IELTS Speaking Do’s and Don’ts For Bands 7, 8, and 9!OK people. Tim James, here, former IELTS speaking examiner ready to give you my top do’s and don’ts for the IELTS speaking test. I’ll be telling you what I believe it is important for candidates to do and what to avoid in order to score an IELTS band 7, 8 and 9. First Up, IELTS…
- How To Introduce Yourself In IELTS SpeakingIntroducing yourself in the IELTS speaking test Before the examiner says anything to you at all they will say this opening paragraph for the benefit of the recording: ‘This is the International English Language Testing System on the 20 March 2020. The Candidate name is… The candidate number is… The centre is… and the centre…
- How Do IELTS Examiners Mark Speaking?Question: How do IELTS examiners mark speaking? IELTS Examiners mark speaking by assessing your speaking skill across 4 categories, they are: fluency and coherence, lexical resource (vocabulary), grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. The examiner gives you a band score out of 9 for each of those criteria and then the average of those is…
- Why Is The IELTS Test So Hard?IELTS is so hard because it is a test designed to push your English ability as far as it will go. This means that at some point you will reach a point where you can no longer complete the the questions effectively. Not everyone will always be aware they have reached that point but those…
- Where Does IELTS Reading Come From?What are the sources of IELTS reading test papers and where do they come from? Well, that’s a great question my beautiful band seekers! IELTS reading texts come from real life sources. They are not created especially for the test. Essentially, they come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, and company hand books. The…
- Why Is IELTS So Expensive?Why Is IELTS So Expensive? And Is IELTS Worth it? IELTS is so expensive for four main reasons. Firstly, you are paying for the famous name, ‘Cambridge’, ‘The British Council’. Secondly, all speaking and writing tests are marked manually by IELTS examiners who need to be trained and paid. Finally, like any business there are…
- Want A Higher Score In IELTS?Want a higher score in IELTS? Then here are the 4 killer steps you must take to achieve your goal – and this is coming from a former IELTS examiner, so pay attention. Firstly, know the test format. Secondly, know your weaknesses. Thirdly, know the next step up in the band marking criteria, and fourthly,…
- How To Get A Band 9 In IELTS SpeakingFirstly, to be clear I am a former IELTS Speaking examiner and so the information I am offering is genuine and the advice I give will work. This article, is aimed at students who are already very good at English and are just looking for that extra nudge to get them from an IELTS band…
- How To Paraphrase in IELTS WritingWhat is paraphrasing in IELTS? The use of paraphrasing in IELTS is what allows you to show that you have a sufficient range of vocabulary to cope with the task, whether it is in speaking or writing. Paraphrasing in IELTS is the skill of being able to read or hear one or more sentences, and…
- How To Prepare For IELTS In 2 DaysThe short answer to how to prepare for IELTS in 2 days: Do a complete IELTS test so you understand the format. Do it under timed conditions so you know how fast you need to work. Read up on IELTS test techniques and strategies, they will make more sense once you have done a practice…
- What Should I Listen To Improve IELTS Listening?Here’s the short answer to what should I listen to to improve IELTS listening: Past IELTS papers to understand the question type and format. IELTS listening strategies on Youtube to see which ones work for you. Everyday conversations from series and soaps, this will help with part 1 of the test featuring general conversations. TED…
- Common Mistakes in IELTS Essays You Need To Avoid!Here are some common mistakes in IELTS Essays you need to make sure you do not make: Not developing body paragraphs around one main idea. Not actually answering the question and going off topic. Trying to come up with ‘clever ideas’ that end up being too hard to explain clearly. Deliberately trying to insert complicated…
- Why Can’t I Get An IELTS Band 7Here are some answers to the question why can’t I get an IELTS band 7… You don’t do active listening practise, you just listen to movies and music with no specific purpose to your listening. You keep taking the test hoping it will just get easier or you will get luckier on test day. You…
- How To Clear IELTS Easily?If you want to know how to clear IELTS easily then here you go: There are no short cuts to success, you must practice sufficiently. You must get feedback on your practice tests, otherwise how can you know what to improve? You must be willing to do things differently. There is no point getting feedback…
- IELTS Writing Band 7 TipsCheck out these IELTS writing band 7 tips: Tip 1 – Make a short plan before you write your essay. Tip 2 – Reread each sentence as you go. Tip 3 – Spend most of your time on your body paragraphs. Tip 4 – Use topic sentences. Tip 5 – Know what your common errors…
- How To Improve Listening Skills In IELTSHow To Improve Listening Skills in IELTS Their are two main ways to improve your IELTS listening score: 1. Improve your exam technique – covered here. 2. Improve your general listening skills for IELTS. Once you know how to do the listening test and have good technique, the only thing left is to actually improve…
- What Are Common Mistakes In IELTS Speaking To Avoid!The quick answer to what are common mistakes in IELTS speaking to avoid is… Memorising answers, it doesn’t sound natural. Getting so nervous that you don’t speak properly. Overthinking your answers before saying them, this will slow down your speech. Worrying about what the examiner might think of your opinions. Expecting help from the examiner,…
- 7 Dangerous IELTS Writing Myths and MisconceptionsHere are some of the most common IELTS writing myths that might be lowering your score: You score higher for using British spellings than American spellings. Your essay ideas must be interesting and original. You have to use real life examples, facts and figures. You need to write using lots of long words. You need…
- 7 Dangerous IELTS Speaking MythsHere are some IELTS speaking myths that I regularly hear from candidates: You need to sound British. There’s only one correct answer. The examiner can’t repeat anything for you. Some IELTS examiners or centres are easier than others, Band 9 is for native speakers only. You have to tell the truth. You need to use…
- How To Do IELTS Listening Part 2Here are some quick tips and guidelines on how to do IELTS listening part 2 of the test, a monologue/conversation. Be aware that you will hear different people speaking with different accents, don’t let this disrupt your concentration. Answer questions as you listen, you won’t remember the sentences once they have gone, the test moves…
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- Quick Ways For Thai Students To Improve their IELTS Band ScoreEvery language has its own characteristics, unfortunately when someone tries to learn another language they often transfer the characteristics of their own native language to the new language. As a native English speaker For Thai students this can cause several common problems. However, the good news is that with a bit of knowledge they can…
- IELTS Reading Common Mistakes To AvoidThere aren’t too many ways to instantly improve your IELTS score. However, students can improve their exam technique very quickly and avoid these IELTS reading common mistakes, which can immediately improve your IELTS reading band score. Here are some common mistakes students have when completing the IELTS Reading module. Do you have any of these problems?…
- How To Improve Your IELTS ReadingWant To Know How To Improve Your IELTS Reading Test Score? The video below produced by the British Council (who are one of the owners of the IELTS exam), offers a very effective method to complete the IELTS reading exam successfully. Watch it now and make notes if you can. The script is provided underneath…
- IELTS Speaking Fluency and CoherenceWant To Improve Your IELTS Fluency And Coherence for the Speaking Exam? The owners of the IELTS exam have produced the video below to show candidates how to improve their IELTS Speaking Fluency and Coherence band score. As normal, the full script is underneath to help. Play The Video… Improve English & Prepare For IELTS…
- IELTS Speaking VocabularyNeed Help Improving Your Vocabulary for the IELTS Speaking Exam? If so, then you are in the right place. Watch the short video from the British Council (IELTS owners) and discover how to improve your vocabulary for IELTS speaking. The full script is underneath to help, and don’t miss my recommendations below the script! Play…
- IELTS Reading Short Answer TipsIn the IELTS Reading Test ‘short answer questions’ candidates have to select words from a text, usually 3 or 4 (but read the instructions carefully) to complete sentences. The particular skill required here is that of prediction. It is quite possible to figure out what type of word(s) you are looking for just from reading…
- How To Do Multiple Choice Questions For IELTS ReadingThere are normally 4 options one of which the candidate has to select as the correct answer based on information from the text. The way to do this is to scan the text for keywords and their synonyms from the question and then read that paragraph intensively to decide upon your answer. Have a look…
- How To Write In An Academic Style In IELTS EssaysIELTS examiners decide a candidates band score partly based on the style of their language. This is part of the Task Achievement criteria and basically means that students are required to write in an appropriate style for their audience. As you know there are two main writing tasks in both the Academic and General version of…
- IELTS Writing Task 2 – Video ExplainerWant A Proven Way To Score High On IELTS Writing Task 2? Our main article about How To Do IELTS Task 2 General And Academic is located here but this IELTS Writing Task 2 Video Explainer created by the part owners of the IELTS exam, the British Council, is fantastic too! To help you, the…
- How To Do IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – Video ExplainerWant A Proven Way To Score High On IELTS Writing Task 1? Our main guide about How To DO IELTS Academic Writing Part 1 is here, however the video below was produced by the part owners of the IELTS exam, the British Council. As it is their exam, they are worth listening too! The script is…
- How To Increase Your Writing Speed For IELTSIf you do not write enough words in either Part 1 (150 words) or Part 2 (250 words) of the IELTS writing test you will get a lower band score in the ‘Task Achievement’ category and you have less chance to show off how good your writing is. Here is one technique you can use…
- IELTS Writing And CohesionImprove Your IELTS Writing Cohesion For A Higher Band Score. The video below was produced by the part owners of the IELTS exam, the British Council, so their advice is definitely worth listening to! The script follows the video underneath. Play The Video… IELTS Writing Coherence & Cohesion – Improve your IELTS Writing (Script) So, you…
- IELTS Speaking GrammarHow To Improve Your IELTS Grammar Band Score For The Speaking Test The video below was produced by the British Council who actually part own the IELTS exam. This means their advice is important. The script is below the video in case you need it. Play The Video… IELTS Speaking Grammar – Improve English &…
- IELTS Task Achievement/Task ResponseDo you know what ‘Task Achievement’ is and how it can help you increase your IELTS band score? If not then watch the video below created by the IELTS owners, the British Council to find out. The full script is underneath in case you don’t catch everything. Play The Video… IELTS Writing: How To Improve…
- IELTS Listening Practice TechniquesIELTS Listening Practice – How To Improve Your Listening Band Score! Their are two main ways to improve your IELTS listening score: [stextbox id=”grey” color=”545454″ bcolor=”E0E0E0″ bgcolor=”FAFFAD” bgcolorto=”FCFFD9″ mleft=”50″ mright=”50″ mtop=”5″ mbottom=”5″ image=”null”] 1. Improve your exam technique – covered here. 2. Improve your general listening skills. [/stextbox] Once you know how to do…
- IELTS Writing VocabularyNeed help with your IELTS writing vocabulary? Here’s a video made by the people who make the IELTS exam explaining how you can improve this. The full script is underneath the video. Play The Video… IELTS Writing Vocabulary: Improve English And Prepare For IELTS (Script) So you have decided to take the IELTS exam. Great…
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About Me…
Hi there, I’m Tim James a former IELTS examiner and IELTS teacher of over a decade. This site is where I share my exam strategies to help people get the score they need. I hope it helps you!
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