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Welcome!

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Welcome to IELTS Advantage. This site was set up to help IELTS students study at home for free.

All posts are written by an experienced IELTS teacher.

The site will be updated daily with hints and tips, full lessons and sample answers.

All of the posts are categorised in one of the four skills you will be tested on.

The aim is to provide as much help as possible for IELTS students all over the world, so if you have an idea for a lesson or post, please let me know in the comments section.

The best way to keep up to date is to like us on Facebook.

image2 Welcome!

 

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Click here to return to the homepage, or click one of the links below to check out more great IELTS stuff.

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Writing Correction Service 10% Discount for Group Members

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Are you ready for the IELTS Writing Tasks?

Writing is said to be the hardest of all the four IELTS skills to master. This is not because it is more difficult than the other skills, but because students do not get good feedback.

IELTS Advantage offers a unique correction service that helps students improve their IELTS writing skills and produce better essays.

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  • A reliable IELTS band score.
  • Band 9 sample answer.
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Testimonials

So far we have 100% customer satisfaction and I work hard to keep it that way. Here are just a few satisfied customers. You can also look at the comments at the bottom of the page for more positive reviews.

I did the IELTS test last year and got 8 in my reading and listening, but only 5 in my writing. Chris showed me how to write the IELTS way. He also has great free writing resources on his site which made it possible for me to improve really quickly. After practicing with his method I got the 7.5 I needed to attend medical school.

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I was making the same grammar mistakes over and over again, but Chris was able to show me how to fix these and this really helped me improve my essays. After fixing so many silly mistakes my essays were much clearer and easy to read. I got the 6.5 I needed to attend university in America.

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Sample

Below is a sample feedback report. Your feedback report will contain the same level of detail.

PDF Sample 

Questions?

You can purchase below, but if you have any questions please feel free to email me at mail@ieltsadvantage.com

Purchase Method

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1 essay correction- $25 $22.50 USD 10% OFF

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This package contains five corrections, feedback, suggestions for improvement and sample essays.

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You will be instantly sent a PDF document with all the questions and how to easily send your essay to me.

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This is currently the only method by which I can accept payments, but if you have any others ideas, please email me.

Can I trust your site? 

I have authored over 100 free articles on IELTS and my goal is to help as many people as I can for free. Essay correction is the only service that I offer on my site that requires people to pay money because it takes a long time to correct each essay and it allows me to keep writing free articles. Look at the comments on my site and you will see thousands of people who are very happy with everything I do.

I am also trusted and linked to from the BBC, the British Council and Oxford University. Just click any of the links to see their links to my site.

All our payments are safe and secure. If you are not 100% happy, just send me an email and I will refund your money.

Trust is my number one priority and my site can’t survive without it, so please know that we take it very seriously.

If you have any questions you can always email me at mail@ieltsadvantage.com. I can also allow you to speak to many happy customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most of you questions should be answered below, but if there is anything else you need help with please email me- mail@ieltsadvantage.com

Can I pay in my own currency? I don’t want to pay in US Dollars. 

Sure you can pay in your own currency using a credit card or debit card. The amount is in US Dollars but it will be converted to your own currency.

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Yes. You will be sent a pack with both types of question.

Can I choose my own questions? 

You will be given a list of questions when you buy. There is a very wide selection of over 30 Task 1 and Task 2 questions. You should choose your questions from this list. This is to ensure the questions are real and to maintain quality.

Can I send you one essay at a time? 

Yes, no problem.

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Yes, no problem.

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If you don’t think that our service improves your writing we will issue a refund.

Are you an IELTS examiner? 

IELTS examiners are not allowed to tell people they are actual examiners, so even if I was one, I couldn’t tell you.

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No, one essay means one essay.

Is your service really 24 hours?

Yes, but I do not work on Saturdays or Sundays. If you send your essay on Friday evening or Saturday, you will not receive it back until the following Monday. At any other time of the week, you will always get your feedback within 24 hours.

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New Three-Part IELTS Writing Video Training

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Video-2-1024x572 New Three-Part IELTS Writing Video Training

Hi

I hope you’re well. I’ve created something really special for you.

Writing is probably the most difficult part of the whole IELTS test. So, I’ve created a brand new three-part writing course for you and included 3 beautiful PDF eBooks.

It will help you improve your writing in three easy steps.

Click here to get it.

It will only be available for another 2 days. I hope you like it.

Thanks

Chris

Using Collocations to Boost Your IELTS Score

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The correct use of collocations is an essential part of improving your English level and boosting your IELTS score. Using collocations correctly allows you to write and speak more like a native speaker and they are also one of the things that examiners look out for when marking your tests.

Learning new words as part of a collocation is a much more effective way of improving our vocabulary than simply learning single words by themselves.

Collocations are two or more words that naturally go together. They sound ‘correct’ to a native speaker. Using other combinations that do not form natural collocations might sound ‘incorrect’.

IELTS-Advantage-1-1024x576 Using Collocations to Boost Your IELTS Score

Examples

We could describe a night out as ‘great fun’, but we would not describe it as ‘big fun’. Similarly, we could describe the rain as being ‘heavy’, but we would not say that it is ‘weighty’ or ‘big’ rain.

There are many different types of collocations that you should be aware of. Below are the main ones and some examples.

Please note that this is not a list of collocations that you should use in your test, just some examples to help you understand what collocations are.

Adverb + Adjective

It’s vitally important to learn collocations.

I’m terribly sorry to bother you.

The baby was fast asleep.

It would be utterly stupid not to learn collocations.

I’m completely satisfied with his explanation.

Note that the adverb can often be replaced with the simpler words ‘very’ or ‘really’. Try to avoid these and use a more advanced collocation, like the ones above.

Adjective + Noun

There’s been heavy rain all day in Ireland.

There’s  a strong chance I’ll get a high score.

I’m under severe pressure to get the job finished this week.

It’s been a hard day at the office.

The patient was in excruciating pain when they arrived.

Noun + Noun

I experience a surge of anger when I saw what he’d done.

We gave her a round of applause after the speech.

I normally just drink a pint of beer when I go out.

Noun + Verb

A lion roars, they do not shout.

The children played as the snow began to fall.

The price of heating oil falls as temperatures rise.

Verb + Noun

Will someone please answer the phone?

Click on the link below to send me an email.

You can arrange an appointment with the doctor online.

How Can Collocations Improve My IELTS Score?

IELTS examiners will be listening out for effective use of collocations when you are doing your speaking test. They will also look for good use of them in your writing test. In short, appropriate and accurate use of them will help boost your score.

Does that mean that you should learn a long list of them? NO!

Instead, you should make collocations part of your vocabulary building process. When you learn a new word, you should find out which words it collocates with. A quick Google search will help you find all the main collocations easily.

You can then write down example sentences containing the collocations. This will help you remember the word more effectively, so you will be broadening your vocabulary and this will help you in all parts of the test.

Vocabulary Book

My recommendation would be to start a vocabulary book that contains all of the new words you learn. Beside each word you can list the meaning, but also collocations and things like synonyms and antonyms too. This will ensure that you will remember the word and use it correctly in the test.

5 Things Band 7+ IELTS Students Do

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IELTS-Advantage-1024x576 5 Things Band 7+ IELTS Students Do

I’m a bit obsessed with the difference between a student who gets the scores that they need and those that don’t. Every time I get an email from someone who got a 7 or above, I try to find out what they did that allowed them to get such a high score.

I’m certain that it does not come down to their level of English, skills or knowledge- of course, those things are very important- but 5 key things that they do when they are preparing for the test.

Here they are:

They Work Hard

This is the number one factor that you control. You cannot control the type of questions or topics that might come up, but you do control how much work you put in.

I think this is the most important factor. There are no problems that can’t be solved with hard work.

They Don’t Complain

One of the easiest things to do is to blame other factors for your result. Some of the most common ones are:

  • The test is unfair.
  • The test is stupid.
  • IDP/BC is not as hard as BC/IDP.
  • My teacher gave me bad advice.
  • The examiner didn’t like me.
  • The questions/topics were too hard.
  • I don’t have time to study.

It is much more difficult to accept that you have to work hard and do the work, than to make excuses, but those who put their head down and focus on their work, rather than make excuses, do much better.

A recent student who got 7.5, worked very long hours as a nurse, had 3 children to look after when she got home from work and had failed to get the score she needed 3 times. She had every reason to make excuses and complain, but instead she found the time to work hard and get the score she needed.

They Are Patient

When I did level/placement testing at the British Council, many students would laugh at me when I told them it would take 6-12 months before they were ready to do the test. They wanted to do a very short course and magically get the score they needed. This is impossible for most people who are not already at the required level.

I also get about 10 emails a day from people who tell me their IELTS test is next week and they want some ‘quick tips’ to help them get a high score. Again, this is fantasy.

The people who get the higher scores know their current level and make a realistic plan to get to where they want to go.

They Learn AND Practice

It is very important to learn about the test and the different techniques and strategies you need, however, lots of people think that all you have to do is do lots of reading and watch YouTube videos every day and they will get a 7 or above.

Likewise, many students believe that simply attending classes, but not actually doing any work outside of class, will help them.

It is more important to implement what you have learned. For example, don’t watch 10 videos about how to write an introduction. Watch the best 2-3 and write 10 introductions using what you’ve learned. Do the hard work before your test to make your job much easier on test day.

They Seek Professional Advice

There are many great free resources out there, but if you really want to improve there is no better way than consulting an expert. They will be able to tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong and tell you exactly what you need to do to improve.

A good teacher should be able to look at your writing or listen to your speaking and tell you almost immediately how to improve. You can improve at home on your own, but not as quickly or effectively without a good teacher.

There are many great teachers both offline and online and it is much cheaper to get their help, than to have to repeat the test many times.

Finally

Reading this article is not going to help you improve, but if you implement what you’ve learned here, you will get better.

There’s More Than One Way to Get a High IELTS Score

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IELTS-task-2-planning-300x212 There's More Than One Way to Get a High IELTS Score

A very common idiom that native English speakers use is “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” It means that there is more than one way of achieving an aim or doing something.

This is one of the most difficult things for IELTS students to understand- there are many different techniques, strategies, methods etc. that you could use to help you get a high mark.

The IELTS test, especially the speaking and writing parts, is not like a maths test where there is only one correct answer to a question. Alright, there is normally just one correct answer to a listening and reading question, but there are many different ways you could get to that correct answer.

I get emails every day from students asking questions like:

  • My teacher told me to do X this way. Why do you not agree?
  • My IELTS book says X. Why do you say the opposite?
  • Why did you write X? My friend did it a different way and got a 7.

The emails above are all assuming that there is just one correct way of doing things, when in reality there are many ‘correct’ ways.

Why is there so much conflicting advice?

Quite simply, it is much easier to tell students one technique or strategy than to teach them 3 or 4.

For example, it is much easier to tell a class or write in a book ‘You should do X.’, than to say something like ‘You could do X, but you could also do Y, and in certain circumstances you could also do Z.’

The first approach is straightforward and accomplishes the aim of the lesson, but the second approach will cause mass confusion and will take an unnecessary amount of extra time to explain and teach.

Examples

One of the most common questions I get asked is about overviews in Task 1. Some teachers call these overviews and some call them conclusions or summaries. Some teachers tell their students to put them after the introduction and some tell them to put them at the very end. This results in lots of frustration and anxiety for the student who hears ‘conflicting’ advice.

Similarly, for ‘agree or disagree’ essays, some teachers say that you should totally agree with one side, while others believe that a more balanced approach is preferable. If done correctly, both could get you a high mark.

Who to Trust?

With so much conflicting advice, it is difficult for a student to know who to trust. It is a high stakes exam and costs a substantial amount of money, so it totally understandable that you want the best advice.

My advice would be to only use sources of information and teachers that have a proven record of helping students get the scores they deserve. It is totally acceptable to ask your teacher questions if you think their advice conflicts with something else that you’ve heard, but once you trust that they know what they’re doing, you should take their advice and follow their techniques and strategies.

25 Most Frequently Asked Questions

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famousauthors-1024x576 25 Most Frequently Asked Questions

I get around 100 questions per day from students through email and during my Facebook Live sessions. Nearly all of them are one of the 25 below, so I decided to put the answers all in one post to make it simple and easy for you.

Even if you haven’t asked a question, you will probably find the answers interesting/useful/surprising.

Quick Tip– My website has the answer to nearly every IELTS question you could ever think of. All you have to do is go to Google and enter ‘IELTS Advantage’ + Your Question and you should be able to find the answer. This will not only save you lots of time but my secretary will also thank you for not sending an email 🙂

General Questions

The first five questions are really general, so I’ve given very general answers. This will take you longer to find the answer, but these first five questions are so broad, that a specific answer is simply impossible.

Also note that there are no ‘quick tips’, ‘tricks’ or ‘secrets’. Why? There aren’t any ‘tricks’ to the test, just solid advice that you have to take time to learn.

Question # 1- How do I prepare for IELTS?

Go here- IELTS Preparation- The Ultimate Guide

Question # 2- How can I improve my writing?

Go to the pages below and check out the resources there. There are lots of pages to go through, but it is a huge topic, so does require a huge amount of preparation.

Task 1 Writing

Task 2 Writing

Question # 3- How can I improve my speaking?

Go to the page below:

IELTS Speaking

Question # 4- How can I improve my listening?

Go to the page below:

IELTS Listening

Question # 5- How can I improve my reading?

Go the page below:

IELTS Reading

Specific Questions

Below I’ll give the answers to the most frequently asked specific questions. Again, if one of my articles answers the question better than a short answer from me, then I’ll give you the link to the article.

Question # 6- Should I write a conclusion for Task 1?

No. A conclusion is a summary of YOUR ideas and your opinion. Task 1 is simply reporting what you see, so there shouldn’t be any of your ideas or your opinion.

Instead of a conclusion you should write an overview.

The reason lots of people get confused about this is some teachers, books and even one British Council website call the overview a ‘conclusion’. It’s not a conclusion, it’s an overview.

Finally, it does not matter where you put the overview paragraph. I teach my students to put it after the introduction, but it is also fine to have it as your final paragraph.

Click here for more information on how to write an effective overview.

Question # 7- Should I try to use a British or American accent?

Absolutely not! You’ll probably sound ridiculous. There are no extra marks for having a ‘British’ accent. The key is to sound clear and for the examiner to be able to understand what you’re saying.

Click the link below for more information on pronunciation:

IELTS Pronunciation Guide

Question # 8- Can I use all capital letters in the listening and reading test?

Yes.

Question # 9- Should I use lots of idioms/phrasal verbs to get a high score?

Click below for a detailed answer on this:

7 Ways Idioms Can LOWER Your Score

Question # 10- Will using ‘academic’/’high level’ language help me get a high score?

This video will help you with that question:

Question # 11- Do you have an online course?

Yes, I do. It is called IELTS Writing Academy and it is a complete step-by-step guide for people hoping to get a 7 or above.

There is lots of help from me, including one on one Skype lessons and personal writing corrections, so the number of people allowed to join is strictly limited. For this reason, I only open it up to the public 2-3 times per year.

If you would like to join, you should go to this link and add your name to the waiting list. I’ll email you when it opens again.

Question # 12- How do I get a Band 7/8/9 in writing?

The key here is understanding what the examiners want. You should check out the article below that outlines the marking criteria i.e. what you need to do to get one of the higher marks.

What’s the Difference Between Band 5 and 8?

If you would like me to show you how to get a 7 or above, see question 11 above.

Question # 13- How can I improve my grammar?

You first need to find out what your common mistakes are. You should get a good English teacher to check your work and tell you what your most common 2-5 mistakes are. For example, you might have very good grammar, but you need help with articles, prepositions and punctuation.

You then need to learn the rules for each of your weak areas. When you feel confident you know the rules, practice. There are hundreds of free sites that will allow you to do this, just use Google to search for them.

Finally, you should produce these grammar points in speaking and writing. When you do this, your grammar will really improve.

If you would like me to check your writing and tell you your common mistakes, go here.

Question # 14- How can I improve my vocabulary?

Below is a 5 step plan to help you increase your range of vocabulary.

  1. Pick a book, TV show, radio show, podcast or magazine you are interested in. Don’t pick something boring because you will not stick to the plan and you will easily get distracted. People learn more effectively when they enjoy what they are doing.
  2. Buy a special notebook. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just something that you can write in every day.
  3. Read or listen to whatever you have chosen and pick out 15 words you don’t understand. Listen or read and try to guess what they mean from the context. (This step is very important because it will help you remember them.) Note the 15 new words down in your notebook.
  4. Look up the new words in a dictionary. You can do this online. Beside each word note the meaning, an example sentence or two, collocations, synonyms, antonyms and pronunciation. You can also draw pictures; whatever will help you remember the word.
  5. Review the new words after one week, two weeks and then one month. Also, practice using the new words in a sentence.

If you do this five days a week, after a month you will have nearly 100 new words in your notebook. After 6 months you will have at least 500 new words.

Questions # 15- Can you help correct my writing?

Yes, please click the link below to access my writing correction service.

IELTS Writing Correction Service

The next question I normally get asked is ‘Can you correct my writing for free?’

Sorry, no. If I did this for free I would have to correct hundreds of tasks per day and this is just not feasible. If you want free stuff, check out the hundreds of free articles on my site. If you want my time, you will have to pay.

Question # 16- Can I use American spelling?

Yes, but you should be consistent.

Question # 17- What is the difference between IDP and BC?

Here’s a very detailed article I wrote that should answer this question:

BC or IDP?

Question # 18- What books do you recommend?

All of the information you will ever need is on this site (and it’s free), but if you prefer books, here is a list of my recommendations.

Please don’t steal books by downloading them from the internet. Nobody likes a thief.

Question # 19- My exam is in 2 weeks/one month/3 months/next year how should I prepare?

IELTS Preparation- The Ultimate Guide

Question # 20- How can I practice speaking at home?

There are hundreds of different ways you can find people online, you just have to look.

To start with you can join my Facebook group. There are thousands of people there that will be happy to practice speaking with you. Click the link and add yourself.

Question # 21- I don’t know where to start. Please help me.

Not really a question, but a very common request. The best thing to do is start with the guide below:

IELTS Preparation- The Ultimate Guide

Question # 22- What’s the difference between UKVI and IELTS?

The lovely people at the British Council will explain this to you in the article below:

What is IELTS for UKVI?

Question # 23- Can I use personal pronouns in Task 2?

Yes, but only in limited circumstances. In general, personal pronouns should be avoided because the essay should contain more formal language. However, if you are giving your personal opinion, it is fine to use them. Below is an article that answers this question in much more detail:

Using Personal Pronouns

Question # 24- Can I give a balanced view for an ‘agree or disagree’ question?

You can, but I don’t recommend it. Giving a balanced view requires a higher level of skill than simply agreeing or disagreeing with one side and you don’t get any extra marks for it, so my advice is to keep it simple.

You also risk turning your ‘agree or disagree’ answer into a ‘discuss both views’ answer and this will cost you marks.

See below for my guide on opinion questions:

Agree or Disagree Task 2 Questions

Question # 25- Help! My test is in 2 days. What can you do to help me?

Probably my favourite question. I wrote an article for you crazy guys that leave it late. Check it out here.

Bonus question- Can you help me?

Sure! I have a website with hundreds of articles that will help you. It’s called IELTS Advantage. You’re already here.

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