IELTS Advantage

IELTS Writing | Band 7 in 3 DAYS!

I recently spoke to our VIP student, Kaval, who moved from Band 6 to Band 7 in only three days. Watch the video above to see how IELTS Advantage

IELTS Writing Task 1: Sample Letters

Anyone taking the IELTS General Training test is required to write a letter for Writing Task 1. To show you what a strong letter looks like, I asked

Is accent important?

Is accent important in the IELTS speaking test? Pronunciation is a key part of getting a high score in the speaking test. Therefore, it is natural

IELTS Beginners: What is IELTS?

This post is the first of a five-part series for IELTS beginners, designed to answer some of the most commonly asked questions we get about the IELTS

How to Spot an IELTS Scam

Millions of people take the IELTS exam every year, many of whom choose an online course or teacher to help with their preparation. This means that

IELTS Tips and Tricks

If you are reading this article, it is because you are looking for some easy tips and tricks to prepare you for the IELTS exam. However, before we get

How to Get Band 7+ in 5 Steps

Do you need to score a high band in the IELTS exam but don’t know how to achieve it? This post will highlight a simple five-step strategy you must

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

25 Most Frequently Asked Questions

I get around 1000 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

7 IELTS Fluency Problems

Of all of the things I assess on the IELTS Speaking test, the most common problem is fluency. Fluency is your ability to speak smoothly (not

Is Writing Task 1 Important?

At least once a week I get a student who emails me saying that they got a 6.5 yet again and they are stuck on this score. When we look at the main

IELTS Writing Task 2 Exercise

I recently gave the question below to a group of students and most of them made at least one major mistake that lowered their overall mark. I thought

Recent Confusing Questions

A lot of you send me your Writing questions after you do your exam. Recently, there have been a few very confusing questions. One student even emailed

IELTS Essay Topics

Most people doing IELTS Writing Task 2 get stressed out about which IELTS essay topics they will face. They worry about getting an unfamiliar topic

IELTS Scores

IELTS is graded on a scale of 0-9. You will receive a score for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. These scores are then averaged and this will

Skip a Line and Use a Pencil

Paragraphing When marking someone's IELTS Writing it is very frustrating when you see one big block of text. What I mean by this is a full essay that

British Council or IDP?

One of the strangest things I have heard from students goes something like this: ''I'm going to book my test with IDP, the examiners give higher

Yumiko’s Band 9 Essay

After just 5 days of using IELTS Writing Academy, one of my students was able to produce an essay of the very highest quality. I am so proud of her

Speaking Part 3 Tips

After your 2 minute monologue in Part 2 of the Speaking test, the examiner will ask you around 4-5 more abstract questions about the same general

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Tips

Many consider Speaking Part 2 to be the most difficult part of the IELTS Speaking test because it is a monologue. A monologue is different from the

Surveillance Essay

In many cities the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order to reduce crime, but some people believe these measures restrict

Task 2 Environment Essay

With the increased global demand in oil and gas, undiscovered areas of the world should be opened up to access more resources. To what extent do you

Student’s Task 2 Answer

Sometimes I like to show you a student's essay, so that you can compare it with your own and see what other people are capable of. Below is one such

Task 2 Sample Answer- Shopping

In most developed countries shopping is not only about buying the goods you need, it is also perceived as entertainment. Is it a positive or negative

IELTS Simon Interview

It's great to get different perspectives on online IELTS teaching and Simon from IELTS Simon has been kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Latest Real Task 2 Questions

Lots of you send me your Task 2 questions, so I've decided to record them all on one page. Of course, the same questions will not come up again, but

Best Podcasts for English Learners

The best English students are always looking for new ways to develop their skills, and increasingly, podcasts have become an unparalleled source of

How to Write Like an IELTS Expert

We get lots of emails every week thanking us for our articles and resources, but they normally end with things like: I'll never be able to write like

IELTS Writing Samples

One of the most misunderstood aspects of IELTS preparation is how to use IELTS writing samples. IELTS Writing Sample Answers: How should I use

From Band 6 to 8 in 6 Weeks

Tina is one of my 1 on 1 students and she jumped an amazing 2 bands in her writing in just 6 weeks. I decided to share her story because there are

The Danger of Synonyms

Introduction Synonyms are different words that have exactly the same or nearly the same meaning, such as male and man or third-level education and

General Training Task 1 Strategy

The most important thing you have to do for any IELTS Writing Task is to answer the question. For General Training Task 1 questions you always have to

6 Common Mistakes in Writing Task 2

Quick Links A few weeks ago I launched our new writing correction service and after marking hundreds of essays I noticed that most students make the

Cohesive Devices

Introduction Cohesive devices, sometimes called linking words, linkers, connectors, discourse markers or transitional words, are one of the most

Using Examples in Writing Task 2

Introduction If you look at the official Writing Task 2 Marking Criteria you will notice that to get a Band 9 you must: present a fully developed

IELTS Pronunciation Guide

Introduction On the IELTS Speaking test you will be graded on four different things: Vocabulary (25%) Grammar (25%) Fluency and Coherence

IELTS Essay – Balanced Approach

Lots of you have been asking me to write an essay with a balanced approach, or in other words when you agree with both sides. I normally advise my

IELTS Writing Correction Service

https://youtu.be/115kIJuIo1A Do you need an IELTS Writing correction service? Writing is said to be the hardest of all the four IELTS skills to

Can I Use American English?

Introduction I have had lots of emails this month asking if it is OK to use American English in the IELTS test. Whenever this topic comes up in class

How to Plan an IELTS Essay

This post will show you how to make a great plan that will help you write a clear essay every time. The Benefits of Planning There are normally

A Problem Solution Essay

Below is a problem solution essay that achieved a band score of 9. I have also included an examiner’s report to help you understand how this candidate

IELTS Preparation Books

There are hundreds of IELTS preparation books on the market and choosing the right one can make the difference between studying effectively and

IELTS Speaking Criteria

A few months ago I wrote post about the difference between band 5 and band 8 answers on the writing test and lots of people have asked me to do the

IELTS Speaking Topics

'IELTS speaking topics' is one of the most searched for IELTS terms on Google and one of the biggest concerns students have in my own classes. Many

Teenage Years – IELTS Task 2 Essay

This post gives you a Band 9 sample answer and a structure to help you answer questions like this on test day. It is a General Training essay but is

IELTS vs TOEFL: Which is easier?

A question I regularly get from students is 'Should I take the IELTS or TOEFL test,' and also 'IELTS vs TOEFL: Which is the easiest?' This post

How To Write a Formal IELTS Letter

This post will show you how to write a formal letter in task 1 of the IELTS writing test. This post is for students doing the General Training module.

IELTS Letter Writing Tips

This post will help you to write better letters in task 1 of the General Training IELTS paper. If you are doing the Academic module please take a look

IELTS Listening Overview and Tips

Listening Overview The IELTS listening test is the same for both those taking the Academic and General Training papers. It consists of 40 questions

How to Prepare for IELTS Speaking

This article will show you how to prepare for the IELTS speaking test. Understand the Speaking Test Format This might seem like an obvious point, but

IELTS Speaking Tips

These are the speaking tips I share with all of my IELTS classes. You can use these tips for speaking in both the academic and general IELTS

IELTS Bar Chart Sample Essay

Static or Dynamic? Before writing an IELTS task 1 bar chart or line graph answer it is important that we analyse the question correctly. Taking a few

IELTS Listening Practice

IELTS Listening Practice - What you NEED to know! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWxeXGyP7-g If you need to score a Band 7, 8 or 9 in IELTS

IELTS Speaking Topics Part 1

On this page, you will find common IELTS Speaking topics and sample answers. You should not memorise answers and if the examiner thinks that you

IELTS Writing Tips

These are IELTS writing tips for people doing the academic paper, but you will also find them useful for the general paper. Most of these tips are for

IELTS Task 1 Multiple Graphs

This post will help you answer task 1 questions that feature more than one graph. A common question on the IELTS academic task 1 paper asks you to

IELTS Reading- Summary Completion

In summary completion question types, you will be given a summary of information from the text and there will be some gaps in that summary. You will

Technology Vocabulary

Below are 20 word circles containing common words associated with technology. They contain meanings, example sentences, collocations and synonyms to

Teaching English Blog of the Month

Very happy to have won the British Council's Blog of the Month Award. You can have a look at the other candidates visiting the British Council

Examples of Task 2 Discussion Essays

This question was recently on the IELTS academic paper in Vietnam. The topic is childcare. Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best

How to Write a Thesis Statement

This post will show you how to write a strong IELTS thesis statement. It will also explain why you should vary your thesis statement according to the

24 Hour English Warm Up

What do singers, athletes and actors all do before they perform? They warm up. Why? To improve their performance. This is exactly the same in the

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Guide

This post will cover: what to do if you don't understand the question what to do if you can't think of an answer how to extend your answer One

IELTS Writing Task 1 Maps Lesson

Introduction This guide on IELTS Writing Task 1 maps questions will cover: Different kinds of map question Structure Describing specific

IELTS Reading Tips

These are the 10 IELTS reading tips I share with all of my IELTS classes. First, let's look at an overview so we can understand what the reading paper

Five Essential IELTS Blogs

As an English teacher, the first place I normally look for IELTS material is in traditional textbooks. However, there is a wealth of information on

Education Vocabulary

Below are twenty words associated with one of the most common IELTS topics- education. They are represented visually and include meanings, form,

Environment Vocabulary

Below are twenty words associated with one of the most common IELTS topics- the environment. They are represented visually and include meanings, form,

Health Vocabulary

Below are twenty words associated with one of the most common IELTS topics- health. They are represented visually and include meanings, form,

IELTS Reading Matching Headings

This article will help you match headings more effectively in the IELTS reading test. In the IELTS reading test you may be asked to match headings

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Strategy

This post will help you give better answers in part 2 of the IELTS speaking test. In IELTS speaking part 2 you will be given a topic or cue card

IELTS Writing Task 1 Tips

Here are some examiner-approved Task 1 tips for you. At the school I work in they run an IELTS academic writing course. I love teaching this course