• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
IELTS Advantage

IELTS Advantage

IELTS Preparation Courses

  • Success Stories
  • Resources
    • IELTS Writing Task 1 (In 2023)
    • IELTS Writing Task 2 (In 2023)
    • IELTS Speaking (In 2023)
    • IELTS Reading (In 2023)
    • IELTS Listening
    • IELTS Vocabulary
  • Contact Us
  • VIP Course

FAQ AND CONTACT

Home » FAQ AND CONTACT

Contact Us Here

The best way to contact us is through email. We answer 100% of the email we receive. 

You can contact us directly here- chris@ieltsadvantage.com 

Please do not hesitate to contact us with anything you need. We are more than happy to hear from you and it is our job to help you. 

We have also created the answers to some frequently asked questions below. 

HELP YOURSELF TO THESE
COMMON ANSWERS

Writing Task 1

How can I improve my writing?

You will find all the resources you need on our Writing Task 1 page. Click the link below:

Writing Task 1

If you need serious help or personalised feedback, you should check out our online course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name here:

IELTS VIP

How can I get a Band 7, 8 or 9?

The answer to this question is different for every individual IELTS student, as it depends on a number of factors, including your work ethic, English skills and exam strategy. You’ll find a guide to answering this question in this article. 

If you need serious help with improving your IELTS scores, you should check out our online IELTS Writing course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name by clicking the link below:

IELTS VIP

Can you correct my writing?

Sure!

Please click the link below and it will give you all the information you need about our writing correction service:

Writing Correction Service

Do you have any sample answers?

Yes, you will find them at the link below:

Task 1 Sample Answers

Will using ‘high level’ or ‘academic’ words help me improve my score?

Probably not.

Check out our Task 1 Grammar and Vocabulary Guide below for more help with this:

Task 1 Grammar and Vocabulary

How many paragraphs should I write?

Four:

Introduction

Overview

Details 1

Details 2

You can put the overview at the end if you’d like.

Can I use idioms?

No, you should typically avoid using idioms in Writing Task 1. 

The only time this is acceptable is if you are taking the General Training test and must write an informal letter.

Should I write a conclusion for Task 1 Academic?

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 that 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. We teach our students to put it after the introduction, but it is also fine to have it as your final paragraph.

How many words should I write?

You must write at least 150 words in Writing Task 1 (yes, the examiners will count them!)

I would suggest that you aim to write around 160-170 words for Task 1. Aiming for 20-30 words more than the required amount makes you more likely to reach the word limit without setting an unrealistic goal. 

Will I lose marks if I don’t write enough words?

Yes. If you don’t write the required number of words, you will lose marks in ‘Task Achievement’ for not answering the question fully. Read more here.

Can I use contractions?

No, should not use contractions when you are writing an academic essay or formal letter. However, it is fine to use contractions in an informal letter.

When should I write formally?

There are a few signposts that indicate when you should write formally or informally. Watch our video lesson to find out what they are:

IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training: Formal or Informal Letters?


Writing Task 2

How can I improve my writing?

You will find all the resources you need on our Writing Task 2 page. Click the link below:

Writing Task 2

We also have two Task 2 courses for those that need to improve their Task 2 skills and strategy. They are both based online and completely free of charge. Learn more about them below: 

Task 2 5 Day Challenge

Task 2 Essay Builder

If you need serious help or personalised feedback, you should check out our VIP Course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name here:

IELTS VIP

How can I get a Band 7, 8 or 9?

The answer to this question is different for every individual IELTS student, as it depends on a number of factors, including your work ethic, English skills and exam strategy. You’ll find a guide to answering this question in this article. 

If you need serious help with improving your IELTS scores, you should check out our online writing course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name by clicking the link below:

IELTS VIP

Can you correct my writing?

Sure!

Please click the link below and it will give you all the information you need about our writing correction service:

Writing Correction Service

Do you have any sample answers?

Yes, you will find them at the link below:

Task 2 Sample Answers

Will using ‘high level’ or ‘academic’ words help me improve my score?

Probably not. 

Read my recent article about IELTS vocabulary here: 

5 Things You Need to Know about IELTS Vocabulary

Can I use idioms?

No, you should not write idioms for Task 2.

Can I use personal pronouns?

You should avoid using personal pronouns, but it is fine to use them when giving your personal opinion.

Do you write a conclusion for Task 2?

Yes, it is very difficult to get a good score in Task 2 if you haven’t finished your essay with a conclusion. You will find an in-depth lesson on conclusions here: 

How to Write an Effective Task 2 Conclusion

How many paragraphs should I write?

Most IELTS task 2 essays follow the same basic four paragraph structure:

  1. Introduction
  2. Supporting Paragraph 1
  3. Supporting Paragraph 2
  4. Conclusion

However, you can find more comprehensive help with structuring your Task 2 essays here: 

5 Day Challenge

Do I need to plan my essay?

I would highly recommend planning your essay. 

A good plan acts like a map that guides you through the essay, ensuring that you give the examiner exactly what they need to award you the score you need. You can find help with planning your essays here: 

How to Plan an IELTS Essay

How many words should I write?

You must write at least 250 words in Writing Task 2.

I would suggest that you aim to write around 270-280 words in total. Aiming for 20-30 words more than the required amount makes you more likely to reach the word limit without setting an unrealistic goal.

Will I lose marks if I don’t write enough words?

Yes, if you don’t write the required number of words, you will lose marks in ‘Task Achievement’ for not answering the question fully. Read more here.

Can I use contractions?

No, should not use contractions when you are writing an academic essay. 


Speaking

How can I improve my speaking?

Head over to our Speaking page where you'll find all of the free materials you’ll need to improve your speaking skills and get a higher score.

Click the link below:

Speaking

How can I practice my speaking?

Most people think that it's difficult to practice speaking at home, but there are lots of options - all you have to do is look.

First of all, you can practice past exam questions at home by yourself and record your answers. Listening back to these will really help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Click this link to watch my video lesson on practising speaking from home.

Should I use lots of idioms and phrasal verbs to get a high score?

Idioms and phrasal verbs will help boost your score for vocabulary, which is 25% of your total mark, but only if you use them correctly.

If you use them incorrectly, it will lower your score.

Below is a full guide on this:

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Do I need a British or American accent?

Absolutely not! You’ll probably sound a bit silly. 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.

How do I improve my pronunciation? 

Click the link below for more help with pronunciation:

IELTS Pronunciation Guide

How can I improve my fluency?

Fluency is your ability to speak smoothly (not quickly) without noticeable effort or loss of coherence. You’ll find a guide to improving your fluency here: 

IELTS Speaking: Fluency

Can I send you a recording of my speaking?

No, we don’t have the capacity to provide feedback on everyone’s speaking recordings. If you’d like a one-to-one session with an IELTS expert you can check out our mock speaking sessions: 

Mock Speaking Exam

If you need serious help improving your speaking skills, you can join the waiting list for our VIP Course: 

Join the Waiting List

Can I use contractions?

Yes, it is good to use contractions when you speak as this is how most native English speakers talk.


Reading

How can I improve my reading?

You will find all of the free guidance you’ll need for IELTS Reading on my Reading Mini-Course.

It’s completely free to join and has all the free strategies you will need to improve your IELTS Reading exam skills.

Click the link below to get started:

Reading

Can I use all capital letters?

Yes, as long as you are consistent with your answers.

How do I answer _____ questions?

You’ll find strategies for each question type listed on the page below:

Reading

Do you have practice questions?

We do, but they are only available to our VIP Students. 

You will find free and reliable practice questions at the following websites:

The British Council

IDP

Cambridge
You will also find these in the Cambridge Past Paper books, available in any good book store.

How can I read faster?

This depends on a number of factors, but you’ll find our guide to improving your reading speed here: 

Speed Reading: How to Increase Your Reading Speed

How can I complete the reading test on time?

In short: improve your exam technique and your reading speed. You’ll find a strategy for improving both of these features at the link below: 

How to Complete IELTS Reading in Less Than an Hour

How many questions do I need to answer correctly?

That depends on the score you need to achieve. You’ll find help with calculating your score here:

IELTS Scores

Do skimming and scanning work?

To a very limited extent. Read the following article if you wish to gain a comprehensive understanding of skimming and scanning and when to use them: 

IELTS Reading: Skimming and Scanning


Listening

How can I improve my listening?

You will find all the free materials, video lessons and practice tools that you’ll need on our Listening Page.

It has lots of helpful articles that will help you succeed.

Click the link below:

Listening

For a step-by-step guide to answering any IELTS Listening question type, you should join my free Fundamentals Course. You can learn more here: 

IELTS Fundamentals Course: Free Course

Can I use all capital letters?

Yes, this is fine, as long as you are consistent with your answers.

How do I answer _____ questions?

You’ll find strategies for each question type listed on the page below:

Listening

How can I stay focused in the listening exam?

You’ll find a number of methods to help you stay focused in the Listening exam below:

Video Lesson: How to Stay Focused in the Listening Test

How many questions do I need to answer correctly?

That depends on the score you need to achieve. You’ll find help with calculating your score here:

IELTS Scores


Writing Correction and Online course

Do you have an online course?

Yes, I do. It is called IELTS VIP and it is a complete step-by-step guide for people hoping to get a 7 or above.To hear more about it, send our team an email at chris@ieltsadvantage.com.


Still have a question?

So, you still have a question, eh? Excellent! I’d love to hear from you.

To email me, please send me an email to- chris@ieltsadvantage.com

Footer

Contact us

Email: chris@ieltsadvantage.com
Over 2,000,000 collective followers!
Image: ielts-facebook
Image: ielts-instagram
Image: ielts-yt
  • Blog
  • Success Stories
  • Our Team
  • Our Principles
  • FAQ & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions
  • About Author
  • Subscribe
  • IELTS VIP Ambassador Program
  • Cookies Policy
© 2021 IELTS Advantage All rights reserved. Registered Company Number NI637423. Advantage Exam Preparation Limited. 4 Castleglen Park, Dundrum, County Down, BT33 0WL United Kingdom. The information on this site is for information purposes only. IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. For full information please refer to our terms and conditions and disclaimer.