Here’s a quick guide on how to organise an IELTS Writing Task 1 answer into paragraphs. This applies only to the Academic module. Note that the organisation of the answer may change depending on the question type.

First paragraph: Introduction

Key technique: Be direct.

When writing an introduction to Task 1, get straight to the point as you only have 20 minutes to write your answer. One or two sentences are often sufficient. Two things you should try to include in the introduction are:

• Paraphrase of the question: What does the diagram show? (Don’t describe the results yet!)
• General description: Are the differences great or small, many or few? Is there one very obvious trend or feature that stands out?

Hint: Many people make the mistake of continuing with all the details. Stop here and begin your first body paragraph.

Body paragraphs

Key technique: Divide the body into two or three paragraphs.

Use a logical way to divide the body of your report into two or three paragraphs. Are there two or more sets of data? Great, then write a paragraph about each one. Is there only one set of data? Count the variables and divide them into two or three groups. You can divide by natural similarity (e.g. some academic subjects are sciences; others are arts.) Or you can divide by similarity of results (e.g. some exam scores went up; others went down.) Or you can divide a process, a time period or age range into two or three stages (e.g. the 20th Century can be divided into the early, mid, and late 20th Century.)

Now that you have a paragraphing system, make sure each paragraph is organised as follows:

• Link to the previous paragraph: By contrast, turning to, finally, etc.
• Topic sentence: Describe the main point, change or comparison in general terms without giving specific information.
• Supporting sentence(s): Quote a figure or other evidence that supports the claim made in the topic sentence.

Hint: If you find yourself writing more than two consecutive supporting sentences, include a general sentence (e.g. There were also significant differences in…) to guide the reader, or consider starting a new paragraph.

Final paragraph: Conclusion

Key technique: Add overall coherence.

Due to lack of time, many people will omit the conclusion from Task 1. However, there are several reasons you should write a conclusion. One is that writing a summarising sentence takes very little time and may push you past the 150-word limit. Another is that a good summary can add coherence to your answer, which could rescue your score if you have drifted a lot. Finally, since the purpose of Task 1 is usually to compare, the conclusion allows you to make direct comparisons of the different sets of data, which is especially important if you have described them in separate body paragraphs. Here are some things that can go in the conclusion to Task 1:

• Concluding signal: In conclusion, in summary, overall, etc.
• Summary: Paraphrase the overall trend or the two or three main points made in the body. Never include statistics or other evidence in the conclusion.
• Direct comparison: If there are several sets of data, here is your chance to make a connection between them. Don’t go into too much detail.
• Prediction: If the data includes a timeframe, you could make a prediction about what is likely to happen next.
• Concluding comment: If you really need some extra words, you could add a comment on the data. Is it surprisingly, alarming, expected? Comments such as these are not required by the question but are better than incurring a penalty for not meeting the word requirement.

Hint: You don’t need to include all of the above in your conclusion. Two sentences are generally enough.

See model IELTS Writing Task 1 answers for examples of how to use paragraphing in practice.

IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Organise Your Answer

See below for an easy-to-follow guide to planning, organising and paragraphing an essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. This advice applies to both General Training and Academic Writing modules, but there are different ways of organising an answer depending on the question type.

First paragraph: Introduction

Key technique: Don’t begin with your thesis statement.

Never begin an essay with I believe, I agree, or In my opinion. These indicate your thesis statement and should go at the END of your introduction, after you have introduced the topic and problem to be discussed. As a rule, start generally and take several sentences to build to your main idea. Note that the style of thesis statement will vary depending on the question type. Study the question carefully first to determine if you should give your opinion in the introduction or in the conclusion.

• Introductory sentence: What topic is to be discussed? Recently, there have been…
• Narrow the focus: What issue concerning the topic is to be resolved? However, some people argue that…
• Thesis statement (opinion essay): What is your opinion on this issue? This essay will argue that…
• Thesis statement (argument essay): What will happen in this essay? This essay will look at both sides of the argument before stating my own opinion.
• Thesis statement (problem/solution essay): What are you going to write about? The main problems are X and Y and I will propose solutions to both in this essay.

Hint: You can choose either to write in the first person (I believe...) or third person (This essay will…). The third person sounds more objective and academic.

Hint: Don’t include your main reasons or arguments in the introduction, these should go in each of the body paragraphs.

Body paragraphs

Key technique: Make a paragraph plan

In Task 2, you will need to write between two and four body paragraphs. Each paragraph should express one main idea in relation to the thesis statement (see above) and how you order these paragraphs is also important for the overall coherence of the essay.

In an opinion essay, if you express a strong opinion (I firmly believe…), then all body paragraphs should support it. However, if your opinion is weak (I agree to some extent…), consider writing one paragraph against followed by two paragraphs in favour (see hint below).

In an argument essay, it is best to give equal space to both sides of the argument, which means writing either two or four body paragraphs. If you write three body paragraphs, i.e. there is clearly a bias towards one side of the argument, make sure your final opinion is in favour of that side!

In a problem/solution essay, make sure you give equal treatment to all parts of the question. Two problems and two solutions are enough. It is best not to write about problems you can’t offer solutions to. There are many ways to organise such an essay. You can write about a problem and its solution in one paragraph or you can deal with all the problems first and the solutions later.

Once you have decided on a paragraph plan, make sure each paragraph is organised as follows:

• Link to the previous paragraph: First, Furthermore, On the other hand, etc.
• Topic sentence: Describe the main idea of the paragraph in general terms.
• Supporting sentences: Use examples or further explanation to support the claim made in the topic sentence.
• Qualifying sentence: Sometimes it is clear that an idea isn’t perfect or there may be exceptions. You can point this out as long as you don’t destroy your main idea completely.
• Summarising sentence: If you have included a qualifying sentence, or if you have written several supporting sentences, consider returning to your main point by paraphrasing your topic sentence at the end.

Hint: If one of your body paragraphs goes against your main idea, put this paragraph first so that the remaining body paragraphs flow logically to your conclusion. The same is true in an argument essay. Discuss the side you don’t agree with first, so that the opinion expressed in your conclusion follows naturally from what has come before.

Final paragraph: Conclusion

Key technique: Give your reader something to consider.

One habit of IELTS test-takers is to end with a simple summary of their opinion and main ideas. This is absolutely fine and can add essential extra coherence, but try also adding some kind of concluding comment. This will leave the examiner with a powerful final impression of your essay when he or she comes to score it. A full conclusion should contain:

• Concluding signal: In conclusion, In summary, Overall, etc.
• (Re)state opinion: In an opinion essay, you can simply paraphrase your original thesis statement. In an argument essay, this is where you state your opinion, often using a phrase such as Having considered both sides of the argument, I believe…
• Summary: Paraphrase the main idea of each body paragraph in very brief terms. Never include examples or explanations. These go in the body of the essay.
• Concluding comment: Give the reader something to think about. Highlight the importance of the issue you have just discussed. Ask the reader to consider the future consequences if the issue is not resolved. Recommend a course of action that the reader or society should follow.

Hint: Don’t include anything in the introduction that is completely new or requires detailed explanation. This is also true for the concluding comment. Keep it obvious. Don’t write an idea that you then need to explain.

See model IELTS Writing Task 2 answers for examples of how to use paragraphing in practice.

IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Organise Your Answer

Introducing a practice version of the official IELTS Writing answer sheets modified for teacher/student use and available as a free PDF download!

Some of the features that make the practice version superior for both teachers and students:

Keep track of student work with fields for name, class, teacher and date

12-point double-spaced lines for easier correction and annotation

Full scoring rubric and space for marker feedback

Download the IELTS Writing Answer Sheet (Practice Version)

One of the first questions an IELTS candidate must ask is: Do I need a teacher’s help or can I go it alone? As an IELTS teacher, you’d expect me to have a biased view on this! But seriously, there are many important benefits you gain by studying with a teacher. Here are some:

A teacher can help you recognise your strengths and weaknesses.

Sometimes we aren’t good at identifying the areas in which we need to improve. IELTS test-takers will often say they feel nervous about speaking or dislike the pressure of the writing section. In fact, they may be overestimating the difficulty of these sections and might benefit more from acquiring simple strategies for listening and reading. That’s the advantage of preparing with an IELTS teacher: he or she can give you an objective analysis of where you need to concentrate your efforts most.

Only an experienced IELTS teacher can score your writing and speaking answers.

While textbooks may provide guidance in the form of sample student answers, you can only really guess the band score your essays and spoken answers would receive. The knowledge of how IELTS answers are really scored belongs to a select group of people: IELTS examiners and experienced IELTS teachers. Not only can teachers give you an accurate band score in all sections of the test, they can also provide more detailed scores than the test certificate, including individual scores for the various criteria in IELTS Writing and Speaking, and suggestions for improvement.

A good teacher will train you in a range of language skills while preparing you for IELTS.

Preparing for IELTS should not be the objective of your English study! A test is only one temporary factor spurring the development of a skill that you will use for the rest of your life. While ensuring that you get the IELTS test practice you need, a good teacher will also do so much more. This includes pointing out your most frequent grammatical errors, correcting your pronunciation and spelling, and letting you know if what you said is understandable or not. On top of that, your teacher provides an all-round good model of how to use English in everyday communication. Ask yourself if you could get all this from books, the internet or friends, and the answer will almost certainly be No.

An organised programme of study helps to prevent procrastination.

What is ‘procrastination’? We’re all guilty of it, even if we don’t know the word. Procrastination means putting off or postponing those things we know we must do. It affects us at school, at work, and of course when preparing for a test like IELTS. Studying in a classroom with classmates and a teacher and following a syllabus provide what psychologists call ‘extrinsic motivation’, in other words, an external source of motivation – essential if your own levels of motivation aren’t always high.

In IELTS, practice makes perfect.

In all areas of life, our confidence in our own ability increases with practice. This in turn leads to better performance in pressure situations such as exams. While textbooks will allow you to practice the listening, reading and writing modules of IELTS, the only way to gain authentic practice of the IELTS speaking module is with a teacher. An experienced IELTS teacher knows how to play the examiner’s role, including the kind of help that can be given and when to prompt you to speak more. Try gaining practice with a variety of teachers – different ages, accents, and personalities – to reduce the likelihood of nerves when you meet your first IELTS examiner.

What do you think? Do you have a really great (or bad) IELTS teacher? What have you learned from a teacher that you couldn’t learn by yourself? Tell us below.

Image: X-Ray Delta One

Listening is probably the easiest section of IELTS to make a rapid improvement in if you master a few basic strategies. Before taking the IELTS test, be aware of the skills and strategies below and give yourself opportunities to practice them.

Important: The article assumes you are familiar with the IELTS Listening test format. If you aren’t, read IELTS Listening: Introduction first.

Predicting

Use the short time before the listening passage begins to scan the questions. What type of information does each one ask for? Pay special attention to questions that require numbers or difficult spellings such as names. Predicting – coming up with a possible answer – is not the same as guessing. When you predict, you consider the type of information that COULD complete the answer. This helps you to focus on all the important information contained in the question.

Identifying keywords

The questions will contain two types of word: those likely to be used by the speaker and those likely to be paraphrased. Improve your chances of following the listening passage by identifying the ‘anchor’ words (names and technical terms) and predicting possible paraphrases of the rest.

Identifying paraphrase

It’s highly unlikely that the speakers will repeat the language in the questions, except for the keywords mentioned above. You will need to both anticipate and recognise when the speaker uses a paraphrase – a phrase with same meaning as the question but using different words. English speakers paraphrase more often than speakers of most other languages. Practice this essential skill every opportunity you get.

Targetted listening

Targetted listening means focussing your attention on the ten items of information required to answer the ten questions in each section of the IELTS Listening test. It is perfectly possible to hear these ten items without understanding everything that is said. The opposite is open listening – listening for any information that helps you understand what’s going on. Open listening may be important when having a conversation with a friend, but use targetted listening for success in IELTS.

Spelling

Since the majority of questions in IELTS Listening are NOT multiple-choice, you will need to write down the answers in words. And, if you don’t spell it right, you don’t get the point. No amount of good listening will be effective if you can’t spell. Certain words like names of people and addresses may have more than one accepted spelling, and these will be spelled out for you by the speaker. For the rest, use our guide to Common Spelling Mistakes in IELTS and learn how to avoid them.

Grammar

In sentence and summary completion tasks you will have to write an answer that is not only spelled correctly but that also fits grammatically. Knowing the rules is therefore a great advantage. You may not always hear the plural ‘s’ at the end of a word, for example, but, with a good knowledge of English grammar, you should be able to identify when a noun must take the plural form. Another common example is the ‘ed’ adjectival suffix. Recognising that an answer should be an adjective can help you to give the correct answer even when you don’t hear the ‘ed’. Not only in IELTS Listening but in all modules of IELTS, practical application of skills and techniques must be backed up by ongoing study of the rules of the language.

Was this helpful? Yes? Then share! No? Tell us the problem in the space below.

Do you wish there was a magic device that would enable you to become a more effective reader? Many IELTS candidates probably do. Most EFL students I have taught have a low opinion of their own reading ability. This is because they consider every unclear word or sentence a serious failure on their part. In fact, it’s possible to get a very high score in IELTS Reading without fully understanding a passage or many of the words within. Mastering a few basic skills and strategies, some of which you probably already use in your first language, is the key to success in IELTS Reading.

Important: The article assumes you are familiar with the IELTS Reading test format. If you aren’t read IELTS Reading: Introduction first.

Skimming

Skilled readers quickly ‘get the gist’ (understand the main idea) of a passage by using speed-reading, or skimming. They glance quickly at titles and headings to identify the general topic. They know where to look for the writer’s main idea: near the end of the introduction and the beginning of the conclusion. When reading body paragraphs, they stop as soon as they have understood the main idea and they don’t bother reading supporting sentences such as examples and quotations. If they see a word they don’t recognise, they never stop to consider what it means. Instead, their eyes are constantly moving across, or skimming the text. Practice skimming every time you encounter a new reading passage and, as a general rule, don’t spend more than 5 minutes skim-reading a passage in IELTS, not even the longest of the three passages.

Understanding how a text is organised

Another skill that goes hand-in-hand with skimming is understanding the organisation of a text. How many paragraphs comprise the introductory section? Where is the thesis statement located? What is the main function of each paragraph? Which linking expressions indicate a change of topic or argument? Some readers mentally note these observations, some prefer to underline key topic words and signal phrases, while others annotate (write brief summarising words) in the margins. Understanding how a text is organised will help you locate information more quickly when it comes to answering the questions.

Scanning

When reading a question, the temptation is start scanning the text for the answer immediately. However, effective scanning begins with careful study of the question. What information do you need to find? A person’s name? A year? A reason? An effect? Are there specific names or technical terms in the question that are certain to appear in the text? To locate specific facts such as dates and names, one high-speed technique is to scan backwards through the text, which prevents you from re-reading the sentences. To find ideas, you will need to become a master of paraphrase.

Identifying paraphrase

The majority of the 40 questions in IELTS Reading will involve some form of paraphrase of the original text: headings and summaries are typical examples. As a paraphrase expresses the same meaning using different words, it naturally helps to have a huge vocabulary. However, vocabulary size is not everything. Paraphrase recognition starts with knowing which words are most likely to be paraphrased: conceptual words like find/discover, avoid/prevent, and theory/explanation are typically paraphrased, while more technical terms such as infectious disease, volcanic eruption, or silicon chip are likely to re-appear in the text. Concentrate your vocabulary learning on the former group, the core concept words, many of which appear in the Academic Word List.

Guessing unknown words

It’s guaranteed that there will be words you don’t know in the Reading module of IELTS. In fact, the test writers deliberately place difficult words in the passages to see if candidates can figure them out using contextual clues. These contextual clues can include a definition, a paraphrase elsewhere in the text, collocating words, or word parts, i.e. prefixes and suffixes. Skilled IELTS test-takers have more than just a well-stocked vocabulary; they also have the skills to cope with an unknown word and guess intelligently at its most likely meaning.

Time management

By answering 30 out of 40 questions correctly, you can achieve a score of 7.0 in the Academic Reading module of IELTS, which is considered good enough to enter most universities in the world. The lesson here is: Don’t spend too much time on the 10 most difficult questions. It’s more important that you allow yourself time to answer the 30 easiest questions and give the remaining 10 your best guess. As a general rule, if you’re still unsure of an answer after one minute, pencil in your best guess, move on to the next question, and come back to it later if there’s time.

Was this helpful? Yes? Then share! No? Tell us the problem in the space below.

IELTS Academic has just passed 1,000 Twitter followers. Follow us at twitter.com/ieltsacademic and don’t miss out on the latest IELTS test tips and practice questions!

If you prefer to find other IELTS candidates, don’t forget we’re also on Facebook at facebook.com/ieltsacademic.

Two ways to follow IELTS Academic and enjoy the best free IELTS advice online!

Ten of the best questions submitted to Ask an IELTS Teacher this year:

Question from Kyaw in Myanmar: I don’t know how to handle “other” in line graph caption. What does “other” mean?

Answer: This is a very good question, thank you. First of all, you don’t need to speculate about what’s meant by ‘other’. Often the ‘other’ category will account for only a very small percentage of results, so it may not even be necessary to mention it in your answer.

Question from Hoda in Iran: Is it true that while taking the IELTS Speaking test part 2, the test taker can ask the examiner to change the cue card if he doe not have no clue to talk about the topic? Will he lose any points for that change?

Answer: I’ve never heard of this before so I don’t recommend trying it. The topic in Part 2 is always designed so that anyone can talk about it. If it seems difficult, explain why it’s difficult. You are assessed on the language you produce, not your ability to answer the question. Good luck!

Question from Surya in India: Can we write all listening answers in capital letters?? For example if the answer is “a monsoon”, can we write like this “A MONSOON” and “reduce tension” as “REDUCE TENSION”??

Answer: Writing your answers in capital letters is absolutely fine and will not affect your score. Good luck!

Question from Amelie in France: I would need to know where to find materials/books with samples about IELTS writing tasks 1 and 2. I need to score band 8. I am requested to. Do you know where I can find good samples of writing tasks band 8 and possibly 9? I need to study them carefully and in depth. Thank you so so much!!

Answer: Wow, that’s a high requirement! May I ask which school or organisation requests Band 8? In answer to your question, I do not know of any textbook specifically designed to help you achieve bands 8 or 9, but the Objective IELTS Advanced Self-study Student’s Book includes many answers of the type you’re looking for. Don’t forget to read my article How to Get a Band 8 Score in Academic IELTS and look at the IELTS Writing answers on this site, many of which are Band 8 or above.

Question from Angel in Indonesia: How come to deal with IELTS interview?? Yesterday, I had my first interview… I was so nervous. Actually, I’m a shy person. So, how to resolve it for the next time if I follow the next interview??

Answer: Remember that the examiner is your friend. The examiner wants you to do well. Practice speaking with an older stranger in your own language first to overcome shyness. And good luck!

Question from Len in Viet Nam: Hello teacher! I’m Len and from Viet Nam, I will take IELTS on December 15, 2012. I’m a bit confused about writing task 2. I should or should not give examples in this task.

Answer: You should definitely include examples as they add vital extra support to your main ideas. However, always be aware of time constraints. Two sentences should be enough for any example: one sentence to state the example, and the second sentence to explain it. Good luck!

Question from Amin in Iran: Hi. There are several things that I need to know about the task 1 in writing. First, How to give a good introduction. Then if there are 2 graphs, should I compare them in the body paragraphs or in the introduction. Finally, in conclusion, which is really overwhelming, again what are the most points that I must mention in the conclusion.Thank you very much.

Answer: I suggest you check the following page which should answer your questions: IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Organise Your Answer

Question from Meet in India: Could u tell me what can I say in a topic of “Describe your attitude”?

Answer: “Describe your attitude” means, in other words, “What is your view of?” or “What do you think of?” It’s simply asking for an opinion so you’d reply “Well, in my view…” or “For me, it’s…”

Question from Min in Viet Nam: I’m always get confused when it comes to IELTS Writing task 1, which contains more than 1 graphs. I dont know where to start and what to write. Can you give me advice on this? Thanks a lot.

Answer: Describe each graph in a separate paragraph and then write about the connection between the graphs in your conclusion. Simple!

Question from Amal in Oman: I want to ask you about the academic writing task one. Every time I take IELTS I got band 5 in writing and I don’t know what was my mistake. Can you please give me types of questions that come in task 1 and how can I answer them and get higher score. 

Answer: There are plenty of sample Task 1 questions with model answers on this website. Good luck!

Like this? Use the sharing buttons below to tell your friends about Ask an IELTS Teacher.

Part 1 (4-5 minutes)

How large or small is your family?

What you do together as a family?

Who are you closest to in your family?

Is yours a typical family?

Are there many different types of family in your country?

Part 2 (3-4 minutes)

You have 1 minute to read the instructions in the box and prepare an answer. You can make notes. After your preparation time has ended, please speak for 1 to 2 minutes on this topic.

Describe a famous family in your country

You should say:

Who the family members are

How you know about them

Whether they get on well together

And say if you would like to be a member of this family

Follow-up question: Does your family resemble this one?

Part 3 (4-5 minutes)

Family members

What characteristics do elder siblings often have?

Is it better to grow up in a small family or a large extended family?

What role do grandparents play in a family?

Family values

Which are more important: family or friends?

What do you think about single parent families?

Should people be more accepting of alternative family types?

Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.

Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The illustration below shows the process of tying a bow tie.

Write a report explaining to a university lecturer how to tie his bow tie.

Write at least 150 words.

Model Answer

The diagram illustrates how to knot a bow tie in eight stages.

To begin with, the tie should be placed around the neck, with one end slightly longer than the other. Then place the longer end over the other and pass it upwards and behind the point where the two ends cross.

Next, take the other end of the tie and bend it twice to form an ‘S’ shape. Bring the longer end down and in front, so that it holds the ‘S’ curve in place. Now comes the trickiest part of the process. Take the long end of the tie and form a similar ‘S’ shape before passing it through the narrow gap behind the other end. This creates a knot and the bow should now be held securely in place.

Finally, adjust both sides of the bow to make it symmetrical and prepare to be the envy of your friends.

(152 words, IELTS 9.0)

Why does this Task 1 answer get an IELTS Band 9 score?

Task achievement: The model answer fully satisfies all requirements of the task by describing each stage in the process.

Coherence and cohesion: The model answer uses a range of sequencing expressions to describe the order in which the actions should be carried out. The answer is divided into several paragraphs for ease of understanding, with the inclusion of a general sentence – Now comes the trickiest part of the process – to aid coherence.

Lexical resource: A range of appropriate vocabulary is introduced, including action verbs such as knot, bend, pass and adjust.

Grammatical range and accuracy: The correct forms – imperatives, modals – are used to give instructions. Sentence patterns vary and are always grammatically accurate.

See more IELTS Writing Task 1 model answers

TOEFL or IELTS? Which test is for you? This handy infographic will help you decide.

Read more about TOEFL and IELTS in our previous article IELTS Vs TOEFL: What are the Differences?

The post TOEFL or IELTS? Which Test is for You? appeared first on IELTS Academic.

Are you looking for a free IELTS course online? Do you want to learn from a senior IELTS teacher at the British Council? As you’re here, the answer to both questions is probably Yes!

You may have heard lots of talk about MOOCs in recent years. MOOCS – or Massive Open Online Courses – allow free access to learning for anyone with an internet connection.

The British Council has teamed up with FutureLearn to offer a six-week course in IELTS. Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests will launch on May 11th 2015 and last for six weeks.

The course covers all four sections of the IELTS test: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. It is delivered completely online and you’ll learn practical test techniques that you can apply to all English language tests and not just IELTS.

Who is the online course for?

The course is suitable for intermediate English speakers intending to take IELTS or another test of English. Before signing up, please make sure you can commit at least two hours a week to work your way through the course content. Like most MOOCs, this is not an accredited course. However, there is an option to purchase a Statement of Participation at the end.

Will my IELTS answers be scored?

The course is delivered by video tutors and, because there are many thousands of students, there is no teacher feedback on an individual basis. However, you will have the opportunity to participate in an online community and have your answers evaluated by other course participants.

How do I join?

It takes only a few seconds to enrol in this course at FutureLearn. You just need to submit an email address and then wait for the first video lesson to be made available online.

Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to take a free IELTS course online!

The post Free IELTS Course Online from the British Council appeared first on IELTS Academic.

We’ve partnered with studybooking.com to offer discounts of up to 35% off IELTS courses worldwide. Start your search today!

Studying online is great up to a point, but you’ll benefit much more by taking an IELTS course at an established language school. If the school is located in an English-speaking country, you’ll be using English everyday both in and out of class, and you’ll pick up the language much more quickly as a result.

The problem is that schools can be expensive, especially when you include the cost of accommodation. Sometimes there are so many extra charges that you have no idea how much you’ll need to pay until it’s too late to change your mind.

Here at IELTS Academic, we want to help you find affordable IELTS courses and remove the mystery of how your fees are calculated. That’s why we’ve partnered with studybooking.com to offer huge discounts on IELTS courses worldwide.

How does it work?

At studybooking.com you can browse hundreds of courses at schools in more than 20 countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Ireland, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Once you find a school you like, you can view detailed information about where you’ll be studying and living – right down to whether or not you’ll have a TV in your room!

Prices are broken down clearly into tuition, room rates and school admin fees. If there are any addition costs – such as textbook fees – you’ll be told in advance.

Because studybooking.com is an online service, they’re able to pass on huge cost savings to the person that matters most – you the student!

You will not find these discounts anywhere else, so don’t delay, make studybooking.com your first stop for booking an IELTS course worldwide.

How to find an IELTS course in three easy steps:

1. Go to studybooking.com and select ‘Language Schools’ from the top menu.
2. Search for ‘English Exam Preparation’ plus the country where you want to study and for how long.
3. In the search results, check each course to confirm that IELTS is included, the number of hours you’ll be studying per week (very important!) and what the accommodation options are.

Benefits:

• Detailed information on more than 800 language courses worldwide.
• Language school profiles available in seven languages.
• Get a price for your tuition and accommodation immediately.
• Get huge discounts unavailable elsewhere – including discounts of up to 35% on IELTS courses.
• You pay only small booking fee at first. The rest is payable when you begin your course.
• You pay your fees direct to the school so there are no financial risks.

Start your search now at studybooking.com.

The post Get up to 35% off IELTS Courses Worldwide appeared first on IELTS Academic.

OK, so you’ve bought the books, watched the video tutorials, and read a million blogs. Getting that 6.5 or 7.0 in this weekend’s IELTS test shouldn’t be too hard, right?

But, like thousands of other people, you’ve discovered the awful truth that however much you ace the listening and reading sections, it can be VERY difficult indeed to raise your score by even 0.5 in the writing and speaking sections!

Why does this happen? Well, listening and reading scores depend greatly on knowledge in the form of vocabulary and grammar. This knowledge is usually built up over many years of study. Also, in the listening and reading sections of IELTS, an answer is either correct or incorrect, so it’s relatively easy to understand what went wrong.

However, writing and speaking are skills, which means they depend more on practice than knowledge. Evaluating how well you perform those skills is also more difficult if you’re not a native speaker, or if you don’t understand the more complex ways in which IELTS writing and speaking answers are scored.

Many people fail to improve their IELTS score because they repeat the classic ‘insanity’ symptom of attempting the same thing again and again while expecting different results. Sadly, the truth is that your many years of English study plus a few IELTS textbooks may never be enough to lift your IELTS scores in writing and speaking to the same level as your listening and reading scores.

What you really need is a teacher. Not just any teacher, but one who is qualified to advise on exactly where you’re going wrong. A good teacher will provide you with genuine IELTS speaking practice and the personally-tailored feedback you need to improve your IELTS writing score. In fact, there are many more reasons why it pays to study with a good teacher.

Five ways a good teacher can help you improve your IELTS score

1. Correct use of grammar accounts for 25% of your score in both Writing and Speaking. A good IELTS teacher will point out your most common grammar mistakes and encourage you to self-correct.
2. Some mistakes are inevitable, of course. The most important thing is to be understood, since writing or speaking coherent English is one of the basic requirements of a good IELTS score. A good teacher will let you know when you’ve written or said something incoherent and ask you to rephrase it.
3. Dictionaries contain plenty of words, but it’s not always easy to know which are the most frequently used and which are appropriate in a situation like the IELTS test. A good teacher will suggest vocabulary that would have helped you to explain your ideas better in the writing or speaking sections of the test.
4. A good IELTS teacher understands how IELTS scores are calculated and will focus their feedback on key skills like paragraphing and connecting ideas. These are the skills that take less time to acquire and can give the biggest boost to your IELTS score.
5. Finally, a good IELTS teacher provides motivation, since they highlight things you do well and are professionally engaged in helping you improve your IELTS score. A good teacher is therefore also a good coach – and you can’t get that from a book or website!

How to find a good IELTS teacher

So now you’re ready to invest money in hiring a teacher, how do you know the person you’re about to hire is the right one to provide that big boost to your IELTS score?

One problem is that there is no licence to teach IELTS. Instead, you should look for someone with a solid teaching background who can demonstrate good knowledge of the IELTS scoring criteria. Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions like How many IELTS students have you taught before? and What advice do you usually give your students to improve their IELTS score? You are the client and you should not hesitate to check a teacher’s professional credentials before spending your money.

Some common methods of finding a teacher are as follows:

1. Online noticeboards

This is most people’s first choice of where to look for a private teacher. There are general ‘classifieds’ sites like Craigslist and many countries and cities also have a local equivalent. Just be sure to ask the questions above!

2. Language Schools

Most major cities have at least one language school that offers an IELTS course. However, be warned that you may not experience all the benefits above if you study IELTS in a group. Before signing up for any course, ask if your writing tasks will be graded and corrected, and confirm if there will be individual speaking practice with the teacher.

3. IELTS Examiners

It’s important to know that IELTS examiners are not allowed to advertise their examiner status in their teaching careers. After you meet with an IELTS teacher, however, they will usually not mind telling you discretely if they are also working as an examiner. If they don’t mention it, just ask!

4. Online Teachers

One advantage of having an online teacher is that your choices are no longer restricted to the teachers in your local area and you can now pick from the very best the world has to offer! Some people worry that studying online isn’t the same, but if you’ve ever used Skype or Google Docs you’ll know that instant messaging and editing tools can actually help you get even more out of the experience.

IELTS Academic provides online IELTS writing and speaking practice tests that are designed to help you quickly improve your IELTS score by analysing your current strengths and weaknesses. Both practice tests are administered by an experienced teacher with deep-level knowledge of the IELTS scoring criteria. Book your IELTS practice test now.

The post Here’s How to Improve Your IELTS Score appeared first on IELTS Academic.

Summer is almost over and it’s back to school for many in September. Did you use your summer to work on those academic English skills? If not, there’s still one week remaining to take advantage of my incredible summer offer:

IELTS Writing Practice Test: Regular price £20 > Now £10 Book now

IELTS Speaking Practice Test: Regular price £20 > Now £10 Book now

FAQ

Some of you have already been in touch to request more information, so I’ll try to answer your most common questions here:

Why should I take a practice test?

Each practice test doubles as a valuable online lesson during which I will personally coach you and tell you everything you must do in order to meet your target IELTS score. Your chances of getting a higher score WILL improve after taking one of these tests!

How long does each test take?

The writing test takes 60 minutes and the speaking test lasts for 30 minutes. You’ll need a Google account and/or Skype.

I’m busy in the next week. Can I take the test later?

Yes, after purchasing at the sale price, you can schedule your test anytime in the next month.

So how do I claim my discount?

Visit our online store and use your credit card or Paypal to make payment. The discounted rate is available until Monday August 31st and we’ll email you further instructions as soon as you order.

Don’t miss out! This offer closes on Monday August 31st. Follow the links below and I’ll see you in your first test!

IELTS Writing Practice Test: Regular price £20 > Now £10 Book now

IELTS Speaking Practice Test: Regular price £20 > Now £10 Book now

The post Ending Soon! IELTS Academic Summer Sale appeared first on IELTS Academic.

Everyday I get messages from people who want to know why their IELTS score doesn’t improve. Often they have NO IDEA that their writing or speech is incomprehensible, or that their methods in listening or reading are all wrong! Why does this happen? Well, for one thing, it shows the importance of studying with a teacher before you take the test. As an IELTS teacher myself, I would like to help people overcome the most common mistakes in IELTS before they decide to contact me, so here is my list of eight common mistakes to avoid.

Common mistakes in IELTS listening

Do you listen with open ears, so you easily miss the answers to the questions? Unfortunately it’s not about how much you understand overall. It’s about how many of those ten answers you anticipate and how many you catch when they are spoken. Preview the questions as much as possible before your listen, and concentrate only on listening for the answers.

Do you miss the next answer, because you’re still trying to answer a previous question? This can happen to anyone, and it’s the surest way to multiply the consequences of a mistake. Accept that you only need to get seven or eight of the ten answers, and don’t panic when you miss one. Concentrate on the next question, not the last question.

Common mistakes in IELTS Reading

Do you spend too much time reading, so that you hardly have time to answer the questions? Unfortunately, IELTS is not the time to take pleasure in reading! And there are no points for understanding the entire passage. Skim the text quickly to get an idea of the topic and organisation, and then move straight on to the questions. Maximum skim-reading time should be five minutes.

Do you easily get fooled by ‘distractors’, so that you’re shocked when your score is much lower than you expected? Distractors are answers that seem obviously correct, but turn out to be incorrect. They often make use of the same word as the original text. To avoid distractors, make sure you read all of the possible answers before deciding which is correct.

Common mistakes in IELTS Writing

Do you use too much fancy language, so your overall point is unclear? If the examiner thinks you’re just showing off some phrases you’ve memorised without fully understanding them, he or she will mark down your score. Also, do you believe the examiner will take the time to re-read your answer in order to figure out what you mean? Of course not. He or she will just lose patience and mark down your answer for coherence.

Do you write too casually, so you lose marks for inappropriate style? Fine if you’re taking the General Training version of IELTS, but not fine in the Academic version. Sure, examiners are nice people, but they aren’t your best friend and don’t want to read “Am I right?” and “Don’t you think so?” How do you know if your writing is too casual? Show it to a knowledgeable teacher and ask them if they think it would be suitable language for an academic report.

Common mistakes in IELTS Speaking

Do you hesitate for too long, because you’re planning the perfect answer in your own mind? You cannot get more than IELTS band 5 if you hesitate for an uncomfortable length of time while speaking. What is an uncomfortable amount of silence? For many English speakers, it can be as little as five seconds.

Do you speak with poor pronunciation, so the examiner has to struggle to understand your words? Perhaps your words are good words—the problem is that the examiner simply can’t catch what you’re trying to say! IELTS examiners are not supposed to reveal when candidates have performed poorly or made mistakes, so you may never know that your poor pronunciation is a problem. The solution is to practice IELTS speaking with a good teacher.

Want to practice your IELTS writing or IELTS speaking with an expert teacher? Eliminate common mistakes from your IELTS answers and find out the reason why your score hasn’t improved. See our current IELTS practice test options.

The post Do You Make These 8 Common Mistakes in IELTS? appeared first on IELTS Academic.

The IELTS examiner is the man or woman standing (actually sitting) between you and the IELTS score you must get to secure a place at your first-choice school or win that big-money scholarship. He or she is likely to be fiercely intelligent, with an enormous egg-shaped head (see picture for proof), and eyes that burrow deep into your soul, instantly perceiving all your English language weaknesses and turning your entire body to jelly, right?

Well, you may be surprised to learn that IELTS examiners are a pretty nice bunch of people. Most are current or former teachers of English, so they are sympathetic to the difficulties that learners of English face. Also, they could not enjoy successful careers as teachers and examiners without the people skills necessary to communicate effectively with students and help them relax in stressful situations.

In fact, there aren’t that many secrets in IELTS since the scoring criteria are very publicly available online. But here are five special points that every IELTS examiner would like you to before you take the test.

IELTS examiners want you to get a high score

The most important thing you must know is that the examiner wants you to do well. They don’t sit there listening for mistakes and waiting for you to mess up. The examiner is always looking for ways to raise your score, not lower it. This is obvious when you read the IELTS scoring criteria, which are freely available online. These criteria are mostly concerned with what the candidate CAN do, not CAN’T do. So show the examiner what you CAN do and make it easy for him or her to give you a high score.

Avoid the long introduction and make your point instead

One thing examiners really hate is the long introduction with never-ending sentences that just go on and on without really making a point. Sometimes it’s just too obvious that the candidate is trying to write 100 words using memorised language. So quickly paraphrase the question and then get straight to the point, whether that means giving your opinion or saying what you’re going to cover in the body of the essay. Once you tell the examiner your position, he or she has to work less hard to know exactly where you stand and what it is you want to say.

Speaking Part 1 doesn’t really affect your score

In Part 1 of the speaking test the examiner has two objectives: the first is to make you relaxed and the second is to get a quick idea of your ability. The first is important because the examiner wants you to have the best chance of getting a high score. The second is important because the examiner may want to avoid asking you questions that are much too difficult for your ability level. So focus on getting comfortable and try to be as natural as possible. There’s no point getting stressed in Part 1 because the scoring hasn’t even begun yet.

Don’t panic when the speaking topic is unfamiliar

One of the main things the examiner is looking for in Speaking Part 3 is this: can the candidate speak about an unfamiliar topic? If your first reaction to an unfamiliar topic is to sweat, stammer, or sit in stunned silence, then that’s a clear sign that you aren’t ready to speak about it. So practice responding coolly on topics from space exploration to animal rights, even if you never talk about these in real life. Keep your face straight (or smile!) and respond quickly with a well-rehearsed phrase such as “Well, that’s not something I usually think about but…”

Just keep talking!

What really determines your score in IELTS speaking is whether you can speak with fluency, coherence, and good pronunciation, regardless of the topic. It’s NOT about how well you answer the question. The examiner is checking your language skills, not the content of your answer. So stop worrying if you’re answering the question correctly, and just try to keep talking as naturally as you can. If the IELTS examiner has to signal for you to stop talking, that is usually a good sign!

Having read these five secrets of an IELTS examiner, does this change your attitude towards the test? Or have you actually experienced a nightmare examiner? Share your stories below!

Would you like to practice IELTS writing or speaking with a qualified IELTS teacher before you take the test? Check out our online IELTS practice test options.

The post Five Secrets of an IELTS Examiner appeared first on IELTS Academic.

Is there a secret formula for writing killer IELTS essays that score 8 or 9?

Simon ODowd is an elite IELTS teacher who really believes so. He has spent years creating a method called The Melbourne English Advanced IELTS Writing Process that breaks down the Task 2 writing process into eight techniques.

These techniques are meant for expert writers. You might get a good IELTS score—band 6 or even 7–without using most of them. Only attempt to master all of these techniques if you want to sit down and write a 250-word essay on absolutely any topic and end with a perfectly-formed argument that ticks all the examiner’s boxes for bands 8 or 9.

How do expert writers use mind-mapping to organise their ideas? How can contextualising help you to write a great introduction? What is a keynote sentence? In his online course at Udemy, Simon guides you through techniques like these and then shows you how to apply them in different essay types—the discursive essay, the problem-solution essay, and the two-part question—in order to get a band 8 or band 9 score.

I thought I would highlight a few of these techniques here, since many have not yet been covered on this site. For example, Simon uses his course to explain:

1. Why the body of your essay should always be divided into two paragraphs.

You need to make it very obvious how your argument is structured. Simon talks a lot about why two body paragraphs are the best way to achieve this.

2. How to use keynote sentences to drive up your score.

Keynote sentences relate each paragraph to the question and make your essay structure really transparent. And they’re easy to write once you’ve mastered the basic formula.

3. How expert writers use the looping technique to create a satisfying conclusion.

This technique is guaranteed to leave the examiner feeling like they’ve just read a high-scoring essay. Looping is simple and requires no more than an awareness of the original question.

You can learn more about these and other advanced IELTS writing techniques by taking Simon’s course at Udemy.

Essential information about The Melbourne English Advanced IELTS Writing Process:

• Course consists of 38 mini-lectures, total time 1.5 hours.
• Designed for upper intermediate to advanced English learners.
• Log in to Udemy with your Facebook or Google+ account.
• Watch the lectures at your own pace, anytime, on any device.
• 30-day money-back guarantee.

Go to this course at Udemy

.

The post Write Amazing IELTS Essays Like This IELTS Teacher appeared first on IELTS Academic.

These ten sentences highlight key IELTS vocabulary by topic. For each word that you know, give yourself one point. Then read the scores at the end to get an idea of how good your IELTS vocabulary really is!

Education

Business Studies is included as a subject in the school (1) curriculum at (2) secondary level in some countries, while in other countries it is only taught at (3) tertiary level.

History

Some (4) historians believe that there are ancient (5) civilisations whose (6) archaeological ruins have yet to be found.

Environment

Environmental pressure groups are opposed to the (7) destruction of forests and (8) campaign for their (9) conservation instead.

Travel

When travelling overseas, it is important to understand local (10) customs and avoid (11) offending your hosts. Follow this rule and you can be a wonderful (12) ambassador for your country.

Science

Animal testing in (13) laboratories is wrong, even when it leads to the development of new (14) treatments for human (15) diseases.

Entertainment

The music industry is in crisis due to the (16) widespread (17) illegal downloading of songs which has led to a (18) collapse in sales of CDs.

Sports

(19) Spectators at sporting events should be (20) banned from stadiums if they are found guilty of making (21) abusive gestures.

Media

When media (22) ownership is (23) consolidated in too few hands, it becomes harder for people to hear a (24) diversity of opinions.

Crime

When victims of crime visit (25) detention centres, this can often (26) deter criminals from (27) committing crimes in future.

Technology

Some people are so (28) addicted to their mobile (29) devices that they feel (30) anxious when separated from their phone for even a short time.

IELTS vocabulary scoring guide

26-30 points: Word wizard! You are ready to show your stuff in IELTS! But how many of these 30 words do you actually use? (IELTS 8-9)

20-25 points: Good enough to go! You know enough IELTS vocabulary to understand most of what you will read or hear in the test. Be sure to learn the words you didn’t know. (IELTS 6-7)

10-19 points: Getting there! You know some useful vocabulary for IELTS but it would help to study more before taking the test. (IELTS 4-5)

0-9 points: Time to learn up! Academic IELTS may be too difficult for people who don’t know most of these words. (IELTS 0-3)

But what about IELTS vocabulary for writing and speaking?

To ‘know’ a word usually means to understand what it means. But how many of these 30 words have you actually used when writing or speaking? Go back and count again to see if your score is different this time.

The post Do You Know This IELTS Vocabulary? appeared first on IELTS Academic.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Question: Map Diagram

The diagram shows proposed changes to Foster Road.

Write a 150-word report describing the proposed changes for a local committee.

Model Answer

The diagram shows proposals to transform Foster Road between SE 84th and 85th Avenue into a tree-lined avenue that is safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

First of all, the planners propose to widen the sidewalk on both sides of the road and add bicycle lanes. This will mean reducing the number of lanes for cars and other vehicles. A pedestrian crossing will also be installed at the lower end of the street, near the gas station. This crossing will include an island in the middle where people can wait in safety.

In addition to the safety measures above, planners also want to plant trees along both sides of the road. These trees will transform the appearance of the neighbourhood as well as provide vital extra shade for pedestrians.

To summarise, under these proposals, the needs of local residents will be better served by making Foster Road a safer and more pleasant environment.

(152 words, IELTS 9.0)

Why does this Task 1 answer get an IELTS Band 9 score?

Task achievement: The candidate writes at least 150 words and describes all of the proposed changes. The changes are summarised at the beginning and end, and described in detail in the body of the report. The changes are connected to their function and their location on the map is also clearly described.

Coherence and cohesion: The body of the report is divided into two paragraphs, one describing the changes that will improve safety, and another describing changes that will improve the environment. These paragraphs are clearly linked (“In addition to the safety measures above,…”). There are several uses of reference links such as this and these to refer back to a previous sentence.

Lexical resource: The candidate introduces relevant vocabulary not on the original maps such as pedestrian, cyclist, measures, and tree-lined. The candidate transforms certain words as in proposed > proposal and installation > installed. There are no spelling mistakes.

Grammatical range and accuracy: The model answer includes a range of complex sentence structures. Tense is always used correctly to show that the changes will occur in the future. There are no grammatical errors.

The post IELTS Writing Task 1: Map Diagram with Sample Answer appeared first on IELTS Academic.