You put down your pen. The essay and report / letter are written. Yes! But there are still 3 or 4 minutes left on the exam clock What do you do in this time? The temptation may be to read through your essay from start to finish to check for errors, but is this really the most efficient way to find your errors? And which mistakes should you actively be looking for? Find out today as Nick and I talk IELTS error correction! You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.c...
Nov 02, 2021•46 min
Today, Nick and I review the Duolingo English Test. We will explain what the test is, which students it might benefit, and then compete a practice version of the test to discuss how it works. Then, you can make the decision if this is the right test for you, or if you should stick to IELTS or TOEFL. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/duolingo-english-test-review/ In this episode, we will discuss what the Duolingo Test is and why you may want to sit it t...
Oct 26, 2021•1 hr
You can guarantee that some point during your IELTS exam, you will need to demonstrate that you can make good comparisons. Interestingly, although the language of comparison is introduced at an Elementary level in most English course books, this is something that many high-level students still struggle with. Today, Nick and describe 4 ways that you can make comparisons in IELTS compare essays, and then show how the same techniques can be used to good effect in the speaking test (which Nick givin...
Oct 19, 2021•1 hr 7 min
From 2022 IELTS test-takers around the world will have the opportunity to take a secure version of the test at home in a new product called IELTS Online. What does that mean for you and your IELTS journey? Plus Nick and I have a big annoucement about the future of the podcast ...... You can find out more about IELTS Online here: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-online-2022/ And more about our new Patreon here - https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ patreon / Download my free ebook "An ex-exa...
Oct 12, 2021•38 min
Do you struggle with IELTS reading time management? Do you use scanning and skimming but still find that you run out of time? Do you find some types of question very difficult and can never find the right answer (particularly headings match, MCQ's and information match)? Is your neck sore by the end of the exam from looking back and forth and back and forth from the questions to the passage and back again? Well, this is the podcast episode for you! About a year ago, I realised that the way IELTS...
Oct 05, 2021•56 min
IELTS Summary Completion questions may be my favourite type of question in the IELTS exam. They are quick and often relatively easy to answer and give you the opportunity of grabbing 3 or 4 quick points in a the space of one short paragraph. If you compare that to Multiple Choice or Headings Match questions, which can require you to read and interpret an entire paragraph for just one point, you can see why I like them so much! Today, Nick and I look at the two types of IELTS Summary Completion q...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min
This week, I updated my recent IELTS letters blog post to show 20 prompts that have been given in exams this year. Today, Nick and I discuss 6 of those semi-formal questions in detail to look at what how you can decide the correct tone for your letter. You see, like formal and informal letters that have a fixed tone, semi-formal letters can swing between very formal and very informal depending on the topic of the letter. Find out how to get it right with us today. You can find out more about tod...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Before we start today's show, a quick shameless pieces of advertising for our courses. September means the start of a new school year for those living in the northern hemisphere, and for many adults, the month when they want to make a fresh start on a hobby or study. If you feel that it is time to start studying IELTS seriously or to renew your efforts, then why not come and join one of our IELTS packages? You can find out more about the courses here - www.myieltsclassroom.com Right, back to the...
Sep 14, 2021•48 min
Over the last 12 months, I have noticed a definite move trend in the type of questions that IELTS students are being asked to address in writing task two. It seems that the classic "problem / solution" questions are appearing less and less and, instead, test-takers are being asked to write an IELTS 2-Part essay. But, what is a 2-part essay? And how should you approach one to maximise your chance of a high score? That is what Nick and I discuss in today's episode! You can read more about today's ...
Sep 07, 2021•44 min
One of the main frustrations for IELTS test-takers is that IELTS does not provide a breakdown of the scores for writing or speaking. So, you know that you got a 6.5 for writing, but you don't know why. Was it a problem with lexis? Did you write off-topic? Or was it your Task One that let you down? Until now the answer has simply been, only the examiner knows. However, this week, I received an email from a student that may change this. She was able to capitalise on the new European laws for data ...
Aug 31, 2021•41 min
Hopefully, you have already completed our Introduction to IELTS Matching Headings questions and so know the basic techniques for approaching these questions well. If you haven't, I strongly recommend that you click on this link to complete the lesson now. Too many students rely on skimming or scanning to find the answers, or just reading the first and last lines of a paragraph. Neither of those techniques work and will leave you feeling confused and frustrated But, what do you do if you are alre...
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 1 min
In the world of IELTS we often discuss “types” or essay (Discuss Both Sides, Advantages and Disadvantages, etc) and common topics (environment, work, education, etc) , but we rarely talk about common "themes". Today I want to talk about one theme that often appears but is rarely discussed: essays that focus on social change . These are essay questions which present a current social trend (the increase in crime, the loss of community, etc ) and then ask you to examine it in some way. Today, Nick ...
Aug 10, 2021•54 min
In the writing exam you will be given a topic that you need to address in an essay. One important IELTS skill, therefore, is being able to talk about the topic without repeating the sentences from the task. This is called "paraphrasing" and is one area where many students struggle. Why? Well, it is because there is so much false information about IELTS paraphrasing online (and in classrooms). Many students have been told that you must NEVER repeat a word from the task. This is not true. Others t...
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 6 min
Nothing is more rewarding as a teacher than working with an exam class that is motivated to learn and improve. But, when are you ready as a teacher to start teaching exam classes? And, more importantly, once you are ready how do you start planning your classes? There is no one way how to teach IELTS, but in today's podcast, Nick and I go through the basics that can help you start. Then, before you know it, you will have your own "IELTS team" up and running! You can find the full episode notes fo...
Jul 27, 2021•57 min
You know how some people like to relax by doing a crossword puzzle of a sudoko? Well, my ideal way to unwind would be doing dozens and dozens of IELTS General Training Reading Multiple Matching questions! You may think that I am joking, but I am 100% serious! Of all the IELTS reading questions, they are by far my favourite as they are quick and easy to complete and it is always clear when you have found the correct answer. So, join Nick and I today as we look at the three types of multiple match...
Jul 20, 2021•1 hr 3 min
One way to significantly improve your IELTS Coherence and Cohesion score is to avoid using "people" unnecessarily in your essay. If you can do this, you will find that your writing will be more concise, and you may even be able to pick up points for topic-specific lexis! Find out how to in today as Nick and I recover from England's football defeat! You can read more about today's episodes at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ ielts-coherence-and-cohesion-score / In this episode, we will show ...
Jul 13, 2021•38 min
How easy is it to score IELTS Band 8.0? Well, obviously the answer is "not very easy", but we work with dozens of students who are able achieve this score each year. Today, Nick and I discuss what you can do to help move up to a Band 8.0. We will go through each part of the exam, offering our advice as to what you should be focussing on to move from a 7.0 in each area. A Band 8.0 is not a score that everyone can achieve, but if you have the underlying language skills, it really is possible! You ...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 11 min
The latest edition of the Cambridge series has just been published. In celebration of this, Nick and I explain what makes these books such a powerful resource for IELTS test takers. Then, we will go through the 4 essay questions in Cambridge IELTS 16 (Academic) to give our verdict on the new topics. Trust me - you want to listen to this, as one of them is unbelievably difficult! You can find the full episode notes for this episode at https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ cambridge-ielts-16 / In thi...
Jun 29, 2021•55 min
Hey! This week I published a new Blog Post called " 3 steps to IELTS Cue Card Success ". It is a compilation of all of the advice that I have given over the last 5 years for IELTS Speaking Part 2 and is a basic guide to preparing for IELTS Cue Cards. In today's podcast episode, Nick and I go through that post, adding more depth and detail to the advice. Plus, we invite three of our British friends to attempt to answer some of the current cue cards topics. How well do they do? Well, you will have...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Achieving a IELTS Band 9.0 is very special indeed. I am not sure of the official figures, but my guess is that less than 1% of test-takers receive this score each year. Having a Band 9.0 shows not just that a student has a C1/C2 level of English, but that they have excellent academic skills and are able to perform well under pressure. Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Anna Pakhomova who achieved this score in May 2021, with the individual bands of 9, 9, 8.5, 9 (the 8.5 is for writing)....
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 8 min
In May last year, Nick and I undertook a 31-day IELTS Motivation Challenge. Our aim was to kick-start our students into good study habits, but we found that we made some positive changes in our own lives too. Now, it's a year later and we have a whole new set of listeners who we think can benefit from taking part in a new IELTS motivation challenge (plus, Nick and I have definitely slipped back into some old bad habits, so could do with a new challenge too!) So, today, why not pledge to join us ...
Jun 01, 2021•52 min
Have you ever sat at your desk looking at the items on your To-Do list and thought, why? Why is it that I never have time to get everything done? Why is it that it is always the same two or three things left at the end of every week, which I never, no mater how good my intentions, get round to finishing? Well my friend, you are not alone. In fact, this week's episode is as much for me as it is for you, as I have decided that enough is enough. It is time to stop procrastinating and start doing! I...
May 18, 2021•48 min
Part 4 may initially appear as the most difficult part of the IELTS listening exam, but it can actually be much easier than Part 3 if you can learn to follow the notes and listen for the lecturer's sentence stress. Find out how in today's episode and learn how to avoid the 3 common tricks used in Part 4 at the same time! You can find the full episode notes for this episode and a transcript of the conversation at http://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-listening-part-4/ This is an interactive epis...
May 11, 2021•1 hr
Hey! If you are reading this, Nick and I would like to start by saying a massive THANK YOU. We started the My IELTS Classroom on May 1st 2020 for no other reason than the fact that we were bored in lockdown and wanted something positive to focus on, but since then it has grown into something really special. To celebrate our one year birthday, I thought that we could go back and visit a short part of one episode from each of the different "themes" that have developed over the last year. I have to...
May 04, 2021•53 min
OK, I am going to be honest, punctuation isn't the sexiest topic. But, if you are trying to achieve a 7.0 or higher in your IELTS writing test, then you have to make sure that you are able to use commas, capital letters, and full stops accurately. Sadly, this is not always the case, and nothing makes me sadder than a student receiving a 6.0 for GRA because their punctuation was totally uncontrolled. So, join Nick and I today for a whistle-stop tour of the most important IELTS punctuation rules. ...
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Education is one of the UK's biggest industries, but is it really worth paying for a higher education in the UK? And how can you choose the university and the degree course that is right for you? Well, in today's episode, Nick will look at both of these questions in detail, before discussing what you need to apply for a UK Student visa. This is a great opportunity to hear two native speakers, each with personal experience of studying in the UK, giving advice on how to make the most of your exper...
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Every 3 or 4 months Nick and I sit down to review 6 recently reported IELTS essay questions that we think are interesting. Usually, this means choosing questions that focus on topics that we have never seen before, or questions that are in a new format (for example, new types of 2-part questions). However, this week we are doing something different. We are looking at 6 difficult IELTS essay questions. And by difficult, I mean so difficult that even after 30+ years experience teaching IELTS betwe...
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Hey! Did you know that in Part 3 of the IELTS Listening test, you are often asked to listen for the speakers' attitudes to the topic that they are discussing? In fact, I think that this is what makes this part of the exam so tricky. You are no longer being asked to just match facts. Instead, you will have to identify if the speakers agree or disagree, or if they are surprised by, concerned about, or interested in the information that they are discussing. Today, Nick and I will look at two types ...
Apr 06, 2021•59 min
If you are a regular listener to the My IELTS Classroom Podcast, then I am sure that you are already convinced about the benefits of using podcasts in your IELTS preparation. But, although listening to a dedicated IELTS podcast like ours is a great way to train, there are thousands of other podcasts on topic like economics, science and social trends that you can utilise podcasts to improve you exam-day performance. In today's episode, we want to show you FIVE different ways that you can use podc...
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Hey! It's time for another interactive lesson! Today, Nick and I look at IELTS reading multiple choice questions to show you the two best ways to approach this type of question, and four "examiner's tricks" that you may not be aware of! Plus, we will explain why this type of question is absolutely unlike any other in the test as it is important that you read the passage before you check the four possible answers. What? You are advising us to read without a purpose? Of course not! We just think t...
Mar 16, 2021•53 min
