How to create a favorable impression on your examiner and get a better score
You should not be surprised when I tell you that examiners listen for different things at different times during the interview. Most of...
5 useful idioms for talking about your job
(1) line of work Rather than talk about your 'job", refer to it as your 'line of work'. For example: EXAMINER: What do you like most...
4 tips for making a confident start on the listening test
One of the first questions you will typically get at the beginning of the listening test requires you to write down a name or phone...
4 must-do strategies for 'paragraph heading' questions on the reading test
These questions test your ability to ready quickly and understand the main idea contained in each paragraph. Apply these strategies to...
In what order should you do the writing tasks?
You can do Task 1 first and Task 2 second, Or you can do it the other way—Task 2 first and Task 1 second. It’s up to you. But which way...
What should you do if you don’t understand a question in the speaking test?
The first thing to remember is that it is a speaking test, not a listening test. It is designed to give you an opportunity to express...
7 useful idioms for comparing two things
One of the key differences between bands 6 and 7 in the lexical resource (i.e., vocabulary) assessment criteria of the Speaking test is...
Why beginning every sentence with a transition word is not a good idea
According to the IELTS writing band descriptors, a candidate who achieves band 8 for Coherence and Cohesion “manages all aspects of...
3 documents you must read before you do the IELTS test
Before doing the IELTS test, you should know the criteria that your examiners will use when they assess your writing and speaking....
