Improve my IELTS Band Score - General Training IELTS Writing Task 1; formal letter layout.

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Today's best IELTS tip is about IELTS General Training Writing.  I've put together a video about the layout of formal letters.

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

 

Tips for a higher IELTS Band Score - General Training IELTS Writing Task 1;informal letter layout.

Today's best IELTS tip is about IELTS General Training Writing.  I've put together a video about the layout of informal letters.

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

The Importance of Paragraphing in IELTS Writing.

Today's best IELTS tip is about IELTS Writing.  I've put together a video about paragraphing, which is important in both General Training IELTS and Academic IELTS, both Task 1 and Task 2.

 

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Tip.

Today's best IELTS tip is about IELTS Speaking Part 2.

It's always a nice idea to introduce your topic in Part 2 by saying exactly what your talk is.

Here's an example:

Describe a  place you have visited  that you particularly liked.

You should say:

when you visited it

who you visited it with/how you got there

what was most memorable about this place

'Today I've been asked to describe a place I have visited that I particularly liked and I'm going to describe Rome.  For me, Rome is the most beautiful ciy in the world...........................'

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

IELTS Reading Test Multiple Choice Task Type.

Today's best IELTS tip looks at multiple-choice task types in the IELTS Reading Test.

Make sure you read the options carefully.  In parfticular you should look out for misleading options.  Misleading options :

• say something which may be true but is not in the text

Remember you are only answering questions about the text.  I have seen a number of students lose marks because they fall into this 'trap'.

• use words from the text in an untrue statement.

Again, I have seen many students fall into this 'trap'.  Read the options carefully and make sure you know what each one actually means.  When you choose an option, imagine that I am there asking you 'Why?' and that you must justify why you chose that particular option and why the others are not correct.

 

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Alanna

Learning new vocabulary for the IELTS test.

Today's best IELTS tips look at the subject of vocabulary. 

You obviously need a wide range of vocabulary to understand IELTS Listening and IELTS Reading.  Your use of vocabulary is one of the crieria used to assess IELTS Speaking and Writing (as can be seen at www.bestieltsonline.com).

I highly recommend you invest in a good English-English dictionary as a good dictionary can give you a lot of useful information.  Below I have included a dictionary definition of the word 'vocabulary' to illustrate my point:

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vocabulary (vo¦cabu|lary) /və(ʊ)’kabjʊləri/   noun (plural vocabularies) 

• 1 the body of words used in a particular language
• a part of such a body of words used on a particular occasion or in a particular sphere:the vocabulary of law [mass noun] :you will want to learn vocabulary that is used frequently the term became part of business vocabulary
• the body of words known to an individual person:he had a wide vocabulary
• a list of difficult or unfamiliar words with an explanation of their meanings, accompanying a piece of specialist or foreign-language text
• 2 a range of artistic or stylistic forms , techniques, or movements:dance companies have their own vocabularies of movement

 

This dictionary definition tells us:

• how to pronounce the word (the phonetics and where the main stress is)
• what part of speech it is (in this case a noun)
• how it is spelt in the plural
• examples of the word in context

 

You must also decide on how you're going to organise new vocabulary.  The following show some of the different methods that students of mine have used over the years:

1. (alphabetical)

B

bicycle

beautiful

brandy

 

2. (parts of speech)

Verbs

memorise

justify

collect

 

3.  (according to the date the word is learnt)

Vocabulary diary 26th January 2008

meanwhile

purpose

euphemism

 

4.  (as a 'dictionary definition')

bid (v & n)

offer money to buy something e.g. bid for something on ebay.

 

5.  (as a mind map)

You must think about the advantages and disadvantages of each method and decide which method is best for you.

 

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

 

Organising Expressions for IELTS Writing .

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.
Anyway, on to today's best IELTS tip.  In IELTS Writing Task 2, it's important to guide your reader through your arguments.  Below is a short list of some organising expressions you can use to do this:

• To begin with
• In the first place
• First of all
• Secondly
• Furthermore
• In addition
• As well as that
• Moreover
• Finally
• Lastly
• In conclusion
• To sum up

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna