IELTS Writing Task 2 - essay tips.

Today's best IELTS tips are about IELTS Writing Task 2 essays.

• Don't forget that in IELTS Writing Task 2, you are usually expected to give your own views.
• Make sure you giver appropriate examples and reasons to develop your arguments.
• Remember that planning is so important.  To plan well, you need to do the following:

1. analyse the question.
2. brainstorm ideas
3. decide what your own opinion is.

The trick to writing a good essay is to bring points 1, 2 and 3 together effectively so that they make a coherent argument.  Setting time aside for planning will help ensure you write a coherent argument.

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Tip.

Today's best IELTS tip is about IELTS Speaking Test part 2..

Make sure that you make good use of the minute you are allowed for preparation.  Plan what you are going to say and write brief, clear notes.  Don't write a speech; the Examiner doesn't want to know how well you can read aloud - he/she wants to know how well you can speak.

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

IELTS Reading Test Matching Task Tip.

Today's best IELTS tip is about the IELTS Reading Test.

One common task type in the IELTS Reading Test is to match a heading to a paragraph.  What you're basically trying to do here is to summarise the essence of the paragraph and find the most suitable heading from a list.  There are usually more headings than paragraphs. 

What I always suggest students do is to try to summarise (in your head) what each whole paragraph is about and then find a heading that is very similar to your summary.

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

IELTS study / revision plan.

Today's best IELTS tip is about organising your study time.

First of all I always make a list with my students of any useful, easily acquired English language resources.  Some examples are:

• your teacher
• English-speaking friends
• the Internet (huge!)
• English-language books, newspapers and magazines
• English-language TV, films and radio
• English grammar and text books.

The next step is to think about how you best study:

• How do you prefer leaning English?  (Look at the list above)
• Where do you prefer to study? (e.g. in a library, in your own room, in a park, at the beach, in a cafe)
• What time of day do you prefer to study?  (morning, afternoon etc)
• Do you study best alone or with other people?
• How much free time do you have?

Once you've answered these questions, you should draw up a study plan between now and your IELTS test date.  Be realistic about how much you can do and use your answers to the above questions to ensure that your study time is productive.

 

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

Academic IELTS Writing Task 1.

Today's best IELTS tip is about the IELTS Writing Test Task 1.

Your first sentence in Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 should state what the data shows in your own words.  This clarifies your thoughts, shows the Examiner you have understood the data and sets the scene for the reader (in this case the IELTS Examiner).

You must be selective in what information you choose to include in your answer - make sure you only select relevant facts and not minor, irrelevant details.  You will probably need to do lots of practice writing task 1 questions so that your learn to avoid simply lisitng every detail, e.g.  'and then the number of sales went up slightly, and then it went down slightly and then in remained steady for a while...' and so on and so on!

Remember that in Writing task 1, your job is to analyse the data, not give your personal opinions.

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

IELTS Speaking Test Questions.

Today's best IELTS tip is about the IELTS Speaking Test.

Students often ask me, 'What kind of questions can I expect?'.  My answer is always; 'Expect the unexpected!'.  In the IELTS Speaking interview, you should expect questions on a range of everyday topics.

One important thing to remember is to always answer the questions you are asked, not similar questions you may have prepared in class or with your speaking partner.  Never, never, never just learn answers by heart and regurgitate them in the test.  It doesn't work!

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna

IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 Tip.

Today's best IELTS tip is about the IELTS Speaking Test.

Don't forget that IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 is a two-way discussion  You could do something that very few candidates do; ask the Examiner a question!

Why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

Alanna