IELTS Speaking Test Tips

Speaking with the use of the English language is never that tough. As a matter of fact, there are individuals who achieve high scores in this section through their hard work and perseverance. There are also many tips and techniques that they can take advantage of to improve their study habits and learning skills. I have an article here that talks about the IELTS speaking test tips. I know that there are many tips that can be found today online. However, this post here is one of the best articles I was able to find recently. I decided to share this here to provide you with more guidelines on how to perform well during the test. Why don’t you check it out:

Top 10 IELTS Speaking Test Tips – UNITED COLLEGE LONDON | United College London

The speaking test of the IELTS Exam troubles most of the candidates. They are usually puzzled with things like their accent when they speak English, giving right or wrong answers, or even how they will practice in a more affective way. United College London has prepared a valuable list of tips in order to help all the candidates feel more confident and relaxed during their Speaking test.

1- Make sure you take the time to practice speaking English – with friends, at work, with classmates and on the phone. You should also consider recording yourself, so that you are confident speaking English during your test.

2- Don’t try to give a prepared speech, or talk about a different topic from the one you are asked to discuss. Stay on topic. See more…

This article here is another guide that provides some techniques that can be helpful to test takers. The tips here can be useful to individuals who want to be fluent and confident in the IELTS speaking test. Please have a look:

Be fluent and confident in the IELTS Speaking test | IELTS tips

‘Fluency and coherence’ is one of four criteria you will be assessed on in the IELTS Speaking test. This animated video explains what this is about. For many students, this area is the most difficult aspect of speaking.

Confidence is a key part of being fluent in speaking. If you are low in confidence, you are more likely to be low in fluency too. So understand that you need to build both confidence and fluency.

You also need to understand why confidence can be low. A common reason is fear of making mistakes. This is very natural and very human. But if you understand this, then you can overcome it.

The key to improving fluency is practice. Practice speaking as much as you can. See more…

I have always been fond of teaching students learn how to speak English and be confident about their skills. I find it truly rewarding to see how they progress and speak English like a pro. Anyway, please continue to visit this website for some interesting updates in the coming days.

Effective Study Skills for Exam Preparation

As you may have already known, a study technique that works quite well for you may not be applicable to someone else. What I am trying to say is that there are many ways to study and you only need to find the techniques that are suitable for you. The internet has made a wide variety of information available, and students or test takers won’t even have difficulties finding some study tips. One reading material that I think would be helpful to students is this article below. It talks about the effective study skills, which I believe can help IELTS test takers prepare for the exam. I hope you will find this helpful:

EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS | John Parankimalil

No two people study the same way, and there is little doubt that what works for one person may not work for another. However, there are some general techniques that seem to produce good results. This article is written to help you develop effective study skills.

Besides giving ten study skills, I have included a widely accepted method of study called the SQ3R Method.

1. Believe in Yourself: Your brain is the most complex piece of bioengineering in the known universe. Every brain has genius capacity – even yours. It takes time, effort, and guided study to get access to this potential, but it is possible for anyone to do if he or she wants to badly enough.

2. Preparation: Remember the Scout Motto, “Be Prepared”. Preparing your study environment, your attitude, and your focus will have an amazingly positive impact on the effectiveness of your learning activity. See more…

It is indeed very important for students and examinees to establish and practice good study habits. Their success can depend on their hardwork and the study methods that they use to pass the exam. Attending an IELTS test preparation course is also a must, in order to pass all the four sections of the test. I have more reading materials to post here so don’t forget to keep yourself updated.

Private Tutor Versus Tutoring center

Are you caught in between choosing a private tutor or a tutoring center for IELTS preparation? Well, if you want to make a well-informed decision, then you are on the right page. This article here provides some interesting reasons why hiring a private tutor is a lot better than attending a tutoring center. Hiring a private tutor has become easier this days, but finding the right one will require you to determine the kind of teacher you are looking for. This post can be helpful to individuals who are planning to take the IELTS test. Anyway, I hope you’ll find this post helpful!

3 Reasons to Hire a Private Tutor vs Using a Tutoring Center | Hiring a Tutor

So you have decided to hire a tutor.  Problem is finding a private tutor online is not as easy as you would think, since tutoring companies and centers have taken over search engines, as they have the resources to pay SEO (search engine optimization) professionals.  However, private freelance tutors do have websites out there, you just may have to do a little digging.  Here are 3 benefits to hiring a private tutor over using a tutoring company:

Private tutors are most likely able to come to your home or meet your student at a location of your choosing.  On the other hand, in tutoring centers, you need to drop your student off at the tutoring center location, and then pick them up once the session is over.  This could be inconvenient if you do not live nearby.

Hiring a private tutor can add flexibility to your schedule.  You can choose your sessions on the days and times that you want.  A tutoring company, however, is generally limited to general business hours and many do not open on weekends. hiringatutor.wordpress.com

I would love to provide you with more relevant information and posts about taking the IELTS test and choosing the right tutor. I have more reading materials to share here so please don’t forget to visit this website again in the coming days.

Preventing the IELTS Test Common Mistakes

There are many mistakes in taking the IELTS test that examinees should learn about and avoid. Knowing and avoiding these mistakes can help them increase their chance in doing great during the exam. I have here an article, which I found yesterday while I was browsing the internet, that talks about guarding yourself against the common mistakes in taking the exam. I have warned my students about many of the mistakes mentioned in this post to help them improve their performance. They were very grateful since they had no idea what these mistakes were. I love sharing some IELTS tips and this one here is my favorite. I’ve always believed that examinees should learn about some preventable mistakes that they need to avoid. Please check out this post:

Guard against making these common mistakes | IELTS tips

The IELTS Reading, Listening and Writing tests are held on a separate day to an IELTS Speaking test. I found the Speaking test so confused and difficult, so I am delighted to know that it was on a different day to the other tests. The extra time I had to study allowed me to practise more for the Speaking test. I was more confident and, in the end, very happily with my final result.

Stop here if you haven’t looked at the paragraph above! Have a look at the paragraph below for the answers.

The IELTS Reading, Listening and Writing tests are held on a separate day to the IELTS Speaking test. I found the Speaking test so confusing and difficult, so I was delighted to know that it was on a different day to the other tests. . Via ieltspractice.com

I want to provide in this website a database of information about the IELTS test. I actually am still doing my extensive research and eventually I’ll be able to have my IELTS library completed. I have collected many information and tips for the exam and later on I will be sharing them here. I hope you take time in checking this website once in a while especially if you are looking for more reading materials and resources about the test.

Fun Apps That Are Helpful for IELTS Examinees

English proficiency tests such as the IELTS can be very challenging to pass, and this is true to many test takers. However, as a teacher for many years I know that nothing is impossible with those who persevere and work hard. There are actually many fun things that examinees can do to pass and one is to use some apps. I believe that apps are generally useful and they are tools that many students especially the younger ones find very interesting. I have this interesting article here about some apps that are believed to be helpful for test takers in passing the test. I decided to share it here because I really do find it interesting and helpful. I hope this helps, check it out:

Top 10 Useful Android Apps that Can Help You to Pass the IELTS and TOEFL Examination | Frivmaz.com

Have you ever wonder how can you pass IELTS or TOEFL examination? Are you thinking about this problem? Don’t worry! Today frivmaz.com will introduce to you top 10 useful Android apps that can help you to pass the IELTS and TOEFL examination. Let take a look at them.

It contains 200 essays on different topics that will help you to improve your English vocabulary. It also helps you understand what kind and style of language you are supposed to use in the writing section of the exam.

It is an app that would prove to be useful whilst studying for the IELTS. It has important words that you need to remember how to spell correctly, a way for you to calculate your scores, advice from IELTS test takers as well as top 10 tips for listening, reading, writing and speaking. Via frivmaz.com

Many of my students are actually using some of these apps. I’ve tried some too and I had fun using them. I like the idea that these apps both fun and helpful to use. Anyway, I’ll be posting more in the coming days especially about IELTS preparation classes. For now, you may check out my post about the best IELTS books.

IELTS Speaking Tips for Success

I personally agree that the speaking test is one of the most difficult sections of the exam. This is why I also ensure that I provide the right amount of attention to my students especially while they are practicing to become fluent and confident in speaking the English language. I used to remind my students in my IELTS private tuition that English is not very difficult to learn provided that they work hard and persevere. Many of them actually did well during the exam and are already in English-speaking countries fulfilling their dreams. I have quite a number of reading materials that can guide examinees and keep them at the right track. This article here is one that I found earlier and I thought it is something worth sharing with you. I often conduct interview and test the ability of my students to speak the English language. I noticed that they’ve had some improvements after a few weeks of practice. Anyway, why don’t you check this article out:

10 IELTS Speaking Tips for Success

In some sections of the IELTS, such as the essay writing in Part II, you have the luxury of being able to go back and revise your answers. But in the speaking section everything happens quickly and your first response needs to be your best effort. The following IELTS speaking tips are designed to help you prepare efficiently and speak fluently and confidently; there are even some tips to help you interact with your administrator. Once you’ve got these speaking tips down pat, round out your IETLS preparation with this Express IELTS Prep course that covers all four components of the exam. Via udemy.com

I’ve always been fascinated with the wide array of information that can be found online. Examinees just need to research and use the reading materials to build their confidence, motivate them and believe in themselves that they can learn how to speak English with ease and without any trouble at all. Keep yourself updated, I’ll be posting more interesting reading materials.

How to Edit Your IELTS Essays

Many people find IELTS writing difficult because of the time pressure. You only have 60 minutes to write two essays. Consequently, many students fail to edit or if they do, they do it incorrectly. Here are some ways on how you can correctly edit your essays and manage your time better.

1. Check 2 to 3 minutes before the time.

It is very important that you spend the last few minutes of your time to check your work. Do it at the end so that you can read the complete essay and check your work for grammatical errors as well as for coherence. On the other hand, it can be harder to check for errors for a long essay.

If you have a strong foundation in grammar, then this style could work for you.

2. Check your essay while writing.

Another way is to check your work while writing your essay. An advantage of this strategy is that you can easily spot your errors in shorter paragraphs compared to a long essay.

If you make a lot of grammar errors, this approach would be recommended for you so that you can easily find your mistakes.

3. Check during and after writing the essay.

This is the ideal approach since you can spot easily the errors and this allows you to check for coherence. However, this can be time consuming since you are checking your essay twice.

Here are some tips on how you can check your essay:

Make sure you check with your pen so that you can see it word per word. You can easily spot what you think you have written and not what you wrote. Reading with a pen is a nice way of checking slowly which ensures that you have read every word.

Read in sentences and not by word. When we read word per word, sometimes we think that the sentence is correct because there are no grammar errors. However, we missed out on the meaning of the sentence which doesn’t make any sense.

Another thing you should keep in mind is to know what to check. There are many different areas that you should check for. Have a list of your common errors. Because you might not have enough time to check all grammar parts. If you are looking for a specific thing, you can easily find it.

Some grammar points that you should look for are the following:

1. Tenses: Make sure that you use consistent tenses and if you are doing graphs, it should match the time stamp in the graph.

2. Articles: This is a very common error in writing. If you’re aiming for a band 7, then you must have most sentences correct.

3. Subject-verb agreement: Remember, singular subjects need singular verbs while plural subjects need plural verbs. This is a very common mistake even for smart students. Examiners can give you a low mark if you make this mistake a lot.

4. Parts of speech: Many students commit a lot of mistakes in these. They make adjectives into adverbs and nouns into verbs.

5. Sentence structures: Don’t use all simple sentences. Try to vary your sentence structures by using compound and complex sentences.

Another thing you should watch out for is vocabulary. Try to avoid repeating the same words in the sentences. Use paraphrases. Check also your spelling of words. Some people also become too wordy in their sentences. Try to avoid technical jargon and clichés in your sentences. Don’t try to use very simple words.

How to be more effective in IELTS speaking

Let’s face it. Many students are terrified of IELTS speaking. They believe that it is the hardest test in IELTS. Some aren’t very comfortable with speaking in English. How do you then conquer your fear of speaking? There are several ways on how to do this. Let’s list them one by one:

1. Get a tutor.

It’s hard to practice on your own. You can’t be very objective when you assess your own speech. You need another person, an expert who can point out to you your mistakes especially in grammar and pronunciation. There are online IELTS teachers out there who can help you address your weaknesses.

2. Watch videos.

In Youtube, there are many IELTS speaking videos which you can use to pattern your speech. Take note of their answers especially the language that they use. Note also how they give examples and expand their speech.

3. Expand your vocabulary.

Have a vocabulary list which you can use when delivering your speech. Make a list of words on common IELTS topics such as environment, technology, education, leisure, work and travel.

4. Divide your answers.

Some students have a tendency to become circular in their speech. It’s not about the length of your answers. It’s about the quality of your answers that matters. Make sure that you always think of top two main points such as the top two advantages, causes, problems, etc. Structuring your answers will help you focus on your speech.

5. Build rapport with the examiner.

Don’t think of the speaking test as a job interview. Think of it as having a conversation with a friend. It doesn’t have to be very formal. Imagine the examiner as the most comfortable person you’re talking to. When you do that, you become more at ease and it will help you build rapport with the examiner. Be friendly and interact with the examiner.

6. Establish eye contact.

Some people are intimidated with the examiner so they don’t make eye contact. If you’re intimidated by the examiner, you can look on his/her forehead. He/she wouldn’t notice that you’re not looking through his/her eyes.

7. Use personal experience.

Some examiners get bored with hearing the same answers. When it’s your own experience, it’s more interesting. Moreover, when you share your personal experience, it’s easier to draw from your long term memory. If it’s hypothetical, that’s when you grasp for words and get dead air.

8. Use language of comparisons.

There are some questions that ask you to compare people or compare past and present. In these kinds of questions, try to use the language of comparisons such as better, more or less. For instance, you might be asked to compare males and females in terms of work. You can say that males have strong physique compared to females.

9. Use concrete descriptions.

In the IELTS speaking, you’ll be asked to describe things, people, places and events. Make sure that you exhaust all senses such as size, color, shape, and material. For example, you are asked to describe your favorite object. You can talk about your mobile phone. You can describe it by mentioning the model, the style, the color of your phone.

10. Extend your answers.

There is no such thing as a Yes or No question. Always extend your answers. Avoid one-liner answers. Provide reasons why you answered yes or no. For example, in the question “Do you cook?” You can answer, “Yes, I cook and my favorite dish is lasagna.”

If you follow these tips, you can very well get a high score in IELTS.

The Top 10 Mistakes in IELTS Writing

Many IELTS students in Singapore find it very difficult to write essays. A number of them make a lot of mistakes which can cost them their band scores. Here are some of the common mistakes students make in IELTS writing:

1. Lack of time management

Some students spend a lot of time in Task 1 which results to not being able to finish the Task 2. Task 1 should only be done in 20 minutes while Task 2 should be done in 40 minutes. Make sure that you be conscious of the time and write quickly. Spend the last 5 minutes to check your essays for grammar errors and spelling.

2. No plan

One reason why students don’t know how to start their essays is that they don’t have a plan. As a result, their essays lack organization and coherence. You should spend the first minutes of your time to make an outline of your major points. This will lead to a more structured essay.

3. Repetitive vocabulary

Vocabulary is a major criteria in IELTS. Many students have limited vocabulary that’s why they just copy the words from the task question or they use the same words over and over again. Read books and newspapers to help expand your word power. Read through academic word lists and list them in your notebook. Try to know the synonyms of words so that you can paraphrase them.

4. Long sentences and paragraphs

Another common issue that is found in many essays are long sentences and paragraphs. Some sentences need to be split into two or some have redundancies that need to be removed. Avoid wordiness in your sentences. It is better to be economical by using one word rather than five words with the same meaning. Moreover, paragraphs should have only 3 to 5 sentences. A guideline is to have only 50-65 words per paragraph.

5. Multiple main points in one paragraph

Having two topic sentences in one paragraph is a major no-no. This results to lack of focus in your essay. The rule is one topic sentence, one paragraph. If you have a new topic sentence, there should be a new paragraph.

6. Examples in the first line of the paragraph

There are some students who write examples first before the topic sentence. Examples are specific while topic sentences should be general. Topic sentences should come first. Then the examples should come after your topic sentence since they are considered as support for your topic sentence.

7. One-sentence paragraphs

Some students write one-sentence paragraphs which lack supporting details and concrete examples. Paragraphs should have 3 to 5 sentences. Make sure that your paragraphs are well developed.

8. No transition words

Some essays are choppy because they lack transition words. Use transition words to help thoughts move smoothly. This will make your essay more coherent. Transition words are used for giving examples, summarizing, etc. Examples of them are furthermore, however, as a result, to sum up.

9. Many grammar errors

Grammar mistakes can really pull down your band score. Some of the common grammar issues are on subject-verb, tenses and use of articles and prepositions. Try to review the grammar rules on these topics. Spend the last minutes of your time to proofread your work for any grammar errors.

10. Off-topic essays

Make sure you read and understand the question so you don’t get an off-topic essay. Because the examiners won’t give you the score you deserve, if you write an off-topic essay.

There you have it. The top 10 mistakes that students make in IELTS writing.

Taking the IELTS Examination

If you’re going to take the IELTS exam, there are a few things you need to take note of. In my blog, I will be sharing more tips and techniques over the next few weeks and months. Stay tuned!