IELTS with Fiona: a comprehensive guide to IELTS

This lesson focuses on the topic of Happiness as it appears in the IELTS test.

We'll go through vocabulary related to the topic, and I walk you through a difficult Academic Passage 3 text about the science of happiness.

Keywords

mental health  – a person’s emotional and psychological wellbeing.

well-being  – the state of being healthy, happy, and comfortable.

wealth  – a large amount of money or valuable possessions.

the rat race  – a busy and stressful way of life where people compete for success, money, or status.

basic survival needs   – the essential things people need to live, such as food, water, shelter, and healthcare.

possessions –  , the things that a person owns.

optimistic   – expecting good things to happen in the future.

pessimistic   – expecting bad things to happen or focusing on negative outcomes.

materialistic   – believing that owning money and possessions is very important.

to suffer from depression  – to experience a serious mental health condition that causes persistent sadness and loss of interest.

to have a positive mindset   – to think in a hopeful and confident way, even when facing difficulties.

What is this text about?

This book review is about a book called The Happiness Industry by William Davies.

The book says that many governments, businesses, and psychologists believe that their goalshould be to make people happier.

These ideas came from a philosopher called Jeremy Bentham,who said that happiness means having pleasure and avoiding pain. He also believed that happiness could be measured.

Today, some governments and companies try to measure happiness and change people's behaviour. They use psychology, advertising, and research to encourage people to act in certain ways.

William Davies thinks this is a problem. He argues that treating happiness like a science can be a way to control people. He believes governments should be careful because trying to make people happy can reduce people's freedom.

Get the full set of notes with Speaking and Writing models plus Listening and Reading videos in the ⁠Resource Library⁠ on my website, and in the ⁠Members Academy⁠ Vocabulary and Reading Courses.

In this podcast, you'll learn key words and concepts that will help you understand and discuss the topic of nature and nurture.

🧬 nature  = the traits we are born with (genetics)

🏠 nurture  = the experiences we go through in life (environment)

The lesson is based around a reading text called 'The Unselfish Gene'.

Find the full lesson notes with audio, video and model answers for Speaking and Writing on my website https://ieltsetc.com.

In this episode, we explore the topic of language(s) in IELTS.

From bilingualism and language learning to language loss and global communication, you’ll learn the key vocabulary and ideas you need for Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking.

Perfect for boosting both your confidence and your band score.

This podcast focuses on a reading about Silbo Gomero, a whistling language in the Canary Islands.

⛳️ Learn 3 common keywords in True, False, Not Given questions.

Get the full lesson in the Bronze Members Academy.

https://ieltsetc.com/2026/04/ielts-vocab-topic-languages-learning/

In this episode, we use the story of the Céide Fields (an archaeological site in Ireland) to help you improve the skills you need for IELTS Listening.

You’ll practise following a real lecture-style talk, identifying key information, making educated guesses, and dealing with common challenges such as recognising paraphrasing, understanding fast speech, and listening for common gap fill answers and spelling patterns for uncountable nouns and plurals.

We also focus on useful topic vocabulary for IELTS, especially words related to archaeology and farming, and show you how these ideas can appear in different sections of the test.

By the end of the episode, you’ll feel more confident handling Section 4 of the IELTS Listening test while building the vocabulary and strategies you need for a higher band score.

bog 🌧️🌿

a very wet area of land where the ground is soft and full of water, often with thick layers of peat that can preserve plants and objects for a long time.

excavation 🏺digging in the ground to find old objects or structures

Neolithic 🪨relating to the late Stone Age, when people first farmed and lived in settlements

settlement 🏠a place where people live, often long-term
grazing 🐄 animals eating grass in a field

paddocks 🚜small fields where animals are kept

soil fertility 🌱 how good the soil is for growing plants

crop rotation 🌾🔁 growing different crops in the same field over time

livestock 🐑 farm animals such as cows and sheep

settlement farming 🏡🌾 farming done by people living permanently in one place

food storage 🫙keeping food to use later

🧑‍🎨 In this podcast you'll learn ideas and vocabulary related to the theme of GENDER, specifically the forgotten role of women in medieval art.

GET THE FULL LESSON ON MY WEBSITE:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/

Text Summary

A recent archaeological discovery shows that women may have played a more important role in medieval art than people once thought. Scientists found tiny bits of lapis lazuli in the teeth of a medieval woman buried in Germany. This suggests she may have been an artist who painted manuscripts. The discovery shows that studying dental tartar can reveal surprising information about people’s work and daily lives in the past.

Key vocab

plaque /plak/ is a colorless film of bacteria, food particles, and saliva that constantly forms on teeth.

tartar /tɑːtə/ is plaque that has hardened, usually yellow or brown, and requires professional dental cleaning to remove

Gender comes up in all parts of the IELTS test - here are some of the podcasts I've already made:

📚 Reading - Marie Curie, Georgia O'Keeffe, and The History of Women's Football

🎧 Listening- Women's attitudes to finance

🗣️ Speaking Part 3 - Gender stereotypes and inequality

✍️ Writing- Men and Women in Bar Charts

USEFUL VOCABULARY

gender stereotypes 🧩

fixed ideas about what men or women can or should do

behind the times ⏳

old-fashioned attitudes that hold back progress

role models

people who set an example and inspire others 👩🏻‍🔬

to break down barriers

to remove obstacles that stop people from progressing 🔨

the pay gap 💰📉

the difference between men’s and women’s salaries for the same work

equality ⚖️

equal treatment and opportunities for everyone

a patriarchal society🏛️

a society where men hold the main power

a male-dominated field 👨‍💼

a profession where most people are men 👨‍💼

#IELTS

This Listening Part 2 about an archaeological dig will help you review maps 🗺️ and vocabulary related to the topic of Civilisation 🏺.

Get the full Listening Course on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/courses

🏮 To celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse, here's an Academic Passage 1 text all about The White Horse of Uffington- an ancient chalk figure cut into a hillside in England.

The text discusses how and when this 'geoglyph' was created, and my podcast walks you through a set of Gapfill Summary and True False Not Given (TFNG) questions.

It includes tips about:

At the end, we review vocabulary related to ancient customs and traditional celebrations that you can use in the Speaking Test.

👉 Join the Members Academy for the full lesson and lots more on a variety of IELTS topics. Go to my website for more information:ieltsetc.com.

Useful expressions

🎏 This festival is deeply rooted in history.

📆 This ceremony marks the start of the new year.

🎉 These traditions are passed down through generations.

💃🏽 There is a festive atmosphere in the streets.

👹 It is a communal celebration with music and dancing.

🎎 Many people wear traditional costumes.

🪦 Families pay respect to their ancestors during the festival.

🧧It is a public holiday,so everyone can celebrate.

🎎 Family celebrations give us a strong sense of belonging.

🏮 Traditional festivals are important for our cultural identity.

This Academic Reading Passage 1, which is about the life of a well-known artist, will help you review the huge topic of art and the arts in IELTS.

This topic covers writers (Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo in the Listening Test) and sculptors (Henry Moore in the Reading Test) as well as theatres, art galleries, pottery, photography and music.

In the Speaking Test, you might be asked to describe a favourite painting, or to talk about a time you visited an exhibition or museum.

This reading includes lots of vocabulary that will help you describe a painting with precise language.

Get the full notes, video, tapescript, vocabulary lists, quizzes and model answers on my websiteand join the Members Academy for my comprehensive guide to IELTS Test Preparation.

Describe a picture or painting you like. You should say: 

what the painting is about 

who painted it 

where you first saw it 

and explain why you like it. 

Some useful expressions

The painting that left a lasting impression on me is… 🖼️

The reason this piece means so much to me is… 💖

The painting depicts… 🖼️

To me, it represents… 🎭

Personally, I find it incredibly…🌈

The use of colour really stands out… 🎨

It has a timeless quality… ⌛

In this podcast you'll learn tips about guessing True False and Not Given questions, reference words, and how to use conditional sentences in your Writing Task 2.

This text about polar bears explains how they are uniquely adapted to extreme Arctic conditions and possess genetic traits that may help scientists understand health problems in humans.

threatened – at risk of harm or extinction ❄️

adapted – changed to suit particular conditions 🐾

genetic – relating to genes or inherited characteristics 🧪

mutation – a change in a gene 🔬

conservation – the protection of animals and the environment 🌱

extinction – the complete disappearance of a species 🦣

a breakthrough – an important discovery or development 💡

This IELTS Listening Part 4 is about research into microscopic animals called tardigrades or ‘water bears’.

The speaker explains their extreme survival abilities - a topic that we covered in the previous Reading Podcast ('The secret of staying young').

This is an essential topic in IELTS, so don't miss this chance to review the vocabulary related to ageing and longevity.

You'll also pick up lots of tips related to gapfill questions.

Get the full lesson on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/2026/01/ielts-vocabulary-topic-ageing/

#ielts #ieltslistening

Useful Vocabulary

In this podcast, you'll work through an IELTS Academic Reading Passage 1 about ageing ('The secret of staying young') in a clear, guided way.

I will take you step by step through gap fill and True False Not Given questions, so you can see how to find key information quickly. The episode helps you improve skimming, scanning, and careful reading skills. You can get the full lesson, with the video, extra practice and support on my website, IELTS with Fiona.

The Vocabulary Topic for this episode is all about ageing - the website lesson includes everything you need to discuss this topic in the Speaking Test and IELTS Writing Part 2.

🐜 Reading Summary

Ysabel Giraldo studiedPheidole dentata ants to see how aging affects them. She tested ants of different ages on tasks like caring for young, following scent trails, reacting to light, and hunting prey. She also examined their brains for dying cells and important chemicals. Surprisingly, older ants performed as well as younger ones, showing no decline. Giraldo’s research suggests these social ants stay healthy with age, which could help scientists understand aging in humans and other social animals.

Key vocabulary

aging ⏳ – getting older

an ant 🐜 – a small insect

an experiment 🧪 – a test to discover something

the brain 🧠 – the part of the body that controls thinking and movement

to care for ❤️ – to look after someone or something

healthy 💪 – strong and well

in good shape 💯 – healthy and strong physically or mentally

social 🤝 – living in groups

to stay fit 🏋️ – to remain healthy and strong

a scientist 👩‍🔬 – a person who studies nature or science

a worker 🐝 – an ant that does tasks in the colony

a trail 🛤️ – a path marked by scent (smell)

prey 🐞 – an animal that is hunted for food

a colony 🏘️ – a group of ants or insects living together

behavior 🐾 – the way someone or something acts

to reproduce 🍼 – to have babies or make new life

to deteriorate 💀 – to become worse with age

to decline 📉 – to become worse

How Plants Sense Temperature – IELTS Reading Made Easy
This episode breaks down a challenging IELTS Reading Passage about how plants use light and temperature to grow.

I’ll guide you through the key ideas, explain tricky vocabulary, and help you answer the questions with confidence. Perfect for Band 6–8 students who want to improve comprehension, build science-related vocabulary, and boost their IELTS Reading score.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to use the words you DON'T KNOW to get the right answers!

It's a difficult Academic Reading Part 3, which contains several scientific terms that might cause confusion.

But I will show you how IELTS uses these words for gapfills, and you'll learn the 6 'triggers'that indicate the answer.

Get the full video lesson in the Bronze Membership on my website, and in the full Members Academy.

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/

Reading Summary

Music is a powerful force that affects our emotions. When we listen to music we love, our body reacts—our heartbeat increases, and our muscles receive more blood. Scientists have found that music directly influences the brain, especially by releasingdopamine, a chemical that makes us feel pleasure.

A study in Canada used brain scans to examine why music has such a strong effect. Researchers found that dopamine is released both when we hear a beautiful part of a song and before it happens. This suggests that our brain enjoys the feeling of anticipation, or waiting for something exciting.

The way music is structured also plays a role. If a song is too predictable, it is boring. Great composers, like Beethoven, create patterns in their music and then delay repeating them to buildsuspense. This delay makes the final moment of resolution much more emotional.

A famous music expert,Leonard Meyer, explained that the emotions in music do not come from its connection to real-life experiences but from how it plays with our expectations. Our brain enjoys the mix of predictability and surprise, which keeps us engaged and emotionally connected to the music.

Keywords:

This month, we've been exploring the huge topic of MONEY in the Members Academy.

It comes up in ALL parts of the test, so in this lesson, we examine two very similar General Training Texts in order to learn more about the topic of government benefit systems and the allowances that you might be entitled to.

Each country's benefit system is different, so it's really worth a listen as you'll learn valuable information and keywords.

Get the video and full text with vocabulary list in the Bronze Academy on my website.

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/

This is a lovely reading about forced rhubarb: its history and how it is grown and harvested.

There are 3 question sets:

In this lesson you'll learn more about the general topic of FOOD and how this topic is tested in all parts of the IELTS test.

Get the full lesson in the Bronze Academy on my website.

https://ieltsetc.com/2024/12/ielts-vocabulary-of-food-cooking-and-eating/

Always check the title of a pie chart to make sure you're providing an accurate summary of the data.Pie charts show percentage and proportion, not numbers. Here's an example of a mistake that is very easy to make when you're under pressure.So practise plenty of pie charts before the test and get ready to use the language related to pie charts - listen till the end to find the 'marc' verbs that will help you.Get the full lesson on my website and in the Members Academy Study Programme.https://beacons.ai/ieltswithfiona#ielts #ieltstask1 #ieltspiechart

In this lesson, we'll analyse a Part 1 Reading text with the purpose of improving our understanding and use of prepositions.

First, we go through the True, False and Not Given questions, followed by the Gapfill questions and then we go back to the first paragraph to analyse the prepositions.

This is something that I recommend you do regularly - spend 5-10 minutes 'noticing' language from real contexts like the Reading and Listening tests.

In the lesson you'll learn how to do this yourself and build up your independent learning skills. The vocabulary from the lesson will also help you with Writing Task 1 (Describing a Natural Cycle).

Get more help with Prepositions, and find my Preposition Workbook on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-grammar-complete-guide/prepositions/

Did you know that uou can use "a/an + adjective" before a statistic to express your reaction to the number?

This technique adds emphasis and helps the listener or reader understand yourperspective on the data.

Examples:

Listen to find out how to use this structure in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 reports.

Get the full document from mydaily tip (31st October 2024).

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/halloween-grammar

In this lesson you'll learn 5 IELTS Listening Tips that (I'm guessing) nobody told you about.

Get the full lesson with bonus materials in the Bronze Academy on my website.

https://ieltsetc.com/2024/10/5-ielts-listening-tips-nobody-told-you-about/

Get the free lesson on my blog: How to use personal pronouns in IELTS Writing.

In this lesson, we look at ways of USING and AVOIDING personal pronouns in Writing Task 2 essays.

You'll learn when to use "I", "we" and "you", and you'll get examples of how to avoid personal pronouns by using plurals, the passive voice, and more general language.

https://ieltsetc.com/personal-pronouns-in-ielts-writing/

If you really want to make a difference to your test score, stop practising grammar with useless examples that you'll never use in the IELTS test!

In this grammar review we look at how to use few, a few, little and a little SPECIFICALLY FOR the IELTS test.

You'll learn useful expressions that you can use in the Writing and Speaking Tests, and you'll find out how to avoid common mistakes with these quantifiers in the Reading and Listening Tests.

Get the full lesson in the Bronze Academy, starting at just $4 per month.

The full lesson includes:

https://ieltsetc.com/2024/09/quantifiers-few-a-few-little-a-little/

In this lesson, you'll practise 3 reading question types while learning essential IELTS animal-related vocabulary items such as 'hibernation' and 'migration'.

I also discuss differences between two summaries, which will help you use more formal language in the writing test e.g. to maintain fitnessvs to stay fit.

For example:

(Advanced Summary)

The article explores how animals maintain fitness differently from humans. Unlike humans, who needconsistent training to prepare for endurance challenges like marathons, many animals maintain or even enhance their fitness without deliberate exercise.

(Intermediate Summary)

The article discusses how animals stay fit in different ways compared to humans. While humans need to exercise regularly to prepare for challenges like running a marathon, many animals stay fit without needing to train.

Get the full lesson on my website (Bronze Academy) and in the Members Academy.

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/

https://ieltsetc.com/courses

#ielts #ieltstestpreparation #ieltscourse

In this lesson we look at direct and indirect ways of asking for help.

You will learn fixed expressions that you can use in any letter of request letter, and you'll also learn how to demonstrate flexibility with a variety of tenses when you 'give details of your musical activities'.

Find the full lesson with models and interactive practice on my website (Bronze Academy).

⁠https://ieltsetc.com/2024/09/ielts-general-training-letter-of-request/⁠

You recently went to a concert and thought one of the singers was very good. You want to tell him/her how you feel.

Write a letter to the singer. In your letter:

In this lesson, we look at how you can use Listening Test maps to improve the way you describe maps and plans in the Writing Test.

In this lesson we'll cover

We also review map prepositions, and we look at a model answer. The lesson ends with a list of map expressions collated from 4 real Listening Tests.

Members get thefull lesson on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/2024/08/ielts-maps-plans-changes-future/

Get the FREE Maps and Plans Listening lesson on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-listening-maps/

This is a talk-through of a General Training Reading Passage 3.

The text tells the story of the 'Fosbury Flop', which is a high-jump technique developed by a 21 year-old university student from the USA called Dick Fosbury in the late 1960s.

In this lesson, you'll practise Matching Information, Multiple Choice and gapfill questions.

Get all my lessons on my website ieltsetc.com and follow my courses in the Members Academy.

In this Listening Section 2 about tips for runners, you'll learn how to spot distractors in different question types such as matching people and multiple choice.

Get the full lesson with 180+ more lessons in the Bronze Academy

https://ieltsetc.com/2024/07/ielts-listening-matching-people-distractors/

Get the list of phrasal verbs to talk about hobbies (Free)

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/phrasal-verbs-hobbies-and-new-skills

This is a talk-through of a Passage 1 Academic Reading text about tennis rackets (Book 19 Test 1).

It covers 2 sets of questions (True, False, Not Given and Gapfill Summary).

Full lesson notes and video available on my website and Members Academy.

In this lesson, you'll see why so many model essays are NOT model essays.

For each of the points I mention, you'll learn a better alternative so that you can make changes to your own writing.

Here's the question:

Some people believe that charities should help people in need no matter where those people are in the world. Others feel that these organizations should only serve the people living in the country where they are based.

Discuss both sides and give your own view.

Find the full lesson on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/03/ielts-band-9-sample-essay-charity/

Watch my YouTube video here:

https://youtu.be/c4nMPXwJls4

My tips about Coherence and Cohesion (avoiding mechanical linking words) are here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/01/ielts-writing-coherence-cohesion/

Find more Band 9 essays and tips on my website.

Join the Bronze Membership for full access.

https://ieltsetc.com/2019/04/band-9-essay/

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/03/ielts-task-2-band-9-essay-ceos/

https://ieltsetc.com/2019/09/ielts-writing-task-2-topics-and-models-crime/

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/05/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/03/to-what-extent-do-you-agree/

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/11/ielts-formal-writing/

#ielts #ieltswriting #ieltstask2 #ieltsband9

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This listening about a research project contains several examples of ‘academic’ language (language related to studying at university) that you need to understand Listening Part 3.

It's about a volcanic eruption, and is adapted from a Cambridge Past Paper (Book 18).

Get the full lesson notes and video in the Bronze Membership on my website ieltsetc.comand the Listening Course in the Members Academy.

This Part 4 Listening is all about moving elephants.

In the lesson you'll learn about:

The full transcript is available in the Bronze Membership on my website.

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/10/ielts-listening-part-4-keeping-up-with-the-speaker/

This is a relatively easy Passage 2 from a Cambridge Past Paper, with 3 sets of questions [Matching Information, Categorising and Gapfill].

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/10/ielts-reading-forest-management/

This Listening Part 4 about a writer called Victor Hugo is taken from the new Practice Book 18.

In the podcast you'll learn

Get the full video, tapescript and tips in the Members Academy Listening Course with Members bonus features for 12 months.

ieltsetc.com/courses

This is a Passage 3 review about a book about The Birth and Growth of Manhattan's Skyscrapers.

This is an extremely difficult text. It would really help if you have the text in front of you.

The only good thing about this text is that everything goes in COMPLETE ORDER and we know where everything is, because it goes from 'Chapter 1' to 'Chapter 10'.

The Yes, No, Not Given questions are not too difficult either.

But the last Gapfill Summary with Answers is a nightmare.

Good luck with it!

IELTS with Fiona

Farming and agriculture is my Number 1 Vocabulary topic for IELTS, and I noticed that most of the readings in this new Cambridge Practice Test Book (18) are related either to the environment (Week 1 of my vocab course) or to cities/architecture/buildings (Week 2 in my Vocabulary course - the Man-Made Environment).

So make sure you re-read this text for the useful vocabulary e.g. sustainable, organic, intensive farming.

Members: the video version of this podcast with pdf download is now available for you to watch.

Get my Members Academy Reading package (2 full courses plus all the new lessons over 12 months, plus Members Academy benefits - Private blog, live zoom meetings, private community, daily tips, Writing coaching lessons etc).

As I add more materials and benefits, the price will only increase, so join sooner rather than later so you can get the most of the resources before your test.

https://ieltsetc.com/courses

This is a pretty straighforward Academic Part 2 about Stadiums.

In this podcast we'll go through 3 question types (Matching Statements, Gapfill Summary and Choosing from a list.)

Get more in the Members Academy https://ieltsetc.com/courses.

I guarantee that you can do this in under 10 minutes if you follow my system.

Find the Reading online and do it yourself before you listen.

Learn more about my IELTS Reading techniques with TWO courses in the Members Academy.

ieltsetc.com/courses

Get the full blog with audio on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/04/ielts-listening-tips-complete-guide/

In this lesson, I examine the MACRO and MICRO skills you need to get all of the answers right in this Section 2 IELTS Listening about a holiday company.

For example:

The Members Academyteaches all of these skills in a variety of easy-to-follow short courses with quick video guides and plenty of practice.

Join todayhttps://ieltsetc.com/courses

There are many free online IELTS Writing checkers available, and they can be useful when you’re starting your IELTS preparation.

Online writing checkers such as Grammarly can give you simple feedback on your grammar, vocabulary and linking words.

There are more sophisticated versions available that claim they can assess your IELTS writing using the Band Criteria, and give you a grade and feedback in a matter of seconds.

But how accurate and reliable are they?

I tested a few and here are my results.

The one I mention in the podcast is testpredikt.com.

Check out my blog here:

⁠https://ieltsetc.com/2023/03/best-online-ielts-writing-checker/

[Skip the 5-minute introduction if you want to just get to the question types!]

Different websites have different ways of categorising IELTS Reading Question types.

See my latest blog for all the details:

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/03/how-many-ielts-reading-question-types/

In my online courses, I follow the official IELTS.org guidelines, and I have simplified the types so that you focus more on developing your reading skills. Developing good reading skills will enable you to answer all question types.

The 3 basic categories are:

Matching things (headings, statements, features, sentence endings, dates, people, choosing from a list) Filling in gaps (summaries, notes, tables, flowcharts, sentences, diagrams) Choosing from a list(Multiple Choice, True, False, Not Given and Yes, No, Not Given)

In this blog, I examine the official 11 Question Types as outlined on IELTS.org and explain how other teachers and websites might label them.

The best thing about the IELTS Test is that you cannot fail it. The test simply takes a ‘snapshot’ of your current level of English.

So if you’ve suddenly realised that you need to take the test in 10 days don’t panic too much. Consider it a ‘practice run’.

10 days is just enough time to familiarise yourself with the test requirements so you can give yourself the best chance of getting the best indicator of your overall ability.

Here’s what I would do in the next 10 days.

Read the blog here

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/02/how-to-prepare-for-ielts-in-10-days/

There are 7 key features of fast speech and pronunciation that you need to develop a better understanding of in order to increase your Listening Score:

Features of connected speech (dropping sounds, adding sounds, changing sounds, weak sounds and twin sounds). Word boundaries Homophones Sounds that are different or don’t exist in your language Accents and rhoticity (‘r’) Minimal pairs Consonant Clusters

Read the full blog here.

https://ieltsetc.com/2023/02/ielts-pronunciation-tips-listening-test/

Buy theworkbook guide here:

https://payhip.com/b/HzVmy

In this episode, I'll take you through one of my Guided Readings - it's an Academic Passage 3 from Book 17 and, unusually, it's a book review.

Follow my Advent Challenge on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-advent-adventure/

Join the Members Academy:

https://ieltsetc.com/courses

Can you guess the answers to the gapfill before you listen? In this episode I talk you through a Passage 4 where I think about 60% of the answers are guessable!

Thinking of becoming a Member of my Academy?

Find out more on my website:

ieltsetc.com/courses

I've spoken a lot about Mindset for IELTS in 2 earlier blogs:

1. How to train your mindset for IELTS

https://ieltsetc.com/how-to-train-your-mindset-for-ielts/

2. How to stop making excuses and start making progress

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/11/improve-ielts-score/

In this (rather long) podcast I talk about asking SMARTER questions to get smarter answers.

S = Specific (Why, What, Why, When, Where?)

M = Measurable (How much? How many?)

A = Achievable

R = Realistic

T = Time-bound

E = Evaluate

R = Revise

In this podcast, you'll practice listening for the tricks in Multiple Choice Questions.

This is yet another Listening based on the topic of farming, and it includes many of the keywords on my IELTS planner list Day 1 (Agriculture), for example:

- breed

- bred/reared

- livestock

- to increase production

- domesticated animals

- controlling and eradicating those diseases

Add these to your wordlist and check out the other lessons related to agriculture on my website https://ieltsetc.com.

Get the full version of this Listening Part 3 lesson in theMembers Academy.

This Reading will also help your Task 2 Writing.

Watch this quick video to see why:

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/week-2-september-challenge-reading-about-farming

In today's September Challenge, we're reviewing Task 2 essays, starting with how to write a good Introduction.

Check out the blog I refer to here (with a model essay):

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/03/ielts-band-9-sample-essay-charity/

and learn more about Introductions here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/05/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/

Day 3 of the September IELTS Planner Challenge is all about describing changes in Writing Task 1.

See the graph and video here.

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/september-challenge-day-3-writing-task-1

Or just go to my Daily Tips Day 3 on ieltsetc.com

Day 2 of the September 2022 Challenge.

This is a Part 1 but full of TRICKS!

Get the full video version in the Members Academy.

Join the challenge on my website: www.ieltsetc.com(find it in the Daily Tips section)

This is Day 1 of my free IELTS September Challenge 2022.

Follow the challenge every day on my website (What's new - daily tips):

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/september-challenge-day-1-reading-the-best-hiking-boots

Get your FREE copy of the planner and work through it with me:

https://payhip.com/b/7OZlV

This is a fascinating Section 3 General Training Reading text about the origins of women's football and why it disappeared for 50 years.

Practice  Multiple Choice Questions, Matching Information and Gapfill Summary.

Get the full video version with all of the other General Training Courses in the Members Academy:

https://members.ieltsetc.com/academy

Here's my roundup of daily tips from February. Watch the video version on YouTube with this link:

https://youtu.be/zZ0TLDv0qxc

In the podcast we'll review:  

Read the new blog about vocabulary lists for IELTS here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2022/05/ielts-vocabulary-lists/

Get all the daily tips here:

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en

Here's my round-up of the weekly tips that you can find on my website (ieltsetc.com). 

This podcast is also on YouTube/fionawattam:

https://youtu.be/TNcyL63yWbI

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en 

In this episode we look at my daily tips from January 19th: 

- when to use the contraction 's' instead of 'is' (Pronunciation)  

- how to start a letter and why you shouldn't use 'maam' (GT Letter Writing) 

- 'claptrap' advice: "elucidate" (Academic Task 1) 

- when to use "Having said that" (Academic Task 2) - when to use 'triple' or 'treble' (Academic Task 1)

- feedback or feedbacks? (Grammar) 

- useful collocations with 'effect' (Vocabulary)

- phrasal verb: "I suppose I'll have to make do with it" (Vocabulary) 

- Spoonerisms (Collocations)

#ielts #ieltstips #ieltspreparation

In today's podcast you'll review my daily tips from my annual advent challenge which you can find on my website under "What's New"and https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-advent-adventure/

In this episode I catch up with the daily tips that you can find on my website under "What's new".

This episode covers:

This is my weekly round-up of tips from the "What's New" tab on my free website: ieltsetc.com

In this episode we look at

If you have a question that you'd like me to answer in the Daily Tips, please get in touch.

That's a tough question. It's so hard for anyone to measure the quality and effectiveness of an IELTS course objectively unless they've taken all of the IELTS courses available!

So here's a quick checklist of things to look for in a course. Go to the blog to download the checklist; I designed it to help you make an informed decision. 

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/11/best-online-ielts-course/

I'm trying out a new way of sharing my tips and advice for IELTS.

If you go to the 'What's new' tab on my website,you'll find a daily tip:

https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en

You can leave a comment there and ask questions if you need help or if you have any requests.

In this podcast I cover the last 7 days of tips:

Have you ever been ripped off, conned, scammed, tricked, duped or just misled when buying an online IELTS course?

In this blog and podcast, I've outlined the 10 'red flags' that you need to know about before you decide which course provider to go with.

Here are are some common tactics that you may not even notice, and they range from being simply 'misleading' to illegal.

For more information and examples that I've collected over 5 years, head to my blog, where you might like to leave a comment.

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/09/read-this-before-you-buy-an-online-ielts-course/

The 10 sales tactics that might trick you into panic-buying an online course.

1. "The course is full" (but suddenly a place became available - buy it quickly before it goes!)

2. "Only 2 spots left!" (in an email to thousands of people, 2 weeks before the course starts)

3. "Totaly value $1999 - buy today for $9.99" (Meaning: it is only worth $9.99)

4. "Normal price $99 - today only $79" (Permanent discount - illegal in some countries)

5. "The world's most successful course" (Says who?)

6. "Lifetime access" (so you can buy it and forget about it)

7. "Unlimited Speaking and Writing" (you mean 24/7? Just write and speak all day?)

8. Affiliate Marketing

9. Testimonials

10. Other red flags - bad spelling and grammar, plagiarism from other sites, stolen watermarked images, Click Funnels.

If someone emails you to tell you that they could charge hundreds of dollars for their time, but they want to help you for free, there are red flags all over the place. Walk away. Find someone that you know, like and TRUST.

Big tutoring companies can afford to lose you because there are plenty more people who will fall for false advertising.

Maybe it's time to consider the smaller business who focus their time on developing quality courses rather than scamming their students.

End of rant.

The Members Academy Reading Bootcamp started today (you can still join - it's just $28 and includes 28 days of both live and recorded lessons). This week's focus is on True False Not Given questions, so here's a taster of today's lesson.

This is an Academic Passage 1 about a sculptor called Henry Moore.

I try to get my students to make educated guesses about TFNG questions by the way they're written, and this text is a perfect example of how you can follow a hunch to get the right answer pretty quickly and save time. For example

I also teach my students to quickly divide the text according to the questions, so that they don't waste any time looking in the wrong place. This text is another perfect example of that.

The Bootcamp will run until the end of September, so if you're struggling to get your Reading Score up, come and join us.

https://members.ieltsetc.com/register/ielts-reading-skills-course/

This is an Academic Passage 3 Part 3 (Book 16), so it's tough.

In this lesson we'll look at how the language that you learn for Task 2 will help you understand the Reading, and how Reading academic texts like this will help you improve your Writing.

Some of the points I mention include:

-Word formation

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/06/word-formation/

-The 'marc' system for pie charts(Makes up, accounts for, represents, consists of)

https://youtu.be/bsBKQPpVs5g

- Willing to vs want

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/02/willing/

-Hedging

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/hedging-in-academic-writing/

- Biased, subjective (Task 2 problems)

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/05/ielts-writing-feedback-40-words/

-How to talk about cause and effect

https://ieltsetc.com/2018/07/free-public-transport/

-The Language of effect

https://youtu.be/Eo8y8ygcgcI

Are you using the right idiom in the right place with the right person and the right pronunciation?

To use an idiom correctly there are so many factors that you have to take into account, for example

In my latest blog, I talk about 3 key factors to help you use idioms correctly:

1. Accuracy

2. Appropriacy

3. Pronunciation

Find out more on my blog.

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/08/how-to-use-idioms-in-ielts/

This episode is a Part 4 Listening about an ancient philosophy called Stoicism (don't worry if you've never heard of it - the Listening will explain everything). It's a gapfill summary (one word only) and we also discuss:

Review the grammar of 'despite' and 'in spite of' on my blog.

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/despite/

This passage 2 Academic IELTS Reading is a problem-solution structure.

This IELTS Reading is packed full of useful vocab like 'to squander energy' (= to waste) and 'it uses a FRACTION of the electricity/at a FRACTION of the energy cost' (=a small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something).

There were also some interesting uses of nouns as adjectives (wards in hospitals = hospital wards) - see my blog about this useful IELTS topic here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/06/nouns-as-adjectives/

and adjectives as nouns ('the prosperous' = the people who are prosperous and 'the public').

Get all my reading tips and advice on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-reading/

This is a Section 4 Listening. I chose this Listening in order to show you why hyphens are NOT important in Listening gap-fill summaries.

There are 3 main types of words in gapfill summaries:

1) Words ending with a suffix like '-tion' or '-sion'

2) Commodities or materials like wool, gold, tea or sugar.

3) Irregular words like plurals ending in y/ies or irregular word forms like poor/poverty.

Get the full article about hyphens on my blog:

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/06/how-to-use-hyphens-in-ielts/

Learn more about Irregular Word Forms on my blog:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/06/word-formation/

Learn more about the types of Listening gapfill AND the Pronunciation errors that affect your listening in the Members Academy:

www.members.ieltsetc.com/academy/

When you get IELTS Writing feedback from your teacher, you should be able to see why you are not achieving your desired score.

But this feedback is only useful if you understand exactlywhat the teacher is talking about when they are pointing out areas you need to work on.

Writing Feedback about LANGUAGE is usually easy to understand – most people know the language related to grammar (e.g. wrong tense, article missing, third person -s), spelling and punctuation.

But Writing feedback related toCONTENTandacademic STYLE is more difficult, especially if you are not familiar with the demands of academic writing. You need to have a good understanding of the terms that the teacher is using so that you can make the necessary changes.

Here is a ‘glossary of terms’ that I use regularly in my IELTS Writing Feedback Sessions in the Members Academy.

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/05/ielts-writing-feedback-40-words/

See also

How to make your writing more formal for Task 2:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/11/ielts-formal-writing/

IELTS Task 2 Structures that strengthen your argument:

https://ieltsetc.com/2018/06/structure-strengthens-argument/

How to use 'hedging' in IELTS Writing Task 2

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/hedging-in-academic-writing/

#ielts #ieltswriting #ieltsfiona

This is an Academic Part 1 text. The text and subject matter is difficult but the questions(YNNG) are NOT. 

In fact, in this episode I will show you how you can mostly guess the answers without reading or understanding very much of the text.

Get more help with Yes, No, Not Given questions on my website.

If you'd like to contribute to the upkeep of my website and podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fionawattam

Many thanks

Fiona

This is a really useful Part 2 IELTS Listening (Book 15) about a community that closed their road to traffic so that the children could play safely outside.

It practises Multiple Choice and Choosing from a list.

Useful vocab:

'the idea caught on' = the idea became very popular in other places

'give it a go' = try it

Useful grammar:

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

'The scheme's been up and running for 3 years' = 'The Street Paly Scheme first took place 3 years ago'.

'Be able to' with conditionals

'We'd love to be able to close our road for longer'.

Conditionals

Past Perfect

Academic Task 1 Vocabulary

Writing Task 2: talking about benefits/outcomes

#ielts #ieltslistening #ielttutor

This is a nice and easy Academic Reading Part 1 (great for GT too).

It goes in chronological order, so it's easy to find information from dates, names and places, and there are 2 sets of questions (TFNG and gapfill).

If you're aiming for 7 and you can get 10/13 correct in less than 20 minutes, you're doing very well.

Check your band score here:

https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-band-score-calculator/

Get the conditionals review here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/02/conditionals-review/

Learn about 'willing to' vs 'want to' here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2021/02/willing/

Join the Conditional Bootcamp here:

www.members.ieltsetc.com/academy/

☕Buy me a coffee to say thanks here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fionawattam

This is a really really useful passage to read because of how it can help your WRITING.

The passage itself is not difficult, but it is jam-packed full of excellent examples of Formal Academic Writing so if you have this reading at home, go through it carefully.

- 'PEEL' paragraphs

- Hedging

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/hedging-in-academic-writing/

- Linking words

https://ieltsetc.com/2019/07/ielts-complex-sentences/

- Noun forms

- Conditionals

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/03/ielts-conditionals/

- Critical Thinking

Want to say thanks?

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fionawattam

This is an extremely difficult Academic Reading Passage 3.

It took me 30 minutes to find the answers even with the answer sheet in front of me.

What can we learn from a text like this?

1) affect vs effect

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/affect-vs-effect/

2) factor vs reason 

https://members.ieltsetc.com/factor-vs-reason/

Add these synonyms to your list:

Want to support my podcast? Please click on the link below:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fionawattam

Many thanks

Fiona

Is this Listening more difficult than usual? I got a special request from Elango in my Members Academy, and yes I think it is a tricky one!

I had to read the tapescript very carefully to figure out the answer to Question 27, and it even required a bit of background knowledge (possibly true of Question 28 too!).

Apart from that, this is a really good one to practise listening for:

- Signals and Signposts:

https://ieltsetc.com/2019/09/ielts-listening-how-to-recognise-signals-and-signposts/

- Synonyms (fascinating = interesting; amazed = surprised; type = genre)

- Grammar (not many = few)

- Language of hedging (comics can serve a really useful purpose = comics have the potential for being useful)

- Pronunciation of key words (ballet)

Catch up on the Free Writing Task 2 Challenge here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/03/ielts-writing-workouts/

I had a special request from Isabella on Instagram today 👋🇧🇷. She asked me to look at a really difficult text (yes, this one's 9/10!).

It's an Academic Passage 3 and it follows the Reading Type 2 structure (discursive) which goes like this -

Title:asks a question (Why?The answer is not what everyone thinks).

1. Old theory: Everyone thinks fairy tales have endured because the STORIES give us WARNINGS about life e.g. Little Red Riding Hood.

2. New theory:Everyone is wrong. There's another reason.

3. Test to prove the old theory is wrong:Is the STORY important? 'NO'. Is the WARNING important? Answer: 'NO'.

4. Results of the test: The reason why fairy tales have endured is just that people enjoy scary stories.

5. Althernative theory (instantly proved wrong): The stories remain relevant because they're about women as victims.

6. Conclusion:Everyone likes scary stories because they build up our resistance to negative emotions, so the first theory is probably right.

You can find similar 'discursive' structures here:

My updated guide to Time Management in the Reading Testgives you 8 techniques to help you improve your Reading Speed for the #ielts test.

Do you have a bike-sharing scheme where you live? In London there are the so-called 'Boris bikes'(named after Boris Johnson, who launched them in 2010 after being inspired by the success of a similar scheme in Paris, which is mentioned in this reading).

This is a Section 2 Academic Text with 3 types of questions: Matching Statements, Choosing from a List and Gapfill.

So whenever there's a lot to do, the text is slightly easier. This is a chronological text (in order of time) and is suitable for General Training practice too.

It has some fantastic language that you can use in your writing e.g.

Get all my 10-minute lessons on my website www.ieltsetc.com.

Join the Members Academy www.members.ieltsetc.com/academy/.

See you next weekend,

All the best

Fiona

This is a difficult Section 4, but if you listen to my podcast regularly, you will be very familiar with this common IELTS topic!

It's about marine archaeology, the use of technology to find ancient shipwrecks and building under the sea, and the lessons researchers can learn about how ancient civilisations lived.

In this episode I refer to similar IELTS Reading/Listening texts, so you can see how important it is to learn the vocabulary that is relevant to so many IELTS texts.

Find the Modals of Deduction Grammar here [e.g. Atlit-Yam MAY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED by a tsunami, climate change MAY HAVE CAUSED glaciers to melt.

Find the Reading about the Lapita [Beyond the Blue Horizon] here.

Get all my lessons in one place in the Members Academy.

Both texts are gapfill summaries.

The first one gives you practice with summary Flow Charts (IELTS 28-Day Planner Day 12) and the second covers the common topic of how to deal with absence in the workplace (good practice if you never usually read this kind of document).

Get more General Training Reading tips on my website.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily practice.

#ielts #ieltstest #ieltscourse

Listen out for the 5 most common gapfill types in this Part 4 gapfill on the very common topics of Agriculture and Water (28-Day Planner Week 1).

Practise these topics on my website:

https://ieltsetc.com/?s=agriculture

Watch my YouTube 5-minute Vocab review of Agriculture here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha1KIJfkglA&t=56s

And here's the Honeybee Listening I mentioned:

https://ieltsetc.com/2018/08/ielts-listening-honeybees-australia/

Get the 28-Day Planner here - do NOT let it get lost in your computer. Print it off. Use it every day.

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j2u2r0

Listen to another Part 4 about agriculture in Africa here:

https://youtu.be/5tbkd0n5f4Y

Get lots more help on my website:

www.ieltsetc.com

This is an Academic Reading Part 1 (so it's good for GT too).

The structure is chronological (in order of time) which helps you locate the answers more easily.

It's also very similar to a text on my website: The Story Of Silk, which you can find here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2018/12/ielts-reading-story-silk/

and I refer to last week's podcast about The Eucalyptus Tree to show you how similar they are in terms of the gapfill answers.

https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/episodes/IELTS-Listening-The-Eucalyptus-Tree-in-Australia-ehm3hd/a-a2s5his

Check out my blog relating to the grammar in this reading here:

https://ieltsetc.com/2020/09/how-to-use-the-former-the-latter/