My IELTS Classroom Podcast

Hey! Nick and I are back with our final (and second!) episode of 2024 - our breakdown of the essay questions in the Cambridge IELTS General Training 18 book. As usual, we analyse the four questions in turn, offering our ideas and discussing what could make each question easy or difficult for test-takers. And, boy-oh-boy, do the questions in this book range in difficulty! We think they go all the way from a 0 to a 10, which just shows how much the difficulty of a test can vary based on the to...

Hello? Is anybody still out there? It has been 410 days since we last released a podcast, but Nick and I are back to spread some Christmas IELTS joy! Is this the start of a new run of My IELTS Classroom episodes, or just some festive fun? Well, you will have to listen to find out! Support the show

Yes, after 76 days of silence, Nick and I are back to start a new season of My IELTS classroom! Today, we consider how much IELTS actually prepares you for university life in the UK. We will consider what skills you need to succeed in a degree course and how many are covered in the exam. More importantly, we’ll think about what “gaps” a student might have in their academic skills even if they gave achieved a high-level score. Useful Links Download my free ebook "An ex-examiner's guide to th...

Hey! Today Nick and I tackle a reading from the new Cambridge IELTS 18 book. We choose to passage 3 from Test 2, which is titled "An Ideal City". Why? Well, it's because it contains a rather unusual summary completion question. Usually summaries are given in a single paragraph, or divided into two shorter paragraphs. This summary, however, is divided into THREE parts and is much longer than the usual summaries that appear. What difference does this make to the way that you should appr...

Hey! Today, Nick and I tackling the listening test from IELTS Cambridge 18 Test 4. This is the latest book of past test papers, so is a great chance for you to practice the most recent IELTS test format. Plus, Nick and I will analyse all of the questions and discuss which we think are "easy" and which are difficult. This is an interactive lesson, so you can download the listening test that we use in this lesson here:. Useful Links Download my free ebook "An ex-examiner's guide to the Band ...

Hey. Last week Nick and I answered 6 of your questions about the IELTS exam. Today, we go though more of my mailbox to give you answers to enquiries such as how can you tell if a letter is semi-formal or informalwhen you should complain about speaking scoreswhether singular and plural nouns are important in the listening exam or notYou can ask me a question any time by emailing hello@myieltsclassroom,com. Useful Links Download my free ebook "An ex-examiner's guide to the Band IELTS Des...

Every week I get dozens of emails from our My IELTS Classroom students, podcast listeners, YouTube followers and Newsletter subscribers asking questions about the IELST exam. They range from questions are about exam procedures to questions about how the exam is marked or how the student can maximise their preparation. Today, I thought that I would share a range of the emails that I have received in the last couple of weeks. Not only will that give you an insight into the life of an IELTS tea...

Yes! Finally, on our third attempt, Nick and I have managed to successfully record an episode analysing the essays in the new Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic book. We offer our ideas and insights into the new questions, including how we will organise each essay and what our position would be. Plus, we rate the difficulty level of each question. This is an interactive lesson, so make sure you spend at least 5 minutes generating ideas for each essay before you listen. Useful Links Download my fr...

Today, Nick and I discuss one of the most important IELTS questions - why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing? Is it because there is a conspiracy to trick test-takers, or are there other less sinister reasons? You can find the full episode notes and a transcript of the conversation at http://podcast.myieltsclassroom.com/ This is a re-run of an episode from 2020, so don't be surprised if Nick and I sound so youthful! Episode Notes Following on from our lesson last week, t...

Hey! A couple of weeks ago, we received an email from one of our listeners (thanks Adam!) asking if all the fuss happening on YouTube about the "NEW IELTS Band Descriptors" was true. My immediate reaction was "probably not", but when I did a deep dive, it turned out that it was! Yes, IELTS have finally released the examiner version of the band descriptors for writing. Let me be clear, this will NOT change the way that your writing is marked in any way. However, it does give students a bette...

Today, we continue our journey into the world of IELTS listening any how the exam writers try to confuse you by playing with opposites. This week, we move away from lexis and into the word of grammar. In particular, the 2nd and 3rd conditionals. Nick and I will explain exactly what the 2nd and 3rd conditional are, how they are formed, and how IELTS using them in listening recordings to confuse you! This is an interactive episode so please have a pen and piece of paper ready so that yo...

Hey! Nick and I have recorded many episodes about IELTS listening. Usually, we focus on one particular type of question and break down which listening skills it is testing, and how you should approach it best. Plus, for everyone type of question, there are two or three "tricks" that IELTS uses to try to force you to choose the wrong answer (although these are not really "tricks" but good testing methods that check that you really understand the recording!) Today, we are doing something...

Hey! Today, Nick and I continue our journey into idiomatic language by looking at phrasal verbs. We will explain what phrasal verbs are, how some are separable and some are inseparable, and demonstrate phrasal verbs in action in Speaking Part 1! Useful Links Join our next intensive speaking course: https://www.myieltsclassroom.com/pages/speakingIntroduction to IELTS Speaking http://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/introduction-to-ielts-speaking/Rate and review My IELTS Classroom If you ...

Hey! One of the criteria to score a 7.0 or higher in the IELTS speaking test is being able to show good use of "idiomatic language". But, what is idiomatic language, and when should you introduce it into your vocabulary. Join Nick and I today to discuss the path that most English language learners take when they are learning lexiswhen idioms should be introducedthe problems second-language learners face when using idiomswhich idioms we fee could be useful for IELTS test-takersAnd finall...

Hey! It is the first podcast episode in May, which can only mean one thing - it is time to get motivated! Spring can be a great time of year to start new patterns of living and affect change in our lives. So, why not join Nick and I today as we go back and look at some of the motivational techniques that we have recommended in previous years to see if we still feel they work. Plus we will offer a brand new technique (The "Do Something" principle), and Shelly will share a personal story that...

We have spoken in depth on the podcast about IELTS maps, and IELTS line graphs before, but today it is the turn of IELTS bar charts. I would say of all the possible charts that you could be given on your exam day, IELTS bar charts are the most versatile. Why? Well, not only can they be used to represent change or to show comparisons individually, but they can also be used to show changes without time! Intrigued? You should be! In this episode, Nick and I will clearly explain how you should lo...

Hey! Way back in 2020, Nick and I discussed the basic techniques for completing IELTS listening matching questions. However, these are some of the most difficult question in the exam, especially in Part 3, and we have noticed that many students still struggle answering them even when they know the basic principles. That's why today, we want to share a more advanced technique that can help you deal with tricky questions in the exam. Plus, we will attempt one of the most difficult questions th...

Join Nick and I today as we look at six essay questions that have recently appeared in the IELTS Academic and General Training exams. We will discuss our ideas for each topic, explain what our positions would be, and give each question a difficulty rating. You will get far more from this episode if you spend 2 or 3 minutes looking at each question and planning your IELTS essay now Some people think that water is the most important natural resource. Others believe that other resources (such a...

Hey! 2 weeks ago Nick and I set you to the challenge of recording your answers to 5 very difficult Speaking Part 3 questions. Today, Nick and I listen to the recordings sent by our our listeners to give feedback. We will consider the quality of the students' ideas (and how they could be improved)the appropriacy of the vocabulary used in the responsesthe impact of L1 on pronunciationthe affect of small grammar errors on a test-takers's scoreThank you to everybody who sent us a recording - we w...

Hey! We have a technical difficulty here at My IELTS Classroom - the wind is blowing a gale and it has knocked out Shelly's Wifi, so Nick and I couldn't record an episode this week. Therefore, we are re-running our original episode on Speaking Part 3. That way, you can listen to this episode and last week's episode and then take part in our free Speaking Part 3 feedback. If you want to take part in next week's episode, you can record your answers to the IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions at ...

Just a reminder that we are giving you the chance to record your own responses to five IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions and send them to us for feedback on next week’s episode. Record your answers to the following questions on your phone or computer, and email them to us at hello@myieltsclassroom.com before March 12th to be on the show. Remember, your recording should be no more than about 4 minutes! Why are people more likely to expect things instantly now than in the past?Do yo...

Take part in our competition to win a free One Month Subscription to all the My IELTS Classroom videos and live lessons, plus a free piece of marking by leaving a comment on one of our YouTube videos that includes the word "podcast" here Then join Nick and I as we first discuss the basics of IELTS Speaking Part 3 and some simple strategies to help you address the questions even when they are super-hard, and then look at how to identify the "hidden" topic in these questions. If you wou...

Last year, Nick and I recorded two episodes about how to build paragraphs. They are among our most popular content and have been viewed over 20,000 times. However, even when students extend their ideas and try to justify their position, they can still end up with arguments that are vague and contain almost no topic-specific lexis. Today, Nick and I show you how to identify vague arguments and fix them by giving more specific explanations and examples. As you will see, doing this can re...

Hey! I have always loved teaching IELTS Academic Task 1. Many students are afraid of charts, but I have always found that if you teach test-takers some basic principles, then it is always possible to find the key features and organise the report well. However, this week, I was looking at the new IELTS Cambridge 17 Academic Report Questions and I have to say that two of the prompts in the current book are VERY difficult. I am talking climbing Everest bare-foot with an elephant on your back di...

Hey! Today, Nick and I are travelling back in time to complete the IELTS Cambridge 6 Test 3 listening test, which was first published in 2007. Why? Well, it's not because we were younger and better looking then, but because we want to give you a chance to experience the older IELTS test format, which seems to be making a come back in exam rooms. This is an interactive lesson, so you can download the listening test that we use in this lesson here Useful Links Download my free ebook "An...

Hey! Please do NOT panic! There are no major changes happening to the IELTS exam (that I am aware of) in 2023 - they are not adding a new section to the speaking exam, or changing the amount of time that you have for each section, or making the reading passages more difficult. However, some of our students have reported over the last few weeks that some of the exams that they have sat at the start of 2023 have deviated slightly from the current Cambridge book format. Today, Nick and I expl...

Hey! Yes, Nick and I have finally got out hands on a copy of the new Cambridge IELTS 17 General Training book! Today, we look at the four essay questions to discuss how difficult the questions are, how we would approach each one, and what ideas we would use as the basis of our arguments. As always, we recommend that you spend time analysing the questions and coming up with your own arguments before you listen to the episode? Why? Well, Nick and I won't be sitting on your shoulder in the real...

Unless you have been living under a rock (or not spending every moment on social media), I am sure that you have heard about Chat GPT - the new artificial intelligence search engine that can write advertising campaigns, poems, or hundreds of pages of code in milliseconds (and trust, me this is just the tip of the iceberg). Oh, and I did I mention that it will deliver these to you as if they had been written by a human? Seriously, the future is now! However, while the launch of this pro...

Happy New Year! Yes, we are back for a third year of the My IELTS Classroom podcast (albeit a bit late as Shelly has had COVID!) Last year we helped students in 138 different countries prepare for IELTS in 52 episodes that totalled almost 2,500 hours of contest! If you were one of the 150,000 people who downloaded an episodes - THANK YOU! It really means a lot. Today, Nick and talk about New Year's resolutions - why people have them, what they usual are, and how you can make sure that ...

Can you hear the sound of bells jingling? That't right! It the final Tuesday before the 25th of December, which can mean only one thing - it is our annual Christmas IELTS Quiz. Only this year, there are absolutely NO questions about IELTS whatsoever, so it really us just a chance for Nick and I to let our hair down and talk about the Christmas traditions we enjoyed growing up in the UK. Obviously, if you are preparing for your exam and sitting first, you may want to skip this episode and g...

At the end of last week's episode (in which Nick and I explained how the examiner will band your speaking performance for Fluency and Coherence, I sent out a call on social media for our listeners to record themselves attempting four current speaking part two questions. We will highlight some common errors and give expected scores based on the public band descriptors. Useful Links Join our next 5-day intensive speaking course: https://www.myieltsclassroom.com/pages/speakingIf you ...

In the IELTS Speaking exam, the examiner will give you a score in 4 areas: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Range, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Your final score will be the average of these four scores rounded down. However, recently I realised that that there is a lot of confusion among students as to exactly what the examiner is looking for when they grade Fluency and Coherence. Fluency is relatively clear and easy to understand - that is your ability to speak without p...

Hey everyone. IELTS reading MCQs have always been one of the most difficult to tackle in IELTS. That is because they can either test your understanding of the information given in the passage of your understanding of the writer's purpose or aim. Until now, 90% of questions have focussed on the former, but I noticed that in Cambridge IELTS Academic 17, almost ALL of the questions asked you to analyse what the writer was doing. This is obviously a massive change and one that could be challeng...

Every few weeks I get an email from a student who would like to know how to prepare for the IELTS Life Skills test. Sadly, I know nothing about the test, so I usually just point them in the direction of the official website and wish them luck. However, this week Nick discovered that one of his friend's had recently taken the test, so today he is going to explain to me exactly what the test is, who needs to take it, and how it is marked. Even if you don't need to take the test, this is an in...

Use code BLACK15 to get a 15% discount on all our courses this week. Find out more on this link: https://www.myieltsclassroom.com/pages/writing Hey! IELTS is well-known for recycling the same topics for Speaking Part 2 again and again. However, they do sometimes introduce new topics into the exam, which can confuse some students. Today, Nick and I analyse 5 new IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics from 2022 to show you how you can come up with ideas quickly for ANY topic. Plus, we will provide mode...

Shelly is sick today, so we are planning a re-run of our most popular ever episode - how to nail IELTS Listening Part 3! Many students find Part 3 of the IELTS listening test the most difficult. There are a number of reasons for this: there are more than two voices, the questions usually focus on the outcome of a discussion in which many views are offered, and you may also be asked to locate a person's feelings (and we all know that feelings are much harder to find than facts!) You can fin...

Last week, IELTS IDP announced that they are planning to introduce a new test called the IELTS One Skill Retake. This will give students the opportunity to retake only one section of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking) in the IELTS test if they did not achieve the score they aimed for the first time around. Obviously, this could make a HUGE difference to the experience test-takers have of the IELTS exam, but there are still many questions left unanswered at this stage. ...

Today, Nick and I take you on a tour of IELTS spelling. We will cover the basic spelling rules that every test-taker needs to know, such as when you should replace a -y with an -ies, and when you have to double consonants in a word. Then, we will look at words that are commonly spelt incorrectly by IELTS test-takers, before finishing with a light hearted quiz to see if you can spell better than a native speaker! I am 100% sure that you can do better than Shelly! Useful Links Support the pod...

Yes! That's right - this week Nick and I are looking at a grammar point - parallelism! This is not a topic that is widely discussed in the IELTS world, but if you are looking for a score of 7.0 or higher in Writing, it is definitely something that you should pay attention to. In today's lesson, Nick and I will explain what parallelism is, and take you through the different situations it should be used. We will start with simple examples about parallelism in lists, before moving on to how par...

Hey! Today, Nick and I take a look at what we think are the letter prompts from the new Cambridge IELTS 17. (In other words, although the book was published in July, we were unable to get our hands on a copy so are relying that these are the real questions based on a third source!) We will look at each question in turn to analyse which tone you will need to adopt, and how you should approach each bullet. Plus, we discover how important to read ALL of the bullets and PLAN your letter before y...

Hey! I have noticed over the last few years that students really struggle to write letters that are genuinely informal. Even good students who follow all of the language rules for informal letters send me letters to mark that feel "cold" and "stiff" and simply still " too formal". Why is that? Well, that is what I sat down this week to ponder, and the result is this podcast! Today, Nick and I will show you how you can turn your good informal IELTS letters into great ones by making PERSONAL C...

Hey! We're back this week with a look at some common problems students (who haven't taken our writing course!) run into with essay writing. In today's episode, we look at some common problems with organisation, grammar, and ideas which can prevent YOU from scoring a 7.0. in writing on exam day. In this episode, we will talk about the 5 mistakes Nick and I find most often in First Assessment essaysexplain some basic pointers about how to correct these errors point you in the right dire...

Today, Nick and I give IELTS Cue Card Feedback to 7 of our listeners. We will highlight some common errors and give expected scores based on the recordings. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-cue-card-feedback-2021 Episode notes Last week, I sent out a call on social media for our listeners to record themselves attempting three speaking part two questions. So today, Nick and I will be giving IELTS cue card feedback baed on the public ...

Hey! Last week, Nick and I completed an Academic reading passage from Cambridge 17 Test 4. Today, we thought that we would do the full listening from the same test. Click here to download the questions for the lessonJoin us as we complete each section of the test. We will starting by outlining how we would approach each part and reminding you of the best way to approach each one. Then, we will give you a chance to listen and answer the questions, before giving you our answers and discu...

Join Nick and I today as we go through the Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading – Timur Gareyev – blindfold chess champion In the test, we will discover that although there are definite “rules” for each type of question, there are times when IELTS may break those, so you should be prepared for everything! Plus, if you have never seen our unique Read Once, Read Well technique (then where have you been!), then this is your chance to see it in action here! We will read excerpts from the pa...

In IELTS Speaking Part 3, the focus moves away from you to the world around you. This means that you must be able to speak about abstract topics, which is not easy even for high-level test takers. If you want to take part in next week's episode, you can record your answers to the IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions at the end of this blog post: :http://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-speaking-part-3/ Episode Notes In this episode, Nick and I explain how to approach these quest...

Hey! You are in the IELTS reading exam and everything is going well, when suddenly you find a word that you do not recognise, but you know is important. What do you do? Do you pause and think for a few minutes? Do you skip the word and continue reading? Or do you quickly make an educated guess using one of the 5 techniques offered in this podcast?! Yes, today Nick and I look at a bottom-up reading skill – how to understand vocabulary from context. This is not something that IELTS tests direc...

Hey! Maps have long been a possible question-type in Academic Writing Task 1. However, until recently, 99% of maps focused on changes that happened in a town. In recent exams, however, there have been more maps tha focus on changes to specific buildings or road systems. The problem is that many students still try to use the same key features and organisation for these maps as traditional town maps. The result? A very poor report! Today, Nick and I discuss how you can find better key features...

Hey! It's time again for Nick and I to generate ideas for some recent IELTS essay questions. Today, we look at 6 real IELTS Essay Questions 2022, which were all taken from exams in July and August. You are welcome to sit and passively enjoy the episode, but you will get a lot more out of the lesson if you actively take part. You can find the questions at https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/real-ielts-essay-questions-2022/ Useful Links Learn more about brainstorming ideas - http:/...

One of the main problems that students face when they start IELTS Writing is generating ideas for IELTS essays. Today, Nick and I look at one way that you should definitely NOT use to find ideas, and then look at two simple approaches that you should. You can read more about today's episodes at: http://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/my-ielts-classro…for-ielts-essays/ ‎ In this episode, we will discuss why relying on "model essays" for ideas is often a mistakehow you can use your life experience t...

Hey! It has been a long time since we featured one of our student success stories. Why? Good question! I think that I have been so busy teaching lessons, making YouTube videos, and running the school that I just forgot! That's what I am delighted today to introduce you to Yiqi - one of our IELTS success stories from China. Yiqi was accepted onto a PhD course in the UK, but needed a 7.5 overall, with no less than 7.0 in writing. She found that the overall score was easy to achieve as she was ...

Hey! A couple of weeks ago, Nick and I looked at how you should approach multiple multiple choice questions in IELTS listening. Today, I thought that we would look at the similar questions that appear in the reading exam - IELTS Reading Multiple Matching Questions. These also ask you to select more than one correct answer from a list, but the technique that you will need to successfully complete them is different. In fact, as you will see in today's lesson, there are actually two ...

In August, the new Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic book will be published. However, as always, the essay questions are already circulating on social media, so Nick and I thought that we would spend today analysing the four new essay questions to give you our ideas for each. More importantly, we will spend time discussing how we would organise each of the essays, and why we think each one is difficult or easy (because there really is ONE easy question here!). This is an interactive lesson,...

There are 13 points up for grabs in IELTS General Training Reading Part 2 and, as every text will focus on work or migration, a small amount of preparation can make a huge difference to the number of questions you can answer correctly (and the time it will take to do so). Today, Nick and I discuss the language your should learn to maximise your potential in Part 2, and how you should approach two types of completion activities that are common in this section. In the lesson, Nick and I ...

Hey! One complaint that IELTS test-takers have been making for decades is the order that the exams are taken on test-day. Starting with listening and ending with writing often means that students are tired when the attempt the most difficult (and often most important) section of the test. This week IELTS announced that this is about to change for students taking the paper-based IELTS test. Yes! Finally, they are moving the writing paper to the start of the exam! Today, Nick and I discuss wha...

In the IELTS listening exam, there are two types of multiple choice questions: those where you are given 3 possible answers and asked to choose ONE, and those where you are given 5 or 7 possible answers and are asked to choose TWO or THREE. Today, we are going to look at the second type of question or, as I like to call them, IELTS listening multiple multiple choice questions. Many students are afraid of these questions, but as you will see in the episode, as long as you can follow our "two...

The role of any teacher is to help their students maximise the scores that they will get in an exam. However, over the years Nick and I have noticed that many teachers are giving their students advice for the IELTS speaking exam that could actually harm their scores not improve them. Obviously, this is not intentional, but it can be difficult as an examiner watching a student put into practice the skills that they have been given by a teacher, knowing that they could have reached a hig...

At My IELTS Classroom, we take the emotional welfare of our students very seriously. In the past we have spoken to a trained psychologist about how test-takers can remain calm before and during their exam (and if you haven't watched that episode, I strongly recommend that you do as even I learned a lot!), and have written a lot of about motivation and how to get it back if you have lost it. Today, though, we are going to look at what to do if you have lost IELTS confidence. You can read mor...

Hey! Today Nick and I are continuing our "Let's do" series by completing a full IELTS speaking test . First, you will get a chance to answer the questions in a similar way to the real exam, and then you can listen on as Nick (our very own native speaker who is an ex-examiner) attempts the same test. That way you can listen to how the test is actually conducted and compare your answers to his. Useful Links Book a speaking test: https://www.myieltsclassroom.com/orders/complete_order?o=39842Dow...

Today, Nick and I look at the importance of learning IELTS lexis in context. We will start by analysing an Instagram post with synonyms for “highest” to show how the dictionary can definitely NOT be your friend. Then, we will review a set of IELTS flash card from Educational Software Technologies Limited, and give our verdict on whether they are a good purchase for IELTS students or not. You can view and purchase the flashcards on this link and remember to use the code SHELLY10 for a 10% di...

Hey everyone! In a recent podcast, Nick and I completed an Academic reading passage from Cambridge 15 Test 4. Today, we thought that we would do the listening from the same test. Click here to download the questions for the lessonJoin us as we complete each section of the test. We will starting by outlining how we would approach each part and reminding you of the best way to approach each one. Then, we will give you a chance to listen and answer the questions, before giving you our ans...

Hey! We all know that it can be hard to find the motivation to start studying for IELTS, which is why Nick and I have recorded so many episodes in the past about finding motivation. First, we did our 30-day motivation challenge, then we spoke about how to avoid procrastination in by eating those frogs, and last year we discovered a new way of self-studying by using metacognition. Today, we return with Motivation May - a month where we try to fill you with motivation for all things IELTS. Toda...

Hey! Today Nick and I are trying a new style of lesson. Instead of giving you lots of information about one topic, we are going to break down one element of essay writing - how to write an introduction to an IELTS agree / disagree essay. Join us to learn the three ingredients that you need to write an introduction well (they may not be what you expect) and how you can tackle questions that include "some people" or a background statement. By the end of the short lesson, you should be able t...

Join Nick and I today as we go through the Cambridge IELTS Reading - Changes in Reading Habits from Cambridge 16, Test Four, Passage Two. We will show you how to put the technique into action. First, we will explain how to analyse the questions before you read (which will be a nice revision of Multiple Choice and Summary Completion questions for those who have missed previous lessons). Then, we will move through every paragraph, answering all three sets of questions at the same time, ex...

One of the most common questions asked about IELTS writing is how you should present your opinion in an IELTS Discuss Both Views essay. Do you need to write a separate paragraph with your opinion? Can you wait until the conclusion to "reveal" your opinion? And what does it mean to offer "positive" arguments for each view? That is what Nick and I will discuss in today's episode. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/how-should-you-present-your-opi...

One of the most useful sentence structures in your grammar toolkit should conditional sentences. But, how many types of conditional sentences are there, and where can they be used NATURALLY in your speaking and writing? That is what Nick and I look at today. Useful Links Watch the first three lessons in our GT Task 1 Writing Course here: https://www.myieltsclassroom.com/categories/general-training-writing-task-1Support the podcast and access BONUS episodes here - https://blog.myieltscl...

Preparing for IELTS can feel daunting with four modules to prepare for and seemingly endless amounts of information available online to "help" you do so. But, how long do you really need to prepare for IELTS? And what should you cover if you only have one month or two months to prepare? That is what Nick and I will discuss in this episode. In this episode, we will talk about where to start your preparation if you are an absolute beginnerdiscuss the amount of "noise" about IELTS there i...

This week, Shelly is travelling in Brussels (drinking all the beer) so we thought we would have an easy episode this week and look at the Cambridge IELTS 16 essay questions. A couple of weeks ago Nick and I looked at the letter questions from the new Cambridge 16 IELTS General Training book, and ranked the letter prompts from easiest to most difficult. Who can forget the letter to Mrs Barrett?!!!! Today we do the same with the essay questions in the book. Which is the easiest of the Cambridge...

One of the enduring problems for many IELTS test-takers is being able to use uncountable and plural nouns correctly. Today, Nick and I take a deep-dive into the common problems that IELTS test-takers make in their writing and speaking. We will spend a lot of time discussing the definite article (the), so I strongly recommend that you watch our free grammar lesson so that you understand the 7 fundamental article rules. We have designed this lesson as an extension of the basics explained here a...

Hey! In IELTS reading matching sentence endings is a strange question type. At first glance, they can seem simple. After all, your only task is to match the start of a sentence with its correct end. And, as all of the possible endings are given to you, the challenge seems minimal. However, as we will see today, matching sentence endings question are unique as they rarely contain clear scaling words. This makes them unique as they are both "slow" (because identifying the sentence that contains...

I repeat the YouTube channel is live! Yes, this is just a short reminder that from 7am GMT today, you will be able to watch 8 My IELTS Classrooms lessons for free on our YouTube channel. Just click here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLz9Dbe4NEIu5OCy0WA1sg Plus, we will be releasing a video every day in the coming week, including 3 that have only ever been available to my paying subscribers. Then, from March 25th, we will be releasing totally new weekly content every Friday!!! I...

Hey everybody. This week Nick and I have a huge announcement to make. Can you guess what it is? No, we are not getting married (don't worry Nick), but we are finally launching our YouTube channel. Join us today to find out what content we plan to release. Plus, Shelly will share the techniques she used to get over her mental block over the channel - I mean, she has been promising to launch for 3 years, so what changed in the last few weeks? You can sign up the channel on this link. The first...

In recent weeks, Nick and I have spent a lot of time talking about Academic Writing Task 1, so we thought that today it was time that we gave some love to our General Training students! Join us as we rank the four prompts in the new Cambridge IELTS 16 in order of difficulty from easiest to most challenging. Trust me, the Cambridge IELTS 16 letters are NOT the same as previous Cambridge books! The letter to Mrs Barrett is worth the price on its own! You can read more ...

Hey! This week, Nick and I look at how you should tackle IELTS Object Cue Cards, which are one of the most common in Part 2 of the exam. We will start with a brief review of IELTS Speaking Part 2 (as it has been along time since we did a speaking episode!), and then share a range of useful lexis to describe objects. Finally, we will demonstrate how you can put all of these skills together by completing one 2-minute turn each. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myi...

Today, Nick and I continue our series on writing both paragraphs by looking at how to write IELTS paragraphs that contain just one idea. We will look at the different language blocks that you can use to build your paragraphs, the different sentence structures that are often used in each block, and the importance of progression. In other words, we will show you everything you need to write these paragraphs well! You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/i...

I think that being able to construct a paragraph is the most fundamental IELTS writing skill. If you are able to start with a clear topic sentence and then build a logical argument, you are almost guaranteed a high score for Task Response and Coherence (and you have a good chance of a high one for Coherence and Cohesion too!) Today, Nick and I start with the basic question "What is a paragraph?" and end by showing you how being specific in your arguments can increase your score. Howeve...

Hey! There are always times in life when things don't go as planned. You buy a wardrobe and think it will take an hour to put together, but it takes 10. Or you have a lovely week planned and then you unexpectedly have your wisdom tooth removed! But what happens if things do not go as planned in the IELTS exam? When should you complain? And, more importantly, how can you make an IELTS complaint? That is what Nick and I discuss today. You can also listen to today's episode on our blog - ...

Can you here the trumpets playing? Yes, back by popular demand, today Nick and I break down the first IELTS essay questions 2022. As always, we will choose 6 essay topics that have been reported from recent exams that we think are difficult, and offer you our arguments and tips for organisation. You are welcome to sit and passively enjoy the episode, but you will get a lot more out of the lesson if you actively take part. This is an interactive lesson, so please go to our episode page to rea...

In 2020, Nick and I recorded an episode of the podcast that gave you a complete fail-prof system for tackling any type of IELTS line graph. You can listen to that episode here. We went through the basics, such as the vocabulary you need to describe changes and how to organise your paragraphs, to more complex advice such as how to find key features and write your specific details from start to finish. Plus, we also looked at a new type of key feature that IELTS had recently started using and ...

We all have topics that we are familiar with in IELTS . But, there are also other topics which we may meet with a blank mind. So, what can you do to feel your knowledge gaps. In today’s episode Nick and I will look at a difficult topic for us – housing. We will start by covering some fundamental vocabulary and then, show you how you can utilise Google to find essay ideas. Plus, this will give us a chance to see indirect vocabulary learning in action. Hopefully, by the end of the lesso...

In IELTS Writing Task One, you will be asked to write a report based on a chart. These can come in a number of forms. You may be given a line graph, a pie chart, a bar chart, or even a map or a process. However, one chart that strikes fear into the heart of most students is the dreaded table. Tables can be confusing as they can contain an overwhelming amount of data and it is not always clear what key features need to be included in the overview. However, in today’s episode, Nick and I will ...

Hey! As the year draws to an end, it is time to sit back and reflect on what 2021 brought for IELTS test-takers. Obviously, there have been difficulties. Many test centres around the world have remained closed thanks to COVID, and migration programmes, particularly express entry into Canada, have been hit hard. However, despite the havoc caused by the pandemic, this has been the most successful year to date here at My IELTS Classroom. Our podcast has grown significantly, with more that twice...

Yes - it is time for our annual Christmas episode! This year, I have taken some of my favourite Christmas games and adapted them to test your knowledge of IЕLTS. It is nothing too serious, so if your test is soon and you are looking for some genuine lessons, you can access over 100 in our archive here. However, it is good to sometimes let your hair down. It has been a long year. COVID is still causing havoc with tests and, as a result, migrating or studying abroad is still far more complicate...

Do you have enough topic specific vocabulary to discuss the essay topics in depth. Can you follow the listening or reading passages easily? Can you discuss the abstract topics in Speaking Part 3 with ease? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you are probably interested in upgrading your vocabulary. However, what is the best way to learn new lexis? And how much can you realistically learn in one month, or two, or six? That is what Nick and I will be discussing on this w...

In today’s podcast, Nick and I are going to interview two of our new teachers, Kristina and Tanya, about their experience teaching metacognition for IELTS learners. This is a technique that I was introduced to only recently, but one which I think has the potential to transform the way many students prepare for IELTS (and, indeed, learn throughout their lives) I am really very excited to be sharing this episode today, but I also know that metacognition may be a new concept for many listeners,...

Last week Nick and I looked at how effective video courses can be. The answer was "very" but only if you are actually actively partaking in the course. What we didn't discuss though is how you can make sure that your online course is actually guiding you in the right direction. Thanks to COVID, it seems like hundreds of now courses have sprung up overnight, which makes it hard than ever for students to choose a good. Today, we will look at some simple questions you can ask yourse...

Never before has IELTS students had so much free material to learn from. But is having so many free IELTS videos, really helping students to prepare for the test in the best way or could thy actually be having a detrimental effect on some students' preparation? Today, Nick and I discus the dangers of watching IELTS videos and give clear advice about how to make the most of online content. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-videos I...

Every week I get questions from students asking how they can generate good ideas for essays. Usually, my advice starts from the point of thinking of ideas, but this week I realised that many students are skipping a vital step before that - analysing the question to make sure that their arguments100% address the question given. This is a mistake! Today, Nick and I look at 6 common types of question that are often misinterpreted by students. We will show you what he words are that signal these...

Using inversion in IELTS writing can definitely improve your GRA score, but many students make basic errors when forming these sentences, and even more struggle to use them in the appropriate context. Join Nick and I today to find out how to make 5 types of inversion sentence and how and when to use them in the IELTS exam. You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/inversion-ielts-writing/ In this episode, we will go through the basics of quest...

You put down your pen. The essay and report / letter are written. Yes! But there are still 3 or 4 minutes left on the exam clock What do you do in this time? The temptation may be to read through your essay from start to finish to check for errors, but is this really the most efficient way to find your errors? And which mistakes should you actively be looking for? Find out today as Nick and I talk IELTS error correction! You can read more about today's episode at: https://blog.myieltsclassr...

Today, Nick and I review the Duolingo English Test. We will explain what the test is, which students it might benefit, and then compete a practice version of the test to discuss how it works. Then, you can make the decision if this is the right test for you, or if you should stick to IELTS or TOEFL. You can read more about today's episode at:https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/duolingo-english-test-review/ In this episode, we will discuss what the Duolingo Test is and why you may want t...

You can guarantee that some point during your IELTS exam, you will need to demonstrate that you can make good comparisons. Interestingly, although the language of comparison is introduced at an Elementary level in most English course books, this is something that many high-level students still struggle with. Today, Nick and describe 4 ways that you can make comparisons in IELTS compare essays, and then show how the same techniques can be used to good effect in the speaking test (which Nick gi...

From 2022 IELTS test-takers around the world will have the opportunity to take a secure version of the test at home in a new product called IELTS Online. What does that mean for you and your IELTS journey? Plus Nick and I have a big annoucement about the future of the podcast ...... You can find out more about IELTS Online here: https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/ielts-online-2022/And more about our new Patreon here - https://blog.myieltsclassroom.com/patreon/Download my free ebook "A...

Do you struggle with IELTS reading time management? Do you use scanning and skimming but still find that you run out of time? Do you find some types of question very difficult and can never find the right answer (particularly headings match, MCQ's and information match)? Is your neck sore by the end of the exam from looking back and forth and back and forth from the questions to the passage and back again? Well, this is the podcast episode for you! About a year ago, I realised that the way IE...

IELTS Summary Completion questions may be my favourite type of question in the IELTS exam. They are quick and often relatively easy to answer and give you the opportunity of grabbing 3 or 4 quick points in a the space of one short paragraph. If you compare that to Multiple Choice or Headings Match questions, which can require you to read and interpret an entire paragraph for just one point, you can see why I like them so much! Today, Nick and I look at the two types of IELTS Summary Completio...

This week, I updated my recent IELTS letters blog post to show 20 prompts that have been given in exams this year. Today, Nick and I discuss 6 of those semi-formal questions in detail to look at what how you can decide the correct tone for your letter. You see, like formal and informal letters that have a fixed tone, semi-formal letters can swing between very formal and very informal depending on the topic of the letter. Find out how to get it right with us today. You can find out more ...

Before we start today's show, a quick shameless pieces of advertising for our courses. September means the start of a new school year for those living in the northern hemisphere, and for many adults, the month when they want to make a fresh start on a hobby or study. If you feel that it is time to start studying IELTS seriously or to renew your efforts, then why not come and join one of our IELTS packages? You can find out more about the courses here - www.myieltsclassroom.com Right, back to...

Over the last 12 months, I have noticed a definite move trend in the type of questions that IELTS students are being asked to address in writing task two. It seems that the classic "problem / solution" questions are appearing less and less and, instead, test-takers are being asked to write an IELTS 2-Part essay. But, what is a 2-part essay? And how should you approach one to maximise your chance of a high score? That is what Nick and I discuss in today's episode! You can read more abou...

One of the main frustrations for IELTS test-takers is that IELTS does not provide a breakdown of the scores for writing or speaking. So, you know that you got a 6.5 for writing, but you don't know why. Was it a problem with lexis? Did you write off-topic? Or was it your Task One that let you down? Until now the answer has simply been, only the examiner knows. However, this week, I received an email from a student that may change this. She was able to capitalise on the new European laws...