Quick tips to help you with the Speaking Challenge followed by a Reading Passage 2 about the tool-making abilities of crows (and what we have in common with them). True/False/Not Given. Get the full reading here https://www.ieltsetc.com/2018/11/ielts-reading-two-wings-toolkit/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

This is my walkthrough of an Academic Passage 1 about Stonehenge. Keyword before you listen: ‘Winter solstice’ - the shortest day of the year (December 21st) Meaning: to stand still The solstice (combining the Latin words sol for “sun” and ‘sistere’ for “stand still”) is the point where the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest point in the sky for the year and thus ancient astronomers came to know the day as one where the sun appeared to stand still. Become a member to get the...

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.com and the Listening Course in the Members Academy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

This Part 4 Listening is all about moving elephants. In the lesson you'll learn about: using word prompts to keep your place using intonation and sentence stress to identify answers using spelling patterns and plurals to get the right answers 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/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

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/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

This Listening Part 4 about a writer called Victor Hugo is taken from the new Practice Book 18. In the podcast you'll learn why this particular test is more difficult than usual how reference words give you the answer (if you can remember what they refer to) techniques for predicting and retaining information common gapfill answers and how they're related to pronunciation Get the full video, tapescript and tips in the Members Academy Listening Course with Members bonus features for...

This is a Passage 3 review about a book about The Birth and Growth of Manhattan's Skyscrapers. Seriously, I don't expect anyone to listen to this for more than 5 minutes. If you've got the text in front of you, it might help, but not much. All I can do is give you strategy tips for this one because trying to explain the answers is painful. 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...

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...

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ieltsetc/message

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: Background knowledge (what you already know about holiday companies, tour itineraries, travelling/place names in the UK etc etc) Vocabulary (phrasal verbs, synonyms, numbers) Spelling (ea words, al/ol words) ...

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...

[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...

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...

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...

In this Listening Section 2 we look at: - Multiple choice questions - distractors - matching from a list - the word 'staff' and how it's repeated 32 times - how to pronounce 'staff' - academic language you can use in Task 2 Improve your IELTS score with my intensive Listening Course: ieltsetc.com/courses --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message

What will you do differently in 2023? Here are my 7 resolutions to help you get the IELTS test over and done with once and for all. Get all the tips on my Daily Tips page https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en and get all my lessons on my website ieltsetc.com. Join the Members Academy to make faster progress. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message

Question: "How do I cope with so much information when I'm preparing for the IELTS test?" Answer: "Just do as much as you need to do for the Band score that you want." In all aspects of life, there are different levels of expertise and knowledge. Deciding what you want to do with your IELTS score will help you manage your time and your learning. I've carefully programmed this into the Members Academy.  Aiming for Band 6? Just watch the videos.  Need to get Band 7? Watch the videos and do the...

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message

A tricky GT Part 3 Reading with Matching Headings, Multiple Choice, and Matching Sentence Endings. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message

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 =...

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...

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ieltsetc/message