Thursday, April 12, 2012

Instructions and Advice for the IELTS Exam


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IELTS Listening - Exam Practice

The hardest part of the IELTS exam is often the listening portion. In order to help you get in shape for this exam, we have some practice exams for you to attempt.

The files include the audio tracks, and the answer keys, so you can check your own scores.

Practice Exam 01

Practice Exam 02

Practice Exam 03

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Writing About Charts - Guided

Getting an essay right can be hard. It is even harder to do when you don't quite know how to go about constructing the essay.

The IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is difficult in this way because not only do you have to write, but you have to interpret and explain a graph also.

Today we are going to practice writing a task 1 essay through a guided exercise that will hopefully make the task a bit easier.

IELTS Writing – Task 1 Charts – Guided Essay

And when you are done that...

IELTS Writing – Task 1 Charts – Guided Essay Follow Up

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Comparing and Contrasting

WHen you come across a graph, you often have to use the language of TIME. But when you come across a chart, where time is absent, you have to use the language of COMPARE and CONTRAST.

Today we are going to practice comparing and contrasting, by completing sentences with words that point to comparison or contrast.

IELTS Writing - Task Type 01 – Compare and Contrast Language

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Levels of Agreement and Disagreement

Okay, so you are writing your agree/disagree essay, but the question is, by how much do you agree or disagree? Basic agreement or disagreement is easy, but it shows real style and understanding to show by how much you agree or disagree.

This is called "adding nuance" to your writing. This is a good thing.

Today we are going to learn about agreeing or disagree strongly, mildly, and also with concessions.

IELTS Writing - Levels of Agreement and Disagreement

Adding Style to Your Writing

What is is that separates the band 6 to 7 essay from the band 8 to 9?

In a word - STYLE.

Style is a hard concept to grasp. What is style? Is it any one thing? Can you point to it? Repeat it? Duplicate it?

Style in fashion is always changing, but style in writing is not. Style in writing can be learned, and today we are going to practice that.

IELTS Writing - From Structure to Style 01

IELTS Writing - From Structure to Style 02

Writing A Better Introduction

When you take the IELTS exam, even though you may have spent 40 minutes slaving over your essay, the examiner may only spend a minute or two reading it before deciding the band.

When time is so tight, first impressions count! So in order to help ensure you get the highest mark you can, you need to make the best impression possible, right from the beginning. And in order to do this, you need to write an excellent introduction.

Today that is what we are going to practice.

IELTS Writing - Putting Together an Introduction

IELTS Writing - Planning an Answer

The hardest thing to do when writing is to just GET GOING. What do you write? How do you answer the question?

Today we are going to practice planning an answer for an essay.

IELTS Writing - Planning an Answer

Saturday, January 7, 2012

IELTS Speaking - Taking Notes

Hello!

Today we will practice "taking notes" for the IELTS Speaking Exam - Part 2.

Please download this Keynote file, and get started!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

IELTS Speaking - Practice Conversation

Conversation practice time!

Today I want you to find a partner, and at least one of you must have a laptop.

Using iMovie or Quicktime, you are going to record you and your partner having a conversation. One of you will ask questions, and one of you will answer. Then you will switch!

Download this activity, and decide who is going to ask what questions. Then begin!

Monday, January 2, 2012

IELTS Speaking - Part 2 Practice

Hello! The IELTS exam is coming ever closer, so now it is time to focus on our core skills. Today we will practice the 2nd part of the IELTS speaking exam.

Here is what you will do:

A) Download this activity, and follow the instructions inside.

B) Make sure you hand it in!

*Today you can record audio either by using the "Audio Notes" feature in the MS Word Notebook layout, or by using Quicktime X to do a screen recording.