This week’s lesson pushes you to train to speak about a common hobby: drawing. As you will hear in the sample, the candidate isn’t super enthusiastic about drawing, and they skillfully use language choices to express this. Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below). Part 1 Questions Do you work or study? Why did you choose this job? Let’s talk about drawing. Do you like drawing? What do you draw? Are there benefits to drawing? Is it important to teach children how to draw? Is it important for adults to be able to draw? Target langua ..read more

This week’s lesson requires the candidate describe a person that speaks their native language well. Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below): Describe a person you know from another country who speaks your language fluently. You should say -who he/she is -what country he/she is from -how he/she learned your language -and explain how you feel about this person Target language: set apart -something special or distinguished “What truly sets Maria apart is her dedication to learning Japanese.” Step 2: Listen to the sample a few times t ..read more

Resources: Below you will find this week’s sample, questions list and target language. Questions from this week’s Part 1 sample Do you work or study? Do you live in a village, town or city? What do you like about your village? Is your village a good place to raise children? What languages are children taught in schools? Is music used to teach the native language in your country? Whose duty is it to teach the native language to children? This week’s target language! “deep-rooted” (Something that is firmly established.) Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and vide ..read more

This week’s Part 3 model continues from last week’s cue card on the topic of ‘relaxation’. Step 1: Listen to the full sample band 9 response. Step 2: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode. Step 3: Complete the full exercise. Step 4: Read through the below transcript and make note of the new language you encountered this week. Step 5: Complete your five speaking exercises with your Whatsapp instructor. Here is the first exercise (due Monday night) : Chat on WhatsApp Transcript Are there many places for relaxation in your country that are well-known? Yes. Brazil has numerous well-known relaxa ..read more

This week’s lesson uses the following Part 2 cue card: Describe a place you often go to relax. You should say -where this place is -why you go there to relax -when you usually go there -and explain how you feel when you are there Step 1: Listen to this week’s sample. Step 2: Tune in to this week’s IELTSCast episode and practise saying a few sentences from the sample. Step 3: Work through the full exercise. Step 4: Read through the below transcript and note the language that was new or challenging to you this week. Step 5: Submit your speech samples to your Whatsapp group. Below is the speech ..read more

This week, we are looking at Part 1 of a recent IELTS Speaking exam. Step 1: Listen to the full sample. Step 2: Tune in to this week’s IELTSCast episode and practise saying a few of the lines from the speech sample. Step 3: Complete the full exercise using the below video. Step 4: Read through the below transcript and note all areas that you found new or challenging this week. Step 5: Complete your weekly speech shadowing exercises with your Whatsapp instructor. Below is Monday’s exercise. Tuesday through Friday’s exercises will be posted to your Whatsapp group. Chat on WhatsApp Transcript Wh ..read more

Here is the Part 2 cue card we are working with this week: Describe an event or ceremony most people go through in your culture. You should say: -what the event or ceremony is -when people usually experience it -how it affects people and explain your opinion about it Step 1: Listen to the model response. Step 2: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode and practise saying some of the sentences from the response. Step 3: Work through the full exercise. Step 4: Read through the full transcript (below) and note any of the language items you found challenging this week. Step 5: Submit your five spe ..read more

A candidate reported being asked about ‘video games’ in a recent IELTS Speaking exam. This week, you will practise speaking about this topic. Step 1: Listen to the full sample. At this stage of the lesson, try to listen only and avoid referring to the transcript. Step 2: Listen to this week’s podcast episode and work through the short preview ‘repeat after me’ lesson. Step 3: Below is the full lesson. Maintain an active mindset as you work through this exercise. Note words, phrases or full sentences that you find difficult to pronounce and review these areas over the coming few days. Step 4 ..read more

This week’s lesson explores the topic of ‘children and change’. This exercise uses an IELTS Speaking Part 3 model. Step 1: Listen to this week’s model and familiarise yourself with the target language. Step 2: In this week’s episode of IELTSCast, you will practise saying the response to the first two questions. Step 3: Now that you have worked through the target language several times, try the full ‘repeat after me’ lesson. Step 4: Reread the transcript below and note any and all new or challenging language in your notebook. A key follow-up step over the next few weeks is to attempt to use th ..read more

We once again are examining a band 9 response to Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking exam. Below is the cue card that appears in this lesson: Describe something that you bought that you now cannot live without. You should say: -what it is -why you bought it -how often you use it and explain why you cannot live without it. Step 1: Listen to this week’s sample response. (There is a transcript below for you to refer to should you need it.) Step 2: Below is this week’s IELTSCast episode. This episode includes a portion of the full ‘repeat after me’ exercise with which you can do some speech training. Ste ..read more