The IELTS Reading test includes unusual and difficult task types that are not typically found in other reading exams. These include True/False/Not Given, Sentence Completion and Matching Headings to Paragraphs, amongst others. Are you familiar with these question types? If not, you need to get to know them well before your IELTS test day. In this post, we’ll look at Matching Headings to Paragraphs. Learning points To do well in this type of question, you need to be sure you understand the focus of the heading and the point(s) of the entire paragraph. Here are three lessons. The heading is re ..read more

More than three million people take the IELTS test every year for various reasons. Some use their scores to get into university, other people need an IELTS score for work. If you think you may need to take an IELTS test, this post will explain everything you need to know about the IELTS test. What is IELTS? Let’s start with the basics – what is the IELTS test? IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. When you do the test, you are essentially showing how well you can read, write, speak and listen in English. What is an IELTS score? IELTS is scored from 0 (didn’t attempt ..read more

When I have a new IELTS class, the first thing I want to assess is their exam skills. So I ask them to read and complete some IELTS Reading tasks. Almost always, the questions go to one side, and the candidates focus on the text and read it word-by-word from beginning to end. I can always see some students panicking about words they don’t know. Meanwhile, the minutes are ticking away and no answers are being noted down… In the Reading test, time is precious. This post focuses on three key strategies that can help you save time, and improve your band score. 1. Focus on the questions It’s essen ..read more

Many candidates find the True / False / Not Given question one of the most challenging tasks in the Reading test. In fact, the biggest problem is the ‘Not Given’ option. Most candidates are not used to having this option and it confuses them a lot. They spend too much time making sure that it is ‘Not Given’ and this affects the rest of their test. Well, what does True / False / Not Given actually mean? True means that the text agrees with or confirms the information in the statement. False means that the text contradicts or is the opposite to the information in the statement. Not Given means ..read more

In Part 2 of the Speaking test, you are given a card with a topic, and 60 seconds to prepare. You then have to speak on the topic for one to two minutes. This one minute of preparation time is absolutely critical, and can make all the difference in achieving the band score you need — or failing to reach it. In this post, we will look at how you should use that crucial 60 seconds. What topic can I expect? The IELTS Speaking Part 2 question will not require any specialist knowledge. You may be asked to talk about a friend, a possession, a place, an advertisement or an invention. Here is an ..read more

In this post, I’m going to cover three key areas: basic information; how IELTS on computer differs from IELTS on paper; and, most importantly, where you can get a free computer-delivered IELTS sample test to practise with. 1. What is IELTS on computer? The British Council states that the computer IELTS is ‘exactly the same test as IELTS on paper, but instead of writing your answers on paper, you will type them on a computer… You will take the Listening, Reading and Writing sections on a computer, but the Speaking test will still be face-to-face with a trained IELTS Examiner.’ When you choose ..read more

It’s difficult to go seriously wrong with the Reading and Listening tests in IELTS. Even if you have trouble understanding the text or the audio, the question paper gives you a pretty clear idea of what you need to write. And if you’re not sure, you can always guess. With the Speaking test, you’ll answer a series of questions, so even if you make a mistake with one of them, you’ll get another chance with the next question. Writing Task 2 is different — if you fail to understand the question, and go off on the wrong track, you could score no marks at all. And that could mean missing the band s ..read more

Many candidates think IELTS Reading is one of the hardest modules in the IELTS test. This isn’t surprising — the timing is tight, you have to understand all the different task types, and on top of this, the examiner is constantly trying to confuse you! So, to perform well in the IELTS Reading test you need to develop strategies. One strategy is being able to recognise and use keyword synonyms. What is a keyword synonym? Keywords are the important words in the question – the words that hold meaning. Synonyms are different words that mean the same thing, for example, ‘ask for’ is another way of ..read more

When you are preparing for the IELTS Speaking test, it’s really important to improve your fluency. But what is fluency? Fluency is the ability to ‘keep going’, to produce continuous speech and not have to stop or pause a lot. Fluency is also one of the marking criteria in the IELTS Speaking test, which is why you should spend time practising it before your test. Before you start, however, you must remember that building up fluency takes time and the sooner you begin, the better. Getting started A good way to kick-start your practice is by making use of the Free Version of Road to IELTS. Once ..read more

‘I don’t have the time to sit down and work on mock papers. And I don’t find it useful to do them bit by bit. Life is too distracting!’ wrote Jorge Gibellini, an Argentinian IELTS candidate who needed an IELTS 7.0 for his Master’s degree. Many candidates, like Jorge, just don’t have the time to set aside hours everyday for IELTS preparation. They are too busy with their academic studies , day job or family commitments. And when they are finally free to sit down to begin their preparation, they are already too tired to take it all in. So, given this, it is no surprise that many candidates only ..read more