Read on to discover what we have been up to in March, what we have been reading and watching, who we have been teaching, and who has succeeded… What We’ve Been Up To As always, we have been busily employed teaching candidates around the world — some of whom have succeeded in getting the score they needed… We have also found time time to read Lessons, by Ian McEwan and to watch the Hello Tomorrow! TV series.  Reading and watching programmes in English are both excellent ways to improve your English in a natural way. In fact, we have students who select a news article to read each week in ..read more

Technology and divisions in society are favourite topics for IELTS item writers. Consider this question and how you would approach it before reading about how we approached this question and model answer… IELTS Task 2 Prompt You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Some argue that today’s widespread technology is widening divides in society, enriching the wealthy while leaving the poor behind. Others believe it is doing the opposite. Discuss both views and give you own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own ..read more

Task 1 letters are geared towards the kind of situation you might encounter when living in an English-speaking country.  The prompt below imagines that you are seeking swimming lessons in a local fitness centre. The response tackles each bullet point in turn and is careful to expand with high-level vocabulary suitable to the context introduced. It is often a good idea to spin your answer towards your real life so that you incorporate extra details and vocabulary which add a layer of realism and complexity… Model IELTS General Writing Task 1 Prompt You should spend about 20 minutes on thi ..read more

Welcome to our March news tracker, updating you on all of the latest IELTS and immigration news and developments since we last left you in February! The Latest IELTS News The IELTS partners have announced a remarkable milestone of over 4 million IELTS tests taken worldwide last year. This achievement is not just a number but a testament to IELTS’s role in connecting people to educational, professional, and migration opportunities across the globe.  As the only English language test accepted by all four major immigration authorities (Canada’s IRCC, Australia’s DOHA, Immigration New Zealan ..read more

Crikey! We are into March already! Are you any closer to achieving your goals in the Year of the Wooden Dragon? Where We’ve Been Physically we’ve kept our feet on the ground in our UK office. Digitally, we have traversed the world many times over, helping our clients to get the score they need and also honing our own skills in different areas of staff development. We think it is important that teacher’s, or any educator for that matter, should have their own coach so they can both pick up new skills and teaching techniques, and remember exactly what it is like to be a student! We have also b ..read more

The Academic version of IELTS Writing Task 1 is the toughest part of the test for most.  We strongly advise practising this kind of task as much as you can before your test day.  You might like to answer the question below before reading our analysis of how it should be answered and our model answer… You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.  The line graph shows the sales of whole milk and semi-skimmed milk over the course of a year in one supermarket. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should w ..read more

Welcome to our IELTS Speaking Test Preparation on Leisure Activities One of the key topics often explored in the test is ‘Leisure Activities.’  It’s a broad subject that touches upon how we spend our free time, pursue hobbies, and enjoy recreational activities. To help you navigate this topic with confidence and ease, we’ve crafted a comprehensive guide with model questions and band 9 answers. Why Does IELTS Focus on Leisure Activities? Leisure activities are a universal aspect of human life, making them a popular subject in the IELTS speaking test. Discussing hobbies, interests, and how ..read more

The Latest IELTS News Welcome to the second news tracker of 2024, bringing you some of the latest IELTS updates and immigration news since we last left you in January! Recent IELTS Questions and Topics For those looking to get a sense of the recent IELTS exam content, a compilation of questions from tests conducted in previous months across various countries has been shared.  These include speaking questions from India, Australia, and Dubai, among others, covering a wide range of topics from daily life to academic interests​​​​. We strongly recommend you read these to ensure you are full ..read more

Task 1 letters are supposed to introduce a situation you might experience when living and working in an English-speaking country.  The situation below asks you to request additional training from your company. The response tackles each bullet point in turn and is careful to introduce two suggestions for the thirds bullet point. Without at least 2, the bullet point would have been incompletely addressed, limiting Task Achievement to a maximum of Band 5.  Model IELTS General Writing Task 1 Prompt You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write at least 150 words. You work for an ..read more

Parenting and success are two topics that crop up in the IELTS test from time to time. Consider this question and how you would approach it before reading our model answer and rationale … IELTS Task 2 Prompt You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Some people believe that a person’s success in adulthood is due to how their parents raised them as children. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. Model Answer Task 2 Answer  The deba ..read more