Speaking Skills for IELTS: Summarizing and Explaining

Speaking Skills for IELTS: Summarizing and Explaining

 In section two of the interview, you are expected to give your opinions or views, and you are to give reasons to support any information or ideas you have to impart. Your vocabulary and skills relating to summarizing and explaining will

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Reading Question Type: Diagram/Flow Chart Completion

In this reading task, an incomplete table which summarizes or paraphrases given information from the reading text will be given. It aims at testing the test taker’s ability to locate relevant information in the text, comprehend the gist and paraphrase.

How to Approach the Diagram/ Flow

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Speaking Skills for IELTS: Expressing a Preference

Speaking Skills for IELTS: Expressing a Preference

In the first section of the speaking test, we sometimes have to express a preference. Commonly, we use prefer and rather to express preference, but their usage differs.

Prefer is used to express general preferences.

e.g. I prefer

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The Interview: Section 4

Oftentimes, we see ourselves in situations where we need to talk about the future. This is true in the IELTS speaking specifically, in the section 4 of the interview. Here, the interviewer will ask you about your future plans using your CV as the reel-off point as well as some of the relevant

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Reading Task Type: Sentence Completion

In this reading task, you will be given a number of incomplete sentences for you to work on using details from the reading text. In most cases, the statement must be completed in three words or fewer. This question type aims at testing your reading skills of skimming and scanning, recognizing

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The Interview: Section Two

In this section of the interview, the examiner will delve onto one or more general topics of interest to test your ability to speak for extended periods. As you take longer turns in this speaking task, you may need to describe, explain and express or justify an opinion. Rightly so, your

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Reading Task Type: Identifying the Writer’s Views

Reading Task Type: Identifying the Writer’s Views

This question type aims at testing your ability to spot information and opinion, make inferences and use synonyms. Specifically, the task will ask you to decide if the given statements agree or disagree with the information in the text. You

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Reading Task Type: Multiple Choice

Reading Task Type: Multiple Choice

This question type tests a variety of reading skills specifically, your ability to identify misleading information and your use of synonyms.  It may also require you to have a solid grasp of the gist-content as well as a detailed understanding of particular

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Useful Pronunciation Tips

It’s hard to make yourself speak when you don’t feel confident with your pronunciation. This is probably the toughest barrier in getting your message across using the English language. But to get better at English pronunciation, you have to practice. So, where do you start?

Speak as much

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IELTS Useful Speaking Tips

Before you start the speaking task, take a moment and do some deep breathing. This will help you speak in a relaxed way.


It is quite natural and acceptable to take a few moments before answering, but you should not be silent during this period. Use functional phrases like That’s a

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How to Approach Section One of the Interview

There are a variety of questions and prompts the examiner will use to get you to talk in the IELTS speaking test. In this section of the interview, the examiner will attempt to break the ice and set a friendly atmosphere by throwing in easy questions that are based on the CV that you will be

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How to Approach Matching Headings to Paragraphs

How to Approach Matching Headings to Paragraphs

Matching headings to paragraphs is a common task encountered in the IELTS test, and it aims at testing your ability to identify topics and main ideas in the paragraphs, and your skills in using synonyms and English definitions. In this task, you

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How to Approach Summary Completion

Summary completion question aims at testing your ability to paraphrase and locate information in the original text. In this task, you will work through a summary (a paraphrase of the reading text) containing a number of gaps, which will be filled in by choosing from a list of selected words.

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Common Grammar Mistakes - Are You a Grammar Ninja?

Watch the video and see how many common grammar mistakes you can correct...



Don't forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter (on the right). If you need more help with grammar, check out these listings of Grammar study aids.

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Listening Tips: What to Do and What Not to Do

The listening test is often a very stressful part of the IELTS exam - it's so easy to lose concentration and miss a question or two... The tips below might help reduce your stress and increase your IELTS listening score.

What to do...

1. There are four parts to the listening test.

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