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OVERVIEW OF GOALS

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Understand the format of IELTS Listening

Learn how the IELTS Listening Paper is assessed

Analyse your strengths and challenges

Take the Digital IELTS Placement Test

Improve listening comprehension: learn to build meaning effectively while you listen

Become confident with the different types of IELTS Listening questions

Step 1. Review the format of IELTS Listening

How much time is allocated?

How many sections are there in the Listening Test?

Any additional time given to transfer the answers to the answer sheet?

What does the IELTS Listening answer sheet look like?

What is the total number of questions?

How many times will the recording be played?

How can the pre-listening focus questions help?

Is it allowed to write on the question paper?

Will you hear different accents?

Is correct spelling important?

Will you get every question type in your test?

Step 2. Master the sound system of English

Learn about sounds, syllables and words

Learn about “minimal pairs” (the sounds that make a difference for meaning)

Learn about native speaker accents (the test may include British, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand accents).

Step 3. Review the basics of written English: letters and numbers

Familiarise yourself with the contemporary English writing system

Look into the numeral system

Learn to listen for important details, such as names, dates, places, times, price tags, etc

Understand how to spell them correctly and match spoken numbers to written numbers

Practise variation: saying dates and times in two different ways

Acquaint yourself with the most common letter combinations in English

Step 4. Understand the parts of a word, and use them to form new words

Learn to divide basic words

Learn to divide more complex words with difficult sounds or spelling

Practise dividing English speech into sounds, syllables, words and sentences. You may listen to a song in English and write down the lyrics as you hear it

Learn to understand connected everyday speech, for example, a conversation between friends

Understand and use prefixes, suffixes and infixes: make it a routine practice to form a cluster of same root words by adding relevant prefixes and/or suffixes as language building blocks

Step 5. Learn to use dictionaries

Become a competent user of various online dictionaries (including thesauri and dictionary apps)

Learn to use offline dictionaries

Practise spelling unknown words as you hear them and look them up in the dictionary

Step 6. Immersion into spoken English

Understand its rhythm and intonation

Understand and use words with weak sounds or contractions

Learn about syllables and how they help form words

Step 7. Meaning: understand similarities and differences

Practise paraphrasing - (saying the same thing in different ways, basic) - literally, substituting a word or two

Paraphrasing (advanced) - re-phrasing a sentence or retelling a paragraph in own words

Make better use of synonyms - words that mean the same thing

Antonyms - words with opposite meaning - may help sound concise and to the point

Step 8. Think ahead: predict words and sounds using context clues

Understand context: always look at the task to form a general idea of the context

Understand prediction

Predict what the text is about based on the title/ heading

Guess the meaning of words from sentence structure and context

Predict words and grammatical structures in Listening passages

Use existing knowledge of the subject and context

Step 9. What’s new in the text: connect new and old information with reference words

Learn referencе words and expressions

Distinguish new information from the old

Understand a reference expression and what it refers to in the Listening passage

Identify main and supporting points

Step 10. Separate the husk from the grain: pick out important information from the rest

Practise ignoring irrelevant information and distractors

Understand what information is relevant to the question

Learn and use linking words

Consider the importance of linking words and phrases for better cohesion, and, thus, a higher IELTS bandscore

Step 11. Increase your vocabulary along with every step

Increase your active and passive vocabulary

Learn over 15 new words every session

Develop a reliable system of noting down, revising and retaining new words and expressions

Be able to use the words you learn in own sentences

Familiarise yourself with English collocations to increase the predicting capacity

Phrasal verbs may also help you nail down the meaning of some authentic expressions, so review the most common phrasal verbs

Step 12. Practise authentic practice tests from IELTS Listening Sections 1 and 2 (conversations and monologues)

Section 1 tests your listening comprehension of a talk between two speakers. Section 2 is a talk by one speaker.

Listen to a number of conversations based on everyday social / survival situation, e.g. booking a trip

Listen to various audiotaped instructions and guidelines in English on a topic of general interest

Practise picking out correct facts from the recording and match these to the words in the options

Practise filling forms, tables and graphs. They test your ability to predict what is missing in the gaps

Look for articles or prepositions as to guide yourself

Should you write numbers in words or figures?

Learn tips for exercises in which you need to complete a missing part (sentence or summary completion)

Pay attention to the maximum number of words you are instructed to fill in. Do they mention AND/OR NUMBERS in the task?

Review the success strategies for table completion tasks

Learn strategies for the labeling task (labeling a map and a plan), e.g. paying particular attention to expressions to denote location, such as: in the centre of, next to, opposite, above/ below, across from

Learn about the two types of short answer questions (Type 1 requires an answer to an actual question, and Type 2 is a list of up to 3 things)

Step 13. Practise Listening Sections 3 and 4 (educational and training-related context)

Section 3 is a discussion between two to four speakers, and Section 4 is a talk or lecture by one speaker

Learn to extract information and summarise it. Notice how an idea can be re-worded in the questions

Learn how to approach multiple-choice questions and listening out for the required information

Distinguish the two types of multiple-choice questions (a question followed by possible options or an unfinished statement followed by possible endings)

Learn how to approach matching questions

Learn strategies for the labeling task (labeling a diagram). Does it illustrate a process, or do you have to label parts of an object?

Listen to academic lectures. Follow the development of a lecture.

Learn to cope with the formal language used in university lectures

Listen out for signposting words, as they serve as clues and predict what the speaker is going to say, or signal different kinds of information

Learn to take notes (a note completion type of questions). Pay attention to the layout of the note.

Do the notes always follow standard grammatical rules?

Learn strategies for flow chart completion tasks.

Step 14. Practise Listening tests

Practise authentic IELTS Listening papers under the conditions similar to the IELTS exam

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OVERVIEW OF GOALS

Understand the format of IELTS GT Reading Test

See how the IELTS GT Reading Paper is marked

Analyse your strengths and challenges

Take the Digital IELTS Placement Test

Learn important reading skills and strategies

Reach the target reading speed for your level: around 300 words per minute.

Develop your vocabulary

Review the variety of IELTS reading question types

Gain extensive practice answering IELTS reading test questions

Step 1. Review the format of IELTS GT Reading

How much time is allocated?

How many sections are there in the GT Reading paper?

How many texts does each section include?

Is there any difference between the sections?

Is it allowed to write on the question booklet?

Where do you write your final answers?

Any additional time given to transfer the answers to the Reading answer sheet?

What does the IELTS GT Reading answer sheet look like?

What is the total number of questions?

Is correct spelling important?

Is your handwriting clear?

Is dialect variation in spelling important?

Will you get every question type in your test?

Will technical terminology or narrow specialist vocabulary be explained?

GT Reading assessment criteria (how your marks are converted into a bandscore of 1 to 9)

Can you get half bands in the Reading test?

Step 2. Learn to read passages quickly, timing yourself

Learn to skim read for overall understanding

Learn to recognize detailed or factual information or a particular word at a glance

Learn how to make use of topic sentences, e.g. to identify the overall theme of the passage

Practise identifying views, arguments and claims

Learn other methods for improving reading speed, getting you closer to the target of 300 words every minute

Step 3. Get familiar with IELTS Reading test task types

Learn successful approaches to matching headings to paragraphs or sections

How to approach matching sentence stems to sentence endings questions

Consider tips and advice for approaching note-completion questions. (NB! Answers may not be in passage order!)

Learn strategies for approaching diagram-labelling questions. (NB! Answers may not be in passage order!)

Learn strategies for questions requiring you to match statements to different categories. (NB! Statements are not in passage order!)

Learn strategies for short answer questions.

Learn strategies for global multiple-choice questions and how to approach them effectively.

Learn how to complete a summary

Learn strategies for exercises that involve completing sentences

Recognize and approach other task types

Step 4. True/False/Not given and Yes/No/Not given questions

Learn successful strategies to deal with these question types (with special attention to the “not given” option)

Consolidate vocabulary from the practice tests

Step 5. Practise IELTS Reading

Take timed IELTS Reading practice test with various question types

Step 6. Learn to predict meaning using context clues

Learn how to deal with unknown words

Learn how to use context to help you understand meaning

Step 7. Master scan reading

Practise scanning an authentic IELTS reading passage

Step 8. Learn how to read for detail

Practise reading for detail in order to answer multiple-choice questions

Step 9. Dates, numbers and letters

Learn how to answer questions which ask about dates and numbers

Step 10. Parts of English words and how they can help you guess the meaning of unknown words

Suffixes

Prefixes

Understanding complex words and forming new ones

Step 11. Synonyms/antonyms and thesauri

Similarity and difference in meaning

Recording synonyms and keeping track of small differences in meaning

Thesauri: varying your vocabulary

Step 12. Learning and recording collocations

How to keep track of them: notes and dictionaries

Step 13. Isolating the information you need

How to spot the information you are looking for

How to abstract from the irrelevant

Practice answering questions requiring you to locate information in paragraphs

Timed practice

Step 14. Matching sentence parts questions

Practising paragraph ordering

Consider best exam techniques related to matching sentences

Step 15. Make a comprehensive vocabulary review along with every step

Learn important vocabulary to help with the task types

Consolidate vocabulary from the authentic practice tests

Step 16. Full timed IELTS Reading practice with authentic IELTS Reading papers

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GOALS

Understand the formats of IELTS Writing Module

Understand IELTS Public Assessment criteria and IELTS Writing band descriptors

Understand how to approach the variety of writing questions effectively

Develop key writing skills to make your writing flow and give it structure,

Develop your vocabulary, coherence and cohesion, grammatical range and accuracy

Consider a number of model responses to authentic IELTS writing questions and practise writing your own texts

Practise a process approach to IELTS writing tasks

GT Writing

Step 1. Overview of the General Writing paper

What the format is like (no. of tasks, lengths, appropriate style, topics)

How it’s assessed

How to manage time effectively

How to maximise your marks

Step 2. Understand what you need to successfully complete a task

Understand the importance of analysing the question

Write an accurate overview

Learn to address the task and develop your response accordingly

Learn about register and tone

Learn to write with purpose

Be aware of what your answer should and should not include

Step 3. Understand how to write in a structured way

Learn how to plan a piece of writing

Avoid repetition

Learn about words and grammatical structures that add logic to the text:

Connectors

Linking words and phrases

Pronouns

Determiners

Signposting

Step 4. Understand how to use the right words and structures

Know how to use formal and informal language in letters and emails

Learn and use phrasal verbs

Learn and use collocations

Keep track of new words you learn

Step 5. Understand grammatical constructions and use them in the right contexts

Learn about contractions and when to use them

Practise changing register from formal to informal

Review and use prepositions

Learn how to make a polite request and practice making one

Learn and practise making offers and giving advice

Learn how to use grammar in the right context

Learn and use complex grammatical structures

Learn and use conjunctions

Step 6. In Task 1, make sure that

Your letter answers all the parts of the question

Your sentences are relevant, well-organised

Your writing is clear and coherent

No words were copied from the question

You have eliminated all grammatical, lexical and punctuation inaccuracies

You’ve written 150 words or slightly more and answered the question fully

Step 7. In Task 2

Identify what type of essay you’ve been requested to write

Make a plan and compose an introduction

Express your opinion about the statement

Give reasons for your opinion

Organise your ideas into paragraphs

Link the paragraphs clearly to improve cohesion

Use uncommon vocabulary skillfully

Write 250 words or slightly more

Step 8. Check and correct

Are all of your ideas included?

Are the ideas carefully organised and logically connected?

Is your handwriting neat and clear?

Spelling, grammar and punctuation need to be checked thoroughly

Step 9. Practise, practise, practise! The following tasks are particularly useful

Write a letter/email to a friend

Write a letter/email of complaint

Write a letter/email to a newspaper

Write a letter/email to your boss

Academic Writing

Step 1. View the public version of the Part 1 Writing assessment criteria

Step 2. Understand Task Achievement in Academic Writing Task 1

Analyse Part 1 question types

Learn about the differences between overviews and introductions.

Practise analysing information presented visually: tables, graphs, maps, processes, diagrams and charts

Select and report on all the most relevant and significant features

Learn and practise comparing and contrasting data

Write at least 150 words

Step 3. Understand Coherence and Cohesion in Academic Writing Task 1

Learn about structuring a Task 1 answer

Learn about using Cohesive Devices

Test your knowledge of linking words and phrases.

Practise using Cohesive Devices

Step 4. Understand Lexical Resource in Academic Writing Task 1

Learn about trends and describing them.

Review language relating to describing trends and quantity.

Use collocations accurately

Build relevant active vocabulary along with every step

Perfect your spelling skills

Learn and use phrasal verbs

Keep track of new words you learn

Step 5. Understand Grammatical Range and Accuracy in Academic Writing Task 1

Review rules for using articles

Review and practise using common prepositions.

Review and practise using comparatives and superlatives

Learn about using relative and subordinate clauses

Learn about using complex noun phrases.

Learn about using the passive voice to describe maps and processes.

Practise using the passive voice in Task 1 Writing Answers.

Review and practise using punctuation in your writing.

Learn about using language for making predictions in Task 1 Writing

Step 6. Understand how to successfully complete a task

Understand the importance of analysing the question

Write an accurate overview

Learn to address the task and develop your response accordingly

Learn about register and tone

Learn to write with purpose

Be aware of what your answer should and should not include

Step 7. Understand how to write in a structured way

Learn how to plan a piece of writing

Avoid repetition

Learn about words and grammatical structures that add logic to the text:

Connectors

Linking words and phrases

Pronouns

Determiners

Signposting

Step 8. In Task 2 Academic Writing

Identify what type of essay you’ve been requested to write

Make a plan and compose an introduction

Express your opinion about the statement

Give reasons for your opinion

Organise your ideas into paragraphs

Link the paragraphs clearly to improve cohesion

Use uncommon vocabulary skillfully

Write 250 words or slightly more

Step 9. Check and correct

Are all of your ideas included?

Are the ideas carefully organised and logically connected?

Is your handwriting neat and clear?

Spelling, grammar and punctuation need to be checked thoroughly

Step 10. Practise writing successful answers to authentic Writing Tasks (Tasks 1 and 2)

Make sure they satisfy all the requirements for the task and use a wide range of structures in an accurate, natural and flexible way

Submit

GOALS

Learn about the IELTS Speaking test format

Understand the public assessment criteria and band descriptors for IELTS Speaking

Develop fluency and pronunciation skills

Find out which sounds and aspects of English pronunciation could be the most difficult for you.

Learn to operate complex grammar structures and vocabulary

Gain confidence in speaking English using the latest advances in voice recording technology and the pronunciation app

Take the Digital IELTS Placement Test

Step 1. Review the IELTS Speaking module format

What the format is like (its length, structure and frequent topics)

How it’s assessed

What items you may bring to the Speaking test

How to maximise your marks

Step 2. Pronunciation: how are English sounds made?

Practise pronouncing vowels and consonants

Long vowels

Short vowels

Diphthongs

Schwa- sound

Voiced and voiceless consonants

Complicated sounds in English (such as the initial sounds in Ship and That)

Groups of consonants

The English /r/

Practise words that learners normally find hard

Step 3. Putting words together: stress, rhythm and intonation of sentences

Practise sentences with many weak vowels

Learn about chunking and practise producing chunks of connected speech.

Understand and practise natural English intonation

Understand the effect of suffixes on word stress

Understand and practise sentence stress

Step 4. Reviewing useful grammar

Review language for talking about the past, present and future

Review linking words and practise turn-taking

Review the differences between formal and casual language

Review and practise producing contractions (e.g. I’m, you’re, etc.)

Review the weak and strong form of words

Learn and practise phrasal verbs and collocations

Learn and practise discourse markers - useful expressions to organise your speech into segments

Use a range of tenses and structures accurately

Step 5. Review useful vocabulary for common IELTS Speaking topics

Identify common IELTS Speaking topics

Create a way to keep track of the words learnt and used daily

Step 6. Learn relevant exam strategies

Review how to take notes

Practise saying the same thing in different ways (paraphrasing)

Practise dealing with difficult questions

Improve your coherence and give extended meaningful answers

Step 7. Register your body language and maintain good eye contact with the examiner

Step 8. Be polite and friendly

Step 9. Exam practice

Practise answering Part 1 IELTS Speaking questions

Practise making notes and answering Part 2 questions, timing yourself

Practise giving extended answers to Part 3 questions

Complete a full practice of the IELTS Speaking Module

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