Ielts Simon4

8/2/2014
ielts-simon.com: Questions/Advice
ielts-simon.com
Daily Lessons with Simon, ex-IELTS examiner
Saturday , July 27 , 201 3
IELTS Advice: why do my scores fluctuate?

Students often wonder why their scores fluctuate, especially in the writing and speaking tests. One reason could
be that they don't hav e a method; they approach the ex am in a different way ev ery time.
Y ou can only measure y our progress if y ou use the same method ev ery time y ou take the test. If y ou alway s
approach the ex am in the same way , y ou will know when y ou hav e done well or badly , and if y our scores go up
or down, y ou will probably know why .
Posted by Simon in Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (1 9)
Sunday , July 21 , 201 3
IELTS Advice: understanding is only the first step

It's easy to read something (e.g. a lesson on this site) and think that y ou understand it. But 'understanding' is not
the same as 'using'.
Can y ou really USE ev ery thing that y ou hav e read?
Can y ou use it correctly , without any m istakes?
Look again at y esterday 's lesson about 'lead to'. I'm sure y ou understand these words, but not many students are
able to use them accurately . This is important because it could make the difference between a band 6 and a band
7.
Try to think about these steps when y ou are study ing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Understanding a word is only the first step (e.g. 'lead to' means 'cause')
The nex t step is seeing how words are used (e.g. 'lead to + noun')
Try to use what y ou hav e learnt
Ask a teacher to correct y our work
Learn from y our mistakes
Posted by Simon in Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (8)

Sunday , July 1 4, 201 3
IELTS Advice: for people with 6.5

When students are stuck on band 6.5 in writing, they often think that they need a new technique, a new book or
some new adv ice. This is wrong!
If y ou hav e a 6.5, it means that y ou are already getting band 7 in 50% of the scoring criteria. For ex ample, y ou
might be getting 7 for task response and 7 for organisation, but 6 for v ocabulary and 6 for grammar (ex aminers
can't giv e half marks in these criteria). Just a small improv ement in one area will take y ou to band 7 ov erall (e.g.
7 ,7 ,7 ,6 = band 7 ).
If y ou are getting band 6.5, y our method is fine. Don't change what y ou're doing; just try to find a small
improv ement in one area.
Posted by Simon in Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (27 )
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Saturday , July 06, 201 3
IELTS Advice: be more than ready

If y ou are able to get a band 7 score when y ou do a test at home, can y ou be confident that y ou'll get a band 7 in
the real test? Probably not.
The stress of a real ex am means that y our performance lev el will probably drop, so y ou'll need to be m ore than
ready . In other words, y ou probably need to be achiev ing band 7 .5 when y ou do practice tests in the comfort of
y our home. Only then can y ou be confident of getting a band 7 under ex am conditions.
Sunday , June 23, 201 3
IELTS Advice: identify the problem

Many students ask me for adv ice about how to improv e their scores. Or they ask me to ex plain why they didn't
get higher scores in their ex ams.
Unfortunately , I can't giv e good adv ice if I don't know the person. To giv e good adv ice, I need to be able to
identify the problem, and the only way to do that is by speaking to the student and reading some of his/her
essay s.
So, here's my tip for today : If y ou want to improv e y our score, first y ou need to identify what y our problems
are. Y ou might need to inv est in a few lessons with a teacher who can help y ou with this.
Sunday , June 1 6, 201 3
IELTS Advice: small words can also impress

In Thursday 's lesson I wrote that ex aminers would be impressed by the words huts, dock and tip. This would
probably surprise most students, so I'll ex plain.
The three words would impress the ex aminer because they fit the description perfectly . As one person pointed
out in a comment below that lesson, most students would probably use the word 'hotel' to describe the
accommodation for tourists shown on the map. Only a nativ e speaker or an adv anced learner of English would
know that small buildings to accommodate tourists on an island would probably be called huts. Click here to see
a real ex ample.
It's the same with 'dock' and 'tip'. Not ev ery one would know that the perfect v erb to describe the parking of a
boat is 'to dock'. And not ev ery one would know that tip is the perfect word for the end point of a landmass.
Saturday , June 1 5, 201 3
Students' questions
1. Is it ok to use rhetorical questions in writing task 2?
No, don't put any ty pe of question in y our essay s. It isn't considered appropriate academic sty le.
2. What is the difference between IDP and the British Council?
The IELTS ex am is the same wherev er y ou take it. IDP, the British Council and Cambridge Univ ersity work
together to make the test.
3. When describing a m ap (writing task 1), can we use north, south, east, west even if no
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com pass is shown?

Y es, I often do. I think it's fine to assume that the top of a map is north.
4. The speaking exam iner stopped m e before I had spoken for 2 m inutes. Is that a bad sign?
First, I don't recommend that y ou time y ourself in the ex am, so y ou shouldn't really know how long y ou spoke
for. Ex aminers sometimes stop candidates when it is clear that the person has nothing left to say . If y ou spoke
for at least one minute and said some good things, don't worry .
5. Is it possible to get band 7 if m y essays are unfinished or under length?
It's possible, but not easy . Y ou'll need to get really high scores for v ocabulary , grammar and organisation.
Posted by Simon in Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (1 7 )
IELTS Advice: before you retake the exam

Some students retake the ex am too often. The normal result is that they get similar scores each time, and they
waste a lot of money .
Before y ou retake the ex am, ask y ourself some questions:
What specific areas hav e I worked to improv e since my last ex am?
How do I know that I hav e improv ed?
Can I get higher scores when I'm practising than the scores I need?
Here's an ex ample of an ideal response to these questions:
Since my last exam, I've been doing a lot of w ork to improve my 'main body' paragraphs for w riting task 2. I
now spend more time planning and organising my ideas before I start w riting, so my paragraphs are a lot
better. My teacher noticed this improvement and gave my most recent essay a band 7 . I only need a 6.5.
Saturday , June 08, 201 3
IELTS Advice: using memorised phrases

Is it acceptable to use memorised phrases in the writing and speaking tests? Well, it depends. Take the sentence
below as an ex ample. A student asked me whether it can be used at the beginning of a letter (general writing task
1 ).
I hope this letter nds you well. Sorry I didn't write to you earlier, but Ive been working at out
since the m om ent I arrived hom e.
Good use:
If the question tells y ou to begin by ex plaining to y our friend why y ou hav en't contacted him/her for a while,
then this sentence would be perfect.
Bad use:
Howev er, if the question does not tell y ou to ex plain why y ou didn't write earlier, the sentence is irrelevant. It
will be clear to the ex aminer that y ou hav e used that phrase because it looks good, and not because it fits the
question.
Can y ou see the difference? The ex aminer will only be impressed if y our memorised phrases fit the question
perfectly .
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Students' questions
1. Can I ask for an explanation if I don't understand a question in the speaking test?
In part 1 , y ou can ask the ex aminer to repeat a question, but he/she is not allowed to ex plain what the question
means. In part 2, the ex aminer will not help y ou. In part 3, y ou can ask him/her to ex plain the question in a
different way .
2. How can I get band 7 in all four parts?
This is a big problem for many people, and I'm afraid there is no easy solution. Y ou just need to keep practising.
Click here for some more adv ice.
3. Do I need to m ention all of the num bers in writing task 1?
No, y ou don't need to mention all of the numbers; just select the key information. On the other hand, if y ou don't
mention any numbers, y ou'll get a lower score.
4. Are you sure we don't need a conclusion in writing task 1?
Completely sure. A conclusion is really a 'final judgment', so I prefer to use the word 'summary '. Y ou can put the
summary either after the introduction or at the end.
5. Can I im prove from 5.5 to 7 in one m onth?
Probably not. Click here to read my adv ice.
Saturday , June 01 , 201 3
IELTS Writing Advice: getting an extra half band

Many students need to improv e by only half a band to get the score they need. For ex ample, they hav e a 6.5 and
they need a band 7 .
Here's some adv ice if y ou're in that situation: try to improv e in one sm all area.
Instead of worry ing about ev ery thing (grammar, v ocabulary , organisation etc.), just choose one area to focus
on. For ex ample, a small improv ement in the quality of y our ideas (v ocabulary ) could lift y our score from 6.5 to
7.
Sunday , May 26, 201 3
IELTS Advice: how to use a private teacher

If y ou hav e the chance to take some lessons with a priv ate teacher, here are some tips for writing and speaking:
Ask the teacher to identify y our problem areas. Focus on improv ing those things first.
First, work together on 'big things' like ov erall essay structure, paragraphs or making sure y ou answer the
question. Only work on 'small things' like grammar mistakes when y ou hav e perfected the big things.
Ask y our teacher to write a full essay in front of y ou. Watch how she does it, and ask her to ex plain what she
is thinking as she writes it.
Ask y our teacher to mark y our essay s in front of y ou, and ask her to ex plain each correction.
When y ou practise questions for the speaking test, ask y our teacher to play the part of the student. Record
her answers and listen to them at home. Try to copy some of the phrases she used.
Practise doing speaking tests, and alway s ask the teacher for feedback: what did y ou do that was good, and
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how could y ou improv e y our answers?

Priv ate lessons might be more ex pensiv e, but they can be hugely beneficial if they are done in the right way .
Saturday , May 25, 201 3
IELTS Advice: meaning and usage

Many people think they know a word when they understand its meaning. But understanding the meaning is not
enough.
Y ou only really know a word when y ou can use it in a v ariety of way s and contex ts. Don't take it for granted that
y ou know a word until y ou hav e studied its usage.
Saturday , May 1 8, 201 3
IELTS Advice: less testing, more preparing

Many students do a lot of testing but not enough preparation. The problem with tests is that y ou don't learn
any thing new. Y ou don't improv e.
"To train for a m arathon, you don't run a full m arathon every day!"
The solution is to spend more time preparing. Don't test y ourself on a new topic that y ou hav e no idea about.
Spend some time researching the topic to find good ideas and v ocabulary . Then try to write a 'perfect' essay
using y our research, a dictionary , y our teacher to help y ou etc. Ty pe the essay on a computer, check for spelling
and grammar mistakes, re-read it, look at how the paragraphs are organised, highlight the 'band 7 v ocabulary '. If
I'v e cov ered the topic on this website, use my ideas to make 'perfect' paragraphs and ask a teacher to check
them.
When y ou hav e written a 'perfect' essay , wait for a few day s and then test yourself on that topic. Imagine the
difference!
Sunday , May 05, 201 3
Students' Questions: 'complex' sentences

People often ask me about using 'complex ' sentences and 'difficult' words or grammatical structures. Here's an
ex ample question that someone asked me:
I can see you did not use any long and complex initial sentences to begin your paragraphs. I w onder if
sentences like this are useful: "In recent years, . has never failed to attract peoples attention and spark
controversy over the potential impacts of this trend on individuals."
My answer is that ex aminers are not impressed by this kind of sentence. Instead of judging it as 'complex ', they
are more likely to judge it as 'memorised'.
Here's my tip: instead of try ing to impress the ex aminer with big words or memorised phrases, try to impress
him/her by answering the question really well. Plan some good ideas before y ou start writing, then do y our best
to ex press them in a natural way and without making too many mistakes.
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Saturday , May 04, 201 3
IELTS Advice: get Cambridge book 9

I'v e just bought a copy of Cambridge IELTS book 9, the latest collection of official IELTS ex am papers. I'll be
using it with my students here in Manchester, and I'll probably refer to it in lessons here on my site.
If y ou're looking for test practice, the Cambridge books are the only ones y ou can really trust. If y ou can get a
copy of book 9, I'm sure y ou'll find it useful.
Saturday , April 27 , 201 3
IELTS Advice: daily study habit

In my opinion it's better to study for 30 minutes ev ery day than for 3.5 hours once a week. I try to write these
lessons ev ery day to encourage students to get into a daily study habit. It isn't easy , and there are day s when
y ou feel like giv ing up, but it will all be worth it when y ou get the scores y ou need!
Sunday , April 21 , 201 3
IELTS Advice: storytelling

In Friday 's speaking lesson I described a funny thing that happened to me. I found it really easy to write my
description because I told a true story . I wasn't worry ing about grammar or v ocabulary ; I just told my story in a
natural way .
The key to a high speaking score isn't y our use of 'complex ' grammar structures, big words or idiomatic
phrases. The key is to speak as naturally as possible, and real ex amples or stories help y ou to do this.
Posted by Simon in IELTS Speaking, Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (7 )
Sunday , April 1 4, 201 3
IELTS Advice: 'less common vocabulary'

According to the IELTS marking sy stem, candidates need to use some "less common lex ical items" (v ocabulary )
if they want to get a band 7 or higher. But what is "less common v ocabulary " and how can y ou learn it?
I'm afraid it's impossible to make a list of all "less common v ocabulary items". The only thing I can do is point
them out when I use them. Try the task below.
Task: Which words or phrases in the paragraph in this lesson might be considered "less common"?
Saturday , April 1 3, 201 3
IELTS Advice: a student's experience of re-marking

A student called Chanaka asked me to share his ex periences regarding re-marking and how he ev entually got the
scores he needed. I hope y ou find his insights useful.
Click here to read Chanaka's adv ice
Sunday , April 07 , 201 3
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Students' questions
1. Can I invent statistics to m ake m y task 2 essays m ore persuasive?
I don't recommend it. I think it will look 'fake' and it won't help y our score.
2. How can teachers help students to build their topic vocabulary?
I find that the best way to help my students is by using relev ant articles or online v ideos. I try to find good tex ts,
and I pull out the useful language. My ebook is a good shortcut for self-study , but ex tensiv e reading and listening
is the key to building students' v ocabulary knowledge.
3. What does "went on" m ean in this lesson?
If I say "most of my money goes on rent", it means that I spend most of my money on rent, so "40% went on" just
means "40% was spent on".
4. Is it norm al that m y speaking exam iner was drinking coffee?
No, that isn't normal. While I usually tell students to ignore what the ex aminer does (e.g. checking his/her watch
or making notes), I think in this case y our ex aminer's behav iour was wrong. May be y ou should report the issue
to y our test centre.
5. If m y score is lower the second tim e, can I use m y first test score?
Y es, I think y ou can.
6. For the "describe a person" question, can I describe m yself?
No. This question alway s asks y ou to describe someone else. Y ou'll lose marks if y ou describe y ourself.
Saturday , April 06, 201 3
IELTS Advice: common topics first!

Students often write to me asking about a strange or difficult question that they hav e found. Personally , I think
that study ing strange questions is a waste of time when there are some really common topics that appear again
and again.
Topics like education, family and work in the writing test, and 'describe a person' or 'describe a place' in the
speaking test are so common that y ou should definitely prepare these topics before y ou start worry ing about
any unusual questions.
Use the 'real' questions in the Cambridge IELTS books and the topics here on my website before y ou worry about
any thing else.
Sunday , March 31 , 201 3
Students' questions: why did my score drop?

Students often ask me to ex plain why their scores hav e dropped. For ex ample, one student got a band 7 in
speaking last month, but his speaking score dropped to 6 this month. How is that possible?
Y ou might think that the ex aminer has been too strict or has done something wrong, but this is probably not the
case. The best ex planation for fluctuating IELTS scores is perform ance on the day.
Some day s y ou perform well: the topics in the ex am seem to suit y ou, y our brain seems to find good answers and
remember good words or phrases, and y ou finish all parts of the test in the time allowed. Other day s nothing
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seems to go right; y ou simply hav e a bad day .

Don't worry if y our score fluctuates; this is completely normal. One day ev ery thing will go perfectly , and y ou'll
get the scores y ou need!
Sunday , March 24, 201 3
Students' questions
1) How can I elim inate the influence of m y m other tongue language?
Y ou probably won't eliminate it, but I think it's possible to take control of the influence of y our mother tongue
by getting to know the differences that cause y ou problems. For ex ample, some students say "before two weeks"
instead of "two weeks ago"; this mistake is caused by interference from the students' first language. If y ou are
aware of this problem, y ou can av oid it in future.
2) In the listening test, should I be looking at the questions while I listen?
Y es, definitely .
3) Do exam iners hate phrases like "Nowadays... is a controversial issue"?
Ex aminers don't hate these phrases, but they don't lov e them either! It's fine to use a few memorised phrases, but
don't fill y our essay with them and don't ex pect them to get y ou a high score. Read this lesson for more detailed
ex planation.
4) Why is there no "s" in "10-year period"?
"1 0-y ear" is acting as an adjectiv e to describe the period. It's like say ing "long period". We don't put a plural "s" on
adjectiv es.
5) Is it ok to say things like "you know" in the speaking test?
Y es, it's fine. Try not to say "y ou know" too many times, but it's nothing to worry about if y ou say it a few times.
The important thing is the real content of y our answers.
Saturday , March 23, 201 3
IELTS Advice: review vocabulary

Y ou may hav e read this week's lessons here on the blog, but did y ou take notes? Would y ou really be able to use
the v ocabulary that I used?
Let's rev iew some good phrases from this week's lessons:
society is undergoing enormous change(s)
make significant changes to their liv es
encounter a situation
(something) presents a challenge / challenges
acquire knowledge
add to y our/his/her/their skill set
a break with the past
share common interests / hav e something in common with
spend time with
honest and trustworthy
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hav e time to y ourself

take stock and reflect on things
Saturday , March 1 6, 201 3
IELTS Advice: 'deep' answers

The technique I used in y esterday 's lesson is really useful because it helps y ou to giv e a 'deep' answer. It's a deep
answer when y ou take one idea and dev elop it, and y ou're likely to get a higher score if y ou can do this.
Unfortunately , many candidates giv e 'shallow' answers; they mention a few different ideas, but fail to dev elop
any of them in detail.
Practise ex plaining just one idea in as much detail as y ou can. The ability to do this could really benefit y our
speaking and writing scores.
Sunday , March 1 0, 201 3
IELTS Vocabulary: band 7 or higher

To get a band 7 , y ou don't need to learn "big" or "difficult" words. Y ou need to learn how to use words
together. Y ou need to use good collocations.
Collocations are groups of words that often go together. For ex ample, collocations like "increase significantly "
are used in IELTS Writing Task 1 .
Look for collocations in the speaking and writing lessons on this website. Here are some ex amples:
Health topic: a major cause, poor health, manual jobs, phy sical activ ity , outdoor sports.
Writing T ask 1: noticeable feature, significantly higher, a dramatic increase in.
Describe a person: a major influence, a good role model, inherit traits, set an ex ample, a positiv e outlook.
Most learner dictionaries now show ex amples of how words are used in common collocations and phrases. If
y ou read a lot of English, y ou will see collocations ev ery where.
IELTS Advice: copy my ideas!

I try to giv e my students good v ocabulary ideas to help them write better essay s and giv e better spoken
answers. Howev er, some students feel like they are copy ing or cheating if they use my ideas. They prefer to use a
dictionary or rely on what they already know.
My adv ice is: get y our v ocabulary ideas from the lessons on this website, from a book, or from y our teacher.
This is good preparation, not copy ing or cheating!
Sunday , March 03, 201 3
Students' questions
1) Should I apply for a re-m ark?
From the comments below this lesson, it seems that scores most often remain the same when students ask for a
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re-mark. I would only recommend apply ing for one if y ou are really confident that y ou did well, and y ou only
need a 0.5 band improv ement in speaking or writing.
2) How m uch of the writing score is given for task 1 and task 2?
Y ou get one third of the score for task 1 , and two thirds for task 2.
3) Do I need to include all of the data in m y task 1 essay?
No, the question will alway s ask y ou to select key points. There is usually too much data for a 1 50-word essay .
Also, y our ability to select key data will impress the ex aminer.
4) Should I put a future sentence in m y task 2 conclusion?
No, y ou don't need to do that (although y ou can if it's relev ant). I usually just repeat or summarise my ideas in
one sentence. It's better to spend more time on the main paragraphs than on a long conclusion.
5) Do the reading and listening tests becom e m ore difficult in each section?
The listening test does; section 1 is easy and section 4 is the most difficult. Howev er, the same is not true of the
reading test; sometimes the first section is the hardest.
IELTS Advice: it takes time

Can I im prov e m y score from 5.5 to 7 in one m onth?
T he honest answer is: no, y ou probably can't
It's important to be realistic about the time it takes to improv e y our ability to speak, write or understand a
second language. It's a really difficult task. There is no magic recipe for success and there are no shortcuts. Take
y our time, work hard and be patient.
Note:
I'v e underlined the good v ocabulary contained in my adv ice.
Sunday , February 24, 201 3
IELTS Advice: phrases and collocations

To get a good IELTS score, y ou need to use the kind of language that nativ e speakers might use. This doesn't
mean 'difficult words', it means good groups of words (phrases and collocations).
When reading, try to look for phrases that English speakers use. Here's an ex ample paragraph from the
Economist Magazine with a few useful words and phrases underlined.
It is alway s a little disconcerting to realise a generation has grown up nev er knowing what it was like to manage
without something that is taken for granted today . A case in point: the World Wide Web (WWW), which
celebrated the 20th anniv ersary of its introduction last Saturday . It is no ex aggeration to say that not since the
inv ention of the printing press has a new media technology altered the way people think, work and play quite so
ex tensiv ely . With the web hav ing been so thoroughly embraced socially , politically and economically , the world
has become an entirely different place from what it was just two decades ago.
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8/2/2014

IELTS Advice: why do my scores fluctuate?

IELTS Advice: understanding is only the first step

Posted by Simon in Questions/Adv ice | Permalink | Comments (8)

IELTS Advice: for people with 6.5

Saturday , July 06, 201 3

IELTS Advice: be more than ready

IELTS Advice: identify the problem

IELTS Advice: small words can also impress

com pass is shown?

IELTS Advice: before you retake the exam

IELTS Advice: using memorised phrases

Sunday , June 02, 201 3

IELTS Writing Advice: getting an extra half band

IELTS Advice: how to use a private teacher

how could y ou improv e y our answers?

IELTS Advice: meaning and usage

IELTS Advice: less testing, more preparing

Students' Questions: 'complex' sentences

Saturday , May 04, 201 3

IELTS Advice: get Cambridge book 9

IELTS Advice: daily study habit

IELTS Advice: storytelling

IELTS Advice: 'less common vocabulary'

IELTS Advice: a student's experience of re-marking

IELTS Advice: common topics first!

Students' questions: why did my score drop?

seems to go right; y ou simply hav e a bad day .

IELTS Advice: review vocabulary

hav e time to y ourself

IELTS Advice: 'deep' answers

IELTS Vocabulary: band 7 or higher

IELTS Advice: copy my ideas!

IELTS Advice: it takes time

IELTS Advice: phrases and collocations

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