IELTS Podcast

In this tutorial, we look at what the examiner is actually listening for when they mark your pronunciation, and why your accent is probably not part of it. We look at: What is really being marked: individual sounds, word and sentence stress, and intonation Why switching between British and American is a good sign rather than a problem How intonation works as the music of your speech, and what a flat tone costs you How chunking and stress timing make you easier to follow Four exercises you can start today, and the one I would pick About this episode This is a recorded walkthrough rather than a written guide, and I come at it from personal experience. When I was 18 I left Yorkshire for Australia and nobody understood me. Same language, and people still had no idea what I was saying. Later, learning Spanish made me aware of my own accent for the first time. A lot of students ask whether they should sound British or American. The honest answer is that it does not matter. What is marked is how precisely you form sounds, how you stress words and sentences, and how your voice rises and falls. A band nine speaker uses the full range of those with control, and the listener never has to work. Accent is not on that list. In the episode I go through intonation, chunking, stress timing and the way your first language leaves its fingerprints on your English. There is also a story from an examiner about a student who jumped close to a full band in two weeks, using a method that costs nothing. For the written guide, with everything laid out in order, read our Band 9 IELTS pronunciation guide. This episode is me talking it through rather than describing it on the page. Full transcript The complete transcript of the episode is below. Click to open it. Read the full transcript of “improving your pronunciation in the ielts speaking exam” improving your pronunciation in the IELTS speaking exam. Hi there, my name’s Ben Worthington. Thanks for listening to IELTS podcast. If you’ve been a long time listener, then hopefully you’re pleased that I’m back. I did take a small break, moving back to the UK, lots of things going on, but I’m back with a vengeance. Now, so let’s just talk about what we’re going to cover in this podcast. We’re going to look at what the examiner is actually listening for when they mark your pronunciation. You’ll learn the five features that make up this score and why your accent is probably not one of them. And you will hear why the sounds your own language change you to make are the ones costing you the points and you’ll also get a couple of exercises to start today so if you are worried you sound too Indian, too Chinese or too Spanish to get a band seven then you’re in for a good treat because hopefully what I can share with you will will stop your worries or ease your worries. And let me just say before we jump into today’s tutorial, I have, I’m coming at this from like my own personal experience. When I was 18, I left my home county in England, in Yorkshire. I left Yorkshire and I went to Australia. And nobody understood me. Nobody. I mean, it’s the same language, so obviously they weren’t completely flummoxed. However, it was surprising. Like, a lot of people just did not have a clue what I was saying. I had to really slow it down. I had to be… It was the first time I’d actually become aware of how I’d sounded because I’d never lived anywhere else. I’d stayed in the civilized world and then I left it for Australia. I’m just joking. Australia is a beautiful place. They’re amazing people. But it was just really surprising sometimes and they didn’t understand. And anyway, by the time my stay in Australia had finished, I came back speaking very differently. And that wasn’t the first time I had to change how I spoke when I started speaking English again I had to annunciate which is what a lot of English teachers do so that the students understand that it’s when you pronounce every single syllable in the word and then when I learned Spanish I had to be aware of my accent and this is the beauty of actually learning a foreign language of learning a second or third language is not only is your vocabulary going to expand but you just become more aware and in most cases more understanding of other students. So let’s just have a look at the first part okay a lot of students ask me if they should sound British or American and if you want to sound intelligent you have to go with British every time. No, I’m just joking. No, it doesn’t matter. Honestly, if you sound British or if you sound American, sometimes you might accidentally mix the two, but that’s okay. If you can’t, if you can’t, it won’t help you, but it won’t hurt you. If you know, like, what usually happens is, I mean, this is, I’m after talking with lots of exiles, examiners and current examiners, is the process is when a student starts speaking and this is the goal of part one is not only to get the student relaxed but also to tune in to the the way of speaking and when the examiner’s tuning in or when anybody is listening to you for the first time they are tuning in it’s like when you find a radio station when you tune in and you need a few seconds just to sort of like understand how they pronounce how they speak and if you’re switching between American and British it just makes it a little bit more difficult but I think the easiest way forward here would just be to go with something like universal which basically just goes for clarity okay so that should be your main goal don’t worry if they sound British don’t worry if you sound American if you are finding yourself switching between the two that’s actually a good sign because you’re aware and then maybe just try and choose one of them and you might even go for Australian. I mean, if you’re living in Australia, it makes sense because you’ll have every single day to practice, you know, whereas if you’re in Vietnam, I guess you could choose between American, British or Australian. And I guess it depends like what you started out with, what you’re comfortable with. If you’re consuming just American media, then you might want to just choose American. But either way, clarity should be your goal. And also just choose one that’s going to fit in with your direction. If you’ve got your heart set on going to the UK, then it’s probably worthwhile pushing putting more attention on a British pronunciation and involving yourself in British media, immersing yourself not involving yourself. Now then let’s jump into what is actually being marked. So it’s how precisely you form individual sounds, how you stress the words and the sentences and how your voice rises and falls, which is intonation. Now a Band 9 speaker will use the full range of these with control and the listener never has to work. Okay? And that’s the key there, okay? There’s never any sort of like fast like what’s he trying to say is just crystal clear and did you notice when I was going through those I did not mention accent okay a band nine speaker uses the full range of individual sounds stresses and sentences with control and the listener never has to work and also intonation okay so So we’re not talking about speed, we’re not talking about accent, we’re talking about clarity. Now if you’ve been listening to me for a while, you’ll realize that it’s possibly quite difficult to place my accent. I mean I was at a meeting just a week ago and somebody was like, really? Your English? Yeah, I grew up here. I did spend 20 years of Broadway. Yes, I’m English and they’re like wow And it’s only fortunately that somebody was like, oh, I knew your sister at school I was in the year above you, you know, but what I’m saying is like It for some people first especially here in Yorkshire I don’t sound like a local and even though everything is perfect when I speak English There’s no grammar errors, obviously there’s no pronunciation errors, but it’s still sort of like trips people up. I mean, these were IELTS examiners I was talking to, obviously. But what I’m saying is like they didn’t stumble on the clarity. The clarity was perfect. It was just the accent. And in the exam, your criteria is clarity as well. Now, let’s just dive into some of those features I mentioned. Intonation, this is the music of your speech. So every language has its own language and what you’ll find is that you’ll probably carry your own language’s music into your English. And you need to be aware of this. What I’d recommend is just jumping on AI and just say, I’m from Spain, are the common mistakes English, Spanish speakers or speakers of Spanish make when speaking English you know or what are the common mistakes and native Urdu speaker will make when speaking English okay and then you can pinpoint it and you could even probably ask Chachibiti some exercises there and there’s plenty of pronunciation apps out there. So just going back to intonation a write in English and I think in most languages is what happens is when you rise up at the end it sounds like you’re making a question and when I came back from Australia I did this all the time and it irritated everybody but for some reason it’s just quite common for British people when they do come back from Australia to start talking like this. Thankfully I got rid of that. Now if you have a flat tone across the answer it makes you sound bored even when you might be interested and this one is incredibly challenging to solve because like first of all you need to be aware of it and then you need to figure out how to solve it. Now there’s a few different ways you can avoid this. One is to start putting the stress on the most important word in the sentence. Another way is to add pauses. You see what I did there? You can add, it’s called a pregnant pause but what you do is you just add them in between your sentences and it makes you sound more interesting. If you look, who’s that guy from Apple? It’s not Tim Cook. This is so embarrassing. The founder of Apple, if you ever listen to one of his speeches, he uses that a lot and it just makes him far more engaging. Now, a good solution, one that when I started preparing students for IELTS, I started asking ex-IELTS examiners and current examiners how they helped students and I remember one story a teacher was really worried about the student and she said look you’ve got to improve your speaking you need to get onto it and she gave him some exercises and he came back like two weeks later and he was incredible he’d easily jumped like half a band possibly even a full band and she’s like wow what on earth did you do and he said he was listening to BBC news the British news the one with the British presenters and he was just copying what they were saying and by doing that and just mimicking the sound he not only improved his vocabulary but it just sounded so much more natural because he’d copied, he’d mimicked a native English speaker, it improved his vocabulary, it improved his intonation, he improved his pronunciation and he just did that like for a couple of hours every single day and it’s even more straightforward in 2026 now. You just pause, repeat what you hear and go back and I think there’s even apps out there that will compare and help you do that and compare what you were supposed to say with how you sounded. The next skill that we can use is called chunking. This is where you break your speech into groups and when it’s done well what it does is hands the listener your meaning in neat little packages. Now you’ve got to be careful though because Because if you stop in the middle of a sentence, or it doesn’t make much sense, it can really lose the listener. A good shortcut to chunking is compound nouns, colour, television, mobile, phone. And the deeper you get into the English language, and we’ve got a lot of these actually in the online course but it’s like empirical evidence has shown for example it’s not the most common one but that phrase empirical evidence has shown you know you just remember that little chunk and now you can use it in your IELTS task 2 essay and when you do use it in spoken English then you sound quite academic and it’s just a little chunk you know and it’s even better if you can extract these chunks in the natural environment. What do I mean by that? So when you’re maybe listening to the news and repeating it and you’re like, ah actually that’s the third time I’ve heard that sentence. I’m going to actually steal that sentence, try and use it in my own vocabulary. The next time I’m on a call, the next time I’m working with a friend. Hey Dave, did you take the croissants out of the oven? Empirical evidence has shown, Dave, that you leave them in for two more minutes. I’m just joking. Obviously, what I’m trying to say there is you use them in context. So if you are working in a bakery, then you might not be using empirical evidence has shown. Now, the next skill tease is the timing and why English can sometimes feel uneven. So with English it’s stress timed. Stressed syllables are longer and unstressed ones get squashed up. So many languages are syllable timed where every syllable gets roughly equal length. Obviously there are some that go tones, I think maybe Chinese and some even have a pattern on the verbs, on the vowel sounds, like Hungarian, for example. What I’m trying to say is that if you ignore the natural rhythm of the stressors, of the words and the stresses, then you’re going to sound robotic and it’s far easier for the listener to sort of like tune out and to get lost especially in IELTS examiner who’s probably on the like 20th listening to the 20th student that day you know so that stress on the sound again there is there are apps out there that can help you speed along your process speed up your process with the stress now the word stress is so important that it can even change the meaning so if we look at the word record okay if we say like record the first thing is there is a record of crime has hit new a new record in Birmingham for example or I could say, I am recording, that’s too exaggerated, I’m recording a new podcast about the crime records in Birmingham, for example. So it’s exactly the same word, exactly the same letters, exactly the same spelling, obviously, but the stress, record, record. there’s many of these in the English language. Now the last one I want to mention is that I briefly mentioned it before but your own language will leave an impression on English when you’re speaking English. So as I said at the beginning you’re best going to chat to your PT and just finding out out. What are the common weak spots of native Italian speakers when speaking English? Chaci Peter, Chaci Peter will say, Italian speakers will sing the English language from personal experience. That’s what I’ve noticed of Italian speakers. In fact, I had an Italian friend in Valencia and she would go, Ben, and I’d say, no, no. Carolina, my name has one syllable Ben it’s not Ben okay so that just a little anecdote there now let’s finish off this podcast I’m going to give you four exercises you can start today you can record yourself and you can compare you can use dictation software you can sing along to English songs you can mimic as I mentioned before. Personally, mimicking is my favorite. And that’s why I’m just going to go into it in detail a little bit more. I’m not a fan of singing. The dictation software is sort of like one of those that’s good in principle, but I know nobody gets around to doing it. I know from personal experience of learning second and third language, but mimicking, I think it can be quite fun. You can choose your authentic material, choose material that interests you. Are you interested in the Premier League, Formula One, science talks, TED talks, self-development talks, especially self-development talks or self-health talks. The speakers there are incredibly charming and they’re very charismatic. And just choose one, pause, listen, you’re going to learn something so you’re killing two birds with one stone as well and if you choose a topic you’re interested in you’re obviously going to be more glued to it as well you’re going to keep coming back. So yeah those are the four ways you can you can improve. Now if you are stuck with your IELTS speaking then don’t worry you’re not alone you can get in contact just send an essay so send send an email we can help you out everything’s back up and running now at IELTSpodcast.com that’s seriously distracted a lot of things going on in my personal life so now it’s I wouldn’t say stable but it’s more stable so I’ve got time to come back to doing this you send an email to ben at IELTSpodcast.com it can give you some feedback give you some help and yep you can go over to also go over to IELTSpodcast.com and subscribe there and you’ll get more help through your inbox so thank you very much for listening and wishing you a super day and good luck with your IELTS exam Click here for IELTS essay correction Learn more about the IELTS writing task Full online IELTS course Massive IELTS vocabulary guide The post Improving Your Pronunciation In The IELTS Speaking Exam appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

In this tutorial, we look at how to plan an IELTS Task 2 essay in five minutes, worked through live on a real exam question. We look at: How to classify the question before you write anything, and why getting this wrong costs you the whole essay How to fix your position for each body paragraph first, and leave the introduction until last How to build an example that earns marks, even when you invent it on the spot How to ask why three times to turn a thin idea into a full paragraph How to use your last few minutes to check your work About this episode This is a recorded walkthrough rather than a written guide. I take the leisure time question, the same one used in our step by step tutorial, and plan it out loud from a blank page to a finished paragraph map. Along the way I explain why a misread question sinks everything that follows, how I fix my two positions before writing anything else, and why an invented example can still earn marks if it lets you use the right grammar. I also talk about where to find ideas when you are stuck, and the few minutes at the end that most students skip. If you want the written method, with each step laid out in order, read our IELTS essay plan for writing task 2. This episode is me doing it rather than describing it. Full transcript The complete transcript of the episode is below. Click to open it. Read the full transcript of “how to plan an ielts essay in five minutes” Hello there podcast listeners. In today’s episode of the IELTS podcast, we are going to look at how to plan an IELTS essay in five minutes. Now, if you’ve just recently joined the podcast, then there’ll be no surprises for you. Welcome to the podcast. But if you’ve been a long time listener, you’ve probably recognized or realized that I’ve been away for a while. And there’s a huge story behind that, but it coincided with me moving back to England, having a family, having a long break, but now I’m back. I’m back in business. So let’s jump into it. Let’s explore. Yeah, let’s just get into what you tuned in to listen to. So, what we’re going to do is learn how to plan an IELTS Task 2 essay in five minutes. Now, just a side note, the more you do this, the faster you will get, you know. It’s like any task, any skill, the more you do this and if you just, you know, if you realize that you lose a lot of time on brainstorming and planning an essay it’s okay when you’re in your preparation stage you just got to realize that you know and admit like okay I’m losing a lot of time on this I’m just going to focus on that specific part of the essay writing process and also while you’re preparing you don’t want to get yourself down because what you should doing really is just recognizing like okay my ideas is my weak point or my planning is my weak area and then just isolate it and focus on that skill and then slowly you’ve mastered it and then the next time you write an essay you might think okay my vocabulary is the weak spot so you isolate that you work on that and eventually you will get up to a band seven or higher. So sorry I went off on a tangent there. But let me just tell you what you’re going to learn in this essay, in this podcast. We’re going to cover the six moves that make up the plan, the order that you do them, how long to spend on each one, roughly. And as I said before, don’t worry, the first time you do this, it takes a long time. Don’t worry. The important mindset to have is that okay it’s taking me a long time but I’m going to work on it, I’m going to perfect it and then once it’s perfected I’ll move on to the next part of this essay writing process. So let’s jump into it so as I said we’re going to look at how long to spend on each component you’ll also hear me plan a real exam question out loud and you’ll be able to go from a blank page to a map of what you’re going to be doing. So let me just give you an analogy of why the plan is so important. It’s like when you set off on a journey, the GPS in the car or you’re new in a city, like if you take the wrong turning right at the beginning and you carry on down that journey, down that route, then you’re going to be way off target. So it’s incredibly important just to analyze the question and just figure out what does the examiner want from me because if you speed run that first part and you understand incorrectly and then you go on to write an incorrect essay for example say the essay wants ABC and you understood because you speed ran it you understood it incorrectly and and you understood that it needed, I don’t know, BCD and then you go and plan an essay on BCD and then you write paragraphs on BCD and then you write a conclusion on BCD then it doesn’t matter how good you wrote it if you’re off topic you’re going to be losing points. So the first one we have to understand what the question wants from us and now a key component of this is just to classify the question, okay? So, is it advantage-disadvantage? Is it to what extent do you agree? There’s about four or five different question types discussed both views give your opinion, a two-part question, problem and solution and once you understand which question type you have is just far easier to move forward. So let’s listen to the first question we’ve got, the one we’re going to work through today. Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind, such as reading and doing word puzzles. Other people feel that it is important to rest the mind during leisure time. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Now, as I said, how are we going to class that? Well, the answer is in the question there. It’s discuss both views and give your opinion. So we’re going to look at the first viewpoint, which is, some people think it’s important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind. And the second viewpoint, probably paragraph two, is, is, other people feel it’s important to rest their mind during leisure time. Okay, discuss both views and then give your opinion. Right. What are we going to do? So the first step I always recommend, especially in these ones, is just fix your position. Get your position clear. I always talk about this as P1 and P2 as your position one, position two, and that corresponds to paragraph one, paragraph two. If we focus on the body paragraphs first, that will enable us to write, once we know what’s going in the body paragraphs, we then know what to put in our introductions and into our conclusions. And also, that’s where we want to focus most of our time on the body paragraphs, because that’s where we’re going to write the most and we’re going to pick up the bulk of the points. So paragraph one. Yes, we’re going to fix our position. Use leisure time to improve the mind. Stimulates the brain, makes use of idle time. You could learn a language and you could just overall improve yourself. Paragraph two, no, I think you should rest the mind. Work is stressful. Sports scientists realize the value in rest. value in rest. I mean that’s just one example that popped into my mind now while I was just looking at my notes. So I’m just going to write that down and I’ll come back to that later because it’s usually good to have some solid examples. Some of the reasons why resting your mind is valuable. Let’s see. You can allow your subconscious to actually process ideas. Now this is a tricky one to actually explain so I might just cancel that idea out to be honest because it’s not the quality of your ideas really, it’s the quality of your communication. This is a language exam. Language is communication. So even if you are a neuroscientist and you come up with the best quality arguments, if you explain those poorly and poorly written English, you’re going to score poor. I mean, the examiner at the end of the day doesn’t really obviously want to know your views on what to do with with your brain when you’re chilling out, the examiner really wants to know how you can communicate it, okay? So we get our positions, and if examples pop into your mind, just note them down, don’t worry, and try to generate a few ideas on this. And a few examples as well, while you’re here, while you’re in that, okay? And then what I usually do now is just sort of like qualify them. go back to the question, double check, does it correspond? Then I’ll go and check my examples, do they correspond as well? And this might seem time consuming, but as I said at the beginning, this is the key time you want to be spending, this is the key moment you want to be spending time because you’re starting out on your journey. And if you’ve got it wrong here and then you go and write your paragraphs, You’re going to end up in, as I used to say, a world of pain. You’re gonna be writing about, as I was saying at the beginning, BCD when the examiner wants ABC, for example. Now then. So we’ve got an example here. Let’s just think of an example actually for body paragraph one. Use leisure time to improve your mind. Let’s see. It stimulates your brain, makes use of idle time. You could even learn a language. For example, Duolingo app states that with just 20 minutes a day, the users can improve in a language and if this compounds daily by the end of a year or two, you are going to be considerably ahead and if we look at this objectively this is far better the person will end up in a far better position than if they had just spent 20 minutes a day on TikTok or YouTube. Now I like that example because what we’ve done is it’s not only We’ve got like a solid example there of Duolingo. I’m not even sure if that’s correct or not or accurate. I mean, but it does sound accurate. It does sound correct. It’s fine. You’re not going to get fact checked on it. But what I liked about that example was is that I could use a new verb form than if they had. You see, and then we’re picking up the points. And then body paragraph two, as I said, rest leads to better performance, back at work. I’m not going to do the subconscious one, I’m going to use the sports scientist one and just say like the brain is, it could be argued, the brain is a muscle, it’s one of the most energy consuming, one of the muscles that consumes the most energy and sports sports scientists are broadly in agreement, lovely little phrase there that I’m just going to write down in my notes because I want that phrase in my essay. I’ll say I’m broadly in agreement that rest days speed up recovery and this is why from all serious athletes from MMA fighters to Formula One drivers to elite Olympians again that sounds so much better Olympians you know it’s that it’s this higher level vocabulary um anyway um as I was saying this is why all of them have a day dedicated to just rest okay now maybe there are some athletes out there who never rest I’m not so sure but I think from my general understanding is that most have a rest and recovery day okay and that’s another good phrase that I’d probably put down to insert into my essay a rest and recovery day because I think that is what is the terminology there okay so the next we’ve generated our example okay and now what I would would do here is use a structure. The sentence guide does have a structure, it’s like we state our position, we say why and then we give an example and then we can even add like a conditional example there as well. But the whole essay structure and the phrases and the terminology and that’s a whole new essay. So, we’ve got now our ideas, we’ve got our examples, we’re going to drop it into our structure and because we’ve got our ideas then what we can do is go back, we can go back and use those ideas and insert them into our introduction and into our conclusion and this is how the the essay is going to basically write itself once we’ve got the planning under control. Now there’s just two things more that I want to mention. One, I know a lot of students struggle with ideas. Now I’ll briefly just mention a solution that I know works and that is and this is used to be it still is actually in our course and basically you get given about 40 questions and you have to generate ideas for each question okay an idea and an example and here if you cannot do it I even suggest in the course that you go online and you research the question. Now you could use chat GPT for this. But even then I would still write it out and just try and remember the reasons that I think the best solution, if you really want high quality ideas that are your own is start reading about subjects. Because if you go to chat GPT, it’s going to give you exactly what you want, which is like an idea or an opinion, which is efficient. However, let’s say you’re stuck on an essay about climate change. You go to chat GPT and it will explain, it’ll give you an idea and opinion and basically answer the question for you, which is good. But if you can read around the subject, you’ll be far more knowledgeable for the next climate change question that might be slightly different from the one that you struggled on. For example, it might be worth knowing that China is producing a lot of solar panels at the moment. It might be worth knowing that the war in the Middle East is pushing up petrol prices, which is also further accelerating the shift to renewables. You can start filling up your head with ideas. Now, another way just to bulk out your essays is to ask why. So you’ve got your idea, then you ask why, and then you ask why again, and then you ask why again. And this is time consuming and it’s something that you want to do more so in the preparation phase of the IELTS exam rather than in the actual exam room okay by the time you’re in the exam room you want to be fully in control of this process so let me just give you an example of how this would work let’s go back to the question we’ve got our positions and let’s just focus on the second position which was, let’s see, rest the mind. Work is stressful, rest leads to better performance at work. Why? Because you have time off, the subconscious could take over. Also sports scientists recommend this. Why? Because they’ve done in-depth studies. Why? Because they want to get optimum performance for the athletes. So just doing that why we’ve got more vocabulary in our answer, we’ve got more arguments, and it lets us choose from a selection of arguments. Right. And one last thing before we finish, and this can easily boost your essay, your test two essay by five, 10, 15% and that’s just to allow a few minutes to check for mistakes. You start working through your essay, you look at every single word. Some people recommend to go backwards through the essay. Some people just scan it and blitz it. You’ve got to find out what works for you. If somebody says work backwards, try it out. It might be better for you. Personally, I found just putting my pencil or even just my finger over every single word. I found that worked better. It’s up to you. You need to find out which one takes the most time, which one’s most accurate. And also, probably you’ve got a certain grammatical structure or spellings that you always struggle on. So you want to look for those structures in your essay, pinpoint them and just make sure you haven’t made a mistake on them. Okay, we’re coming to the end of the essay, the podcast, sorry. Thank you very much for listening. If you need any more help and guidance, then you can head over to www.ilspodcast.com. Wishing you a super day and good luck with your IELTS exam. Click here for IELTS essay correction Learn more about the IELTS writing task Full online IELTS course Massive IELTS vocabulary guide The post How To Plan An IELTS Essay In Five Minutes appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

How Rohan Overcame IELTS Writing Challenges to Achieve His Dream Many IELTS candidates face a frustrating roadblock: scoring 6.5 in writing when they need a 7.0. This was exactly the challenge Rohan from Mumbai, India, encountered. He needed to improve his IELTS score to qualify for Canadian immigration. After multiple attempts, he discovered IELTS Podcast and transformed his writing skills. This is his story. The Struggle: Stuck at 6.5 in Writing Rohan had already attempted the IELTS test three or four times before turning to IELTS Podcast. His scores in listening (8.5) and reading (8.5) were strong, and his speaking score (7.5) was solid. However, his writing consistently fell short. Like many students, he believed he was writing correctly, but minor mistakes prevented him from reaching his target score. He practised writing essays on various topics but lacked structured feedback to identify and correct his weaknesses. How IELTS Podcast Helped Rohan stumbled upon IELTS Podcast while searching for writing tips online. What set the platform apart was the detailed video feedback on essays. Instead of receiving generic corrections, he watched videos explaining his specific errors, including: The importance of cohesion—ensuring ideas flow smoothly from start to finish. Using relevant examples to strengthen arguments. Correct usage of articles, a common stumbling block for many IELTS candidates. The structured feedback helped him realise mistakes he wouldn’t have noticed on his own. As a result, he refined his writing technique, improved sentence structure, and eliminated common grammatical errors. Breaking the IELTS Barrier With focused preparation, Rohan finally achieved his goal. He boosted his writing score and is now on track for Canadian immigration. His advice to others? Invest in expert feedback before rebooking the test. “Even before you go for your next test, take some professional help from IELTS Podcast. It will help you avoid multiple failed attempts.” Lessons from Rohan’s Journey Rohan’s story is a reminder that small improvements can make a big difference. If you’re struggling to boost your IELTS score, consider these steps: Identify your weak areas through expert feedback. Practice with structured guidance rather than randomly writing essays. Learn strategies to avoid common mistakes, such as unnecessary article usage. If you’re aiming for IELTS success, don’t gamble with multiple test attempts. Learn from Rohan’s journey and get expert feedback today. Check out more success stories here. You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post His 6.5 blocked him going to Canada appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

The aim of this tutorial is to help you: -Understand the questions and the setting or context for the letter. -Think about what to write – how to use the prompts that you are given in the question rubric. -Understand how to start and how to finish your letters – with IELTS you cannot make mistakes on this! -How to get your letter in a logical order which will help your coherence. -How to use great grammar but make it sound natural Click here to get the full tutorial https://www.ieltspodcast.com/ielts-writing-task/task-1-general-letter-2/ Mastering IELTS General Training Letters: A Comprehensive Guide to Cover Letters and Informal Writing Writing letters for IELTS General Training Task 1 requires a keen understanding of different writing styles and formats. Today, we’ll explore two crucial types of letters: formal cover letters for job applications and informal letters to friends or family. Cover Letters: Making a Professional Impact When crafting a cover letter for IELTS, it’s essential to maintain a professional tone whilst showcasing your qualifications effectively. Here are the key elements to include: Opening Your Cover Letter Begin with a clear reference to the position you’re applying for. For example: “I’m writing in reference to the position of [job title] which I saw advertised in [source].” This immediately establishes context and purpose. Follow this with a brief overview of your qualifications and experience. Remember to maintain formal language throughout your letter. Essential Phrases for Cover Letters “I’ve previously worked as…” (describing past experience) “I consider myself to be…” (highlighting personal qualities) “My skills include…” (detailing specific abilities) “I would very much like to join your team…” (expressing interest) Structure and Content Tips Keep your cover letter concise and precise. The examiner looks for: Clear organisation of ideas Appropriate formal language Relevant qualifications and experience Proper opening and closing phrases Visit our General Training Task 1 guide for more detailed examples and templates. Informal Letters: Striking the Right Balance Writing informal letters requires a different approach. While they should be friendly, remember this is still an exam – avoid being overly casual. Key Features of Informal Letters You can include: Contractions (I’m, don’t, wouldn’t) Phrasal verbs Idiomatic expressions Personal anecdotes Natural Language Examples Consider these informal yet appropriate expressions: “Hope this letter finds you well!” “It’s been ages since I last saw you” “I can’t bear…” (expressing frustration) “…with a decent salary” (describing job benefits) Common Mistakes to Avoid Whether writing formal or informal letters, be careful to avoid: Mixing formal and informal language Using overly complex sentences Forgetting to address all points in the task Including irrelevant information For more guidance on avoiding common mistakes, check our IELTS writing mistakes guide. Need More Help? If you’re preparing for IELTS and want professional guidance, consider joining our online IELTS course. We offer comprehensive feedback on your writing and specific modules designed to help you achieve your target score. Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep writing different types of letters, and don’t hesitate to get expert feedback on your work. With the right approach and guidance, you can master IELTS General Training Task 1 letters. Click here to read the full transcript. You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post How to Write Formal Letters (part 2) appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

In this tutorial we cover how to:   Understand the questions and context for the letter. Think about what to write – how to use the prompts that you are given in the question rubric. Work out how creative to be? Is it ok to make up lots of strange facts and information? Understand how to start and how to finish your letters – this is so important and at IELTS level you cannot make mistakes on this! Click here for IELTS essay correction Learn more about the IELTS writing task Full online IELTS course Massive IELTS vocabulary guide Click here to listen to the full tutorial: https://www.ieltspodcast.com/ielts-writing-task/task-1-general-letter-1/ Click here to read the full transcript.   You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post How to Write Formal Letters (part 1) appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

Preparing for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re unsure of what examiners are looking for. In a recent episode of the IELTS Podcast, hosts Ben Worthington and Daphne provided a comprehensive checklist to help you ace this task. This article summarises their key points, offering practical advice and examples to guide your preparation. 1. Paraphrase the Rubric The first step in tackling Academic Task 1 is to paraphrase the rubric. Instead of copying the question word-for-word, demonstrate your language skills by rephrasing it. For example, if the question states, “The graph below shows the number of visits to two music sites on the web,” you could write, “The line graph illustrates how many times two music websites were visited over a 15-day period.” This shows the examiner that you can use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. 2. Write a Clear Overview Your overview is a crucial part of your response. It should summarise the main trends or features of the data without going into too much detail. Avoid using phrases like “to conclude,” as this is more appropriate for Task 2. Instead, use words like “overall” to introduce your summary. For example, “Overall, both music websites experienced an upward trend in visits, with Music Choice being more popular than Pop Parade for most of the period.” 3. Summarise, Don’t List One common mistake is listing every piece of data instead of summarising the key points. Remember, the task asks you to “summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.” Focus on the most significant trends, such as peaks, troughs, or notable changes, rather than describing every minor fluctuation. 4. Stick to the Data It’s essential to report only the information presented in the graph or chart. Avoid adding personal opinions or external knowledge. For instance, if you notice a dip in website visits on a particular day, don’t speculate that it was due to poor weather or a public holiday. Stick to the facts provided in the data. 5. Include All Important Data While summarising, ensure you don’t omit any crucial information. For example, if you’re describing a pie chart, make sure you mention every segment, even if it’s only briefly. Grouping similar data points can help you cover all the information without listing every detail. 6. Compare Data Comparing data is a key skill in Task 1. Instead of simply listing information, highlight similarities and differences. For example, “While Music Choice saw a dramatic increase in visits between days 9 and 11, Pop Parade experienced a more gradual rise over the same period.” 7. Organise Your Response A well-organised response is easier to follow and scores higher in coherence and cohesion. Plan your essay into clear paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the data. Use linking words like “while,” “whereas,” and “in contrast” to connect your ideas smoothly. 8. Highlight Striking Features Identify and mention any striking features in the data, such as the highest or lowest points, or any anomalies. These details can make your response stand out and demonstrate your ability to analyse the data effectively. 9. Avoid Repetition Vary your vocabulary and sentence structures to avoid repetition. For example, instead of repeatedly using the word “visits,” you could use terms like “clicks,” “visitor numbers,” or “followers.” This not only makes your writing more engaging but also showcases your language proficiency. 10. Use a Range of Grammar and Vocabulary Demonstrate your command of English by using a variety of grammatical structures and vocabulary. For instance, instead of writing “Music Choice is more popular,” you could say “Music Choice being more popular than Pop Parade.” This use of participle phrases and comparative structures can boost your score. 11. Use the Correct Tense Ensure you use the appropriate tense for the data. If the graph shows past data, use the past tense. For example, “The number of visits increased over the 15-day period.” Consistency in tense is crucial for accuracy. 12. Use Appropriate Linking Devices Linking words and phrases like “while,” “whereas,” and “in contrast” help to connect your ideas and improve the flow of your writing. Avoid using Task 2 language, such as “on the one hand,” as it’s not suitable for Task 1. 13. Check for Mistakes Always proofread your work before submitting it. Look out for common errors, such as incorrect verb forms, noun-verb agreement, and factual inaccuracies. If you’re unsure about your writing, consider using the IELTS Writing Correction Service to get detailed feedback. 14. Follow the Rubric Ensure your response meets all the requirements of the task. Summarise the information, report the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. If you’ve missed any of these elements, add them before finalising your answer. 15. Aim for 150-180 Words While the official IELTS guidelines don’t specify a word count, aiming for 150-180 words is a good practice. This ensures you have enough content to fully address the task without being overly verbose. Final Thoughts By following this checklist, you can approach IELTS Academic Task 1 with confidence. Remember, practice is key. Use resources like the IELTS Academic Task 1 Online Course to refine your skills and get personalised feedback. With the right preparation, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your desired band score. For more tips and resources, visit IELTSPodcast.com and sign up for their free eBook, packed with sample essays, vocabulary lists, and expert advice.   You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post Using a Checklist for Academic Task1 appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

In this podcast, our essay corrector Ellen puts YOU in the driver’s seat as you review a student’s essay with her, deciding what band score the essay should get.  With the band descriptors as your guide, you will learn How the introduction makes a first impression on the examiner How mistakes and missteps can influence the examiner along the way How some strong arguments, precise vocabulary and accurate grammar can redeem your score How important the last impression your essay leaves is In the end, you will see how challenging the task of the examiner is and all the elements they take into consideration.  This knowledge will help you to construct stronger essays. Click here for IELTS essay correction Learn more about the IELTS writing task Full online IELTS course Massive IELTS vocabulary guide Click here to read the full transcript. You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post Playing The IELTS Examiner appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

  Public Transportation Innovations and Urban Planning Introduction Public transportation innovations and urban planning are crucial for creating sustainable, efficient cities. This article discusses how these developments can transform urban environments, providing a comprehensive overview of their impact on society. Grammar Point Covered Linking words for addition and comparison, such as ‘moreover’, ‘furthermore’, ‘similarly’, and ‘likewise’, help to extend a point or compare two elements in a discussion. These connectors are essential for structuring arguments coherently and emphasising the relationships between different ideas. Pros and Cons Regarding Public Transportation Innovations Pros: Reduces urban traffic congestion. Lowers environmental pollution. Improves accessibility to jobs and services. Encourages economic development around transit hubs. Increases safety in transportation through technological advances. Enhances the quality of life by reducing travel time. Promotes social equity by providing mobility for all socio-economic groups. Supports healthy urban environments by reducing car dependency. Facilitates the integration of different modes of transportation. Contributes to the aesthetic improvement of urban areas. Cons: High costs of development and maintenance. Disruptions during construction phases. Potential for underutilisation if not properly planned. Can be inefficient in low-density areas. Risk of technological obsolescence with rapid advances. May lead to gentrification near transit hubs. Requires significant governmental planning and coordination. Can face public resistance from car-dependent populations. Potential privacy concerns with data collection in smart transit systems. Long-term financial burden on public funds. Topic Specific Vocabulary Collocations smart transit systems integrated transport networks green urban spaces traffic management solutions public mobility services sustainable transport models urban congestion relief eco-friendly transportation public transit accessibility high-capacity transit routes Model Sentences Using the Public Transportation Collocations and Grammar Point Integrated transport networks are essential for modern cities, and sustainable transport models further enhance urban life quality. Smart transit systems have been developed to reduce delays; similarly, traffic management solutions help to prevent gridlock during peak hours. Furthermore, public mobility services improve the overall accessibility of cities, while eco-friendly transportation options contribute to environmental preservation. Moreover, the expansion of high-capacity transit routes facilitates quicker commutes, and urban congestion relief follows as a natural result. Similarly, green urban spaces are integrated into transit planning, enhancing the aesthetic and ecological aspects of urban areas. Despite the benefits, the high costs of smart transit systems can be prohibitive; however, the long-term savings in environmental and health costs are considerable. Public transit accessibility is prioritised in city planning; moreover, efforts are made to ensure that these services are affordable to all residents. While integrated transport networks are advantageous, they require extensive coordination and funding, which can be challenging for local governments. Eco-friendly transportation initiatives are often supported by public policy; furthermore, these initiatives encourage broader participation in sustainable living practices. Moreover, green urban spaces serve not only as leisure areas but also improve urban air quality and reduce heat islands. Model Essay About Public Transportation Introduction Innovations in public transportation and strategic urban planning are transforming cities into more efficient, accessible, and sustainable environments. Body Paragraph 1 Public transportation innovations such as smart transit systems and integrated transport networks have revolutionised urban mobility. These developments not only facilitate easier travel but also contribute significantly to environmental conservation. Body Paragraph 2 However, these advancements come with challenges, including high initial costs and the potential for social displacement. Despite these issues, the long-term benefits, such as urban congestion relief and improved public transit accessibility, make these investments worthwhile. Conclusion Ultimately, while there are hurdles to overcome, the future of urban living relies heavily on the successful integration of public transportation innovations. These systems are essential for developing sustainable cities that cater to the needs of their growing populations. Speaking Part 3 Questions and Model Answers Why is it important to integrate green spaces into urban planning? Integrating green spaces into urban planning not only enhances the city’s beauty but also improves residents’ health. Moreover, such spaces provide necessary ecological benefits, like air purification and temperature regulation. Should cities invest more in high-capacity transit routes? Yes, cities should invest in high-capacity transit routes as they efficiently manage large volumes of passengers, reducing traffic congestion. Furthermore, these investments support sustainable urban development. What are the challenges of implementing smart transit systems? Implementing smart transit systems involves high costs and complex technology integration. Moreover, ensuring these systems remain up-to-date with technological advancements is continually challenging. How have public transportation innovations changed in the last decade? In the last decade, public transportation has seen significant advancements, particularly in the adoption of smart transit systems. These innovations have made public transport more efficient and user-friendly. Is public transportation widely used in your country? In my country, public transportation is increasingly popular, especially in urban areas. As cities expand, more people are relying on efficient and eco-friendly transportation options to navigate congested urban spaces. You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post IELTS Vocabulary: The Future of Public Transportation appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn How an IELTS examiner would look at one of the more usual Task 1 questions – MAPS! I love map questions but many students are unfamiliar with them and so might panic in the exam! How to understand what is needed and what clues to look for before you start writing. Examples of good grammar and key useful vocabulary from our review of 2 students’ essays – one Band 6 and one Band 7-7.5 as our examples. How you can practice by looking at another kind of map question. Really important vocabulary needed for talking about geographical location and change. Click here for IELTS essay correction Learn more about the IELTS writing task Full online IELTS course Massive IELTS vocabulary guide Click here to listen to the full tutorial: https://www.ieltspodcast.com/academic-ielts/map-description-vocabulary/ Click here to read the full transcript. You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post How to Answer Map Questions (Vocabulary List Included) appeared first on IELTS Podcast.

Introduction Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it often remains overshadowed by physical health concerns. This article will explore the role of public awareness campaigns in changing perceptions and attitudes towards mental health issues. Grammar Point Covered Adverbial clauses to show contrast are used to highlight how two ideas differ from each other. These clauses often begin with conjunctions such as ‘although’, ‘while’, or ‘whereas’ and are crucial for adding complexity and depth to an argument by discussing opposing viewpoints or unexpected outcomes. Pros and Cons Regarding Mental Health Public Awareness Campaigns Pros: Increases public knowledge of mental health issues. Reduces stigma associated with mental illness. Encourages individuals to seek help early. Promotes more inclusive workplace policies. Improves funding and support for mental health services. Supports the development of better treatment options. Strengthens community support networks. Raises the profile of mental health on public and political agendas. Encourages empathy and understanding among the population. Helps integrate mental health into primary healthcare. Cons: May oversimplify complex mental health conditions. Can lead to misinformation if not well-managed. Potential to focus too much on common disorders, neglecting rare or severe conditions. Public campaigns may not reach all demographics effectively. Could lead to tokenism rather than actual change in policies. May increase public fears if negative aspects of mental illness are overemphasised. Resources for campaigns might detract from direct service funding. Can result in stereotype perpetuation if not carefully crafted. Might not translate into long-term change. Dependence on media portrayal, which can be variable in quality and accuracy. Topic Specific Vocabulary Collocations mental health advocacy public stigma reduction early intervention strategies mental health education community support networks treatment accessibility awareness campaign effectiveness healthcare policy reform emotional wellbeing social inclusion initiatives Model Sentences Using the Mental Health Collocations and Grammar Point Although many people are aware of mental health education, public stigma reduction is still a significant challenge. Whereas mental health advocacy has grown, treatment accessibility has not improved at the same rate. While early intervention strategies are effective, they are often underfunded and undervalued by public health policies. Even though community support networks are stronger than ever, isolation and loneliness continue to impact mental health significantly. Whereas awareness campaign effectiveness is increasing, actual changes in healthcare policy reform are lagging behind. Although there are numerous social inclusion initiatives, emotional wellbeing is often not prioritised in schools and workplaces. While public stigma reduction initiatives are widespread, personal biases and misunderstandings still prevail. Even though the importance of mental health education is recognised, many individuals lack access to quality information. Whereas community support networks can provide significant help, many people with mental health issues go without adequate support. Although awareness campaign effectiveness is evident, there is still a long way to go in achieving widespread healthcare policy reform. Model Essay About Mental Health Introduction Mental health awareness campaigns play a pivotal role in shaping public perception and policy, offering hope for better mental health care and reduced stigma. Body Paragraph 1 Public awareness campaigns have significantly improved knowledge and understanding of mental health issues. Through mental health advocacy and public stigma reduction, these campaigns have opened up conversations that were once taboo and have encouraged those suffering in silence to seek help. Body Paragraph 2 However, challenges remain. Whereas awareness has increased, the actual implementation of effective treatments and support systems has not kept pace. This disconnect underscores the need for continued efforts in both education and healthcare reform. Conclusion In conclusion, while mental health awareness campaigns are crucial, they must be part of a broader strategy that includes significant reforms in healthcare policies and practices. Only then can the potential of these campaigns be fully realised. Speaking Part 3 Questions and Model Answers Why is public awareness about mental health important? Public awareness is crucial because it helps break down the stigma associated with mental health issues. If more people understood the challenges and realities of mental health, public stigma reduction could be more effectively achieved. Should schools play a role in mental health education? Absolutely, schools should be at the forefront of mental health education. Providing students with knowledge about mental health could lead to early identification of issues and promote a healthier future generation. What are the most effective public awareness strategies for mental health? Effective strategies include multimedia campaigns, partnerships with influential public figures, and engaging community-based events. These initiatives, when combined with effective mental health education, can reach a broad audience and create lasting impact. How have perceptions of mental health changed in recent years? In recent years, perceptions have shifted significantly; awareness campaign effectiveness has played a big role in this. More people now recognise mental health as crucial to overall well-being, which is a positive development. Is mental health commonly discussed in your country? In my country, mental health is becoming a more common topic of discussion, particularly among younger generations. As social inclusion initiatives and community support networks grow, talking about mental health is becoming less stigmatised.   You can download or listen to the audio version here: |Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud | The post IELTS Vocabulary: Mental Health Awareness appeared first on IELTS Podcast.