IELTS with Fiona: a comprehensive guide to IELTS

In this episode, we explore the topic of language(s) in IELTS.From bilingualism and language learning to language loss and global communication, you’ll learn the key vocabulary and ideas you need for Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Perfect for boosting both your confidence and your band score.This podcast focuses on a reading about Silbo Gomero, a whistling language in the Canary Islands.⛳️ Learn 3 common keywords in True, False, Not Given questions.Get the full lesson in the Bronze Members Academy.https://ieltsetc.com/2026/04/ielts-vocab-topic-languages-learning/

In this episode, we use the story of the Céide Fields (an archaeological site in Ireland) to help you improve the skills you need for IELTS Listening.You’ll practise following a real lecture-style talk, identifying key information, making educated guesses, and dealing with common challenges such as recognising paraphrasing, understanding fast speech, and listening for common gap fill answers and spelling patterns for uncountable nouns and plurals.We also focus on useful topic vocabulary for IELTS, especially words related to archaeology and farming, and show you how these ideas can appear in different sections of the test.By the end of the episode, you’ll feel more confident handling Section 4 of the IELTS Listening test while building the vocabulary and strategies you need for a higher band score.bog 🌧️🌿a very wet area of land where the ground is soft and full of water, often with thick layers of peat that can preserve plants and objects for a long time.excavation 🏺digging in the ground to find old objects or structuresNeolithic 🪨relating to the late Stone Age, when people first farmed and lived in settlementssettlement 🏠a place where people live, often long-termgrazing 🐄 animals eating grass in a fieldpaddocks 🚜small fields where animals are keptsoil fertility 🌱 how good the soil is for growing plantscrop rotation 🌾🔁 growing different crops in the same field over timelivestock 🐑 farm animals such as cows and sheepsettlement farming 🏡🌾 farming done by people living permanently in one placefood storage 🫙keeping food to use later

🧑‍🎨 In this podcast you'll learn ideas and vocabulary related to the theme of GENDER, specifically the forgotten role of women in medieval art.GET THE FULL LESSON ON MY WEBSITE:https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/Text SummaryA recent archaeological discovery shows that women may have played a more important role in medieval art than people once thought. Scientists found tiny bits of lapis lazuli in the teeth of a medieval woman buried in Germany. This suggests she may have been an artist who painted manuscripts. The discovery shows that studying dental tartar can reveal surprising information about people’s work and daily lives in the past.Key vocabplaque /plak/ is a colorless film of bacteria, food particles, and saliva that constantly forms on teeth.tartar /tɑːtə/ is plaque that has hardened, usually yellow or brown, and requires professional dental cleaning to removeGender comes up in all parts of the IELTS test - here are some of the podcasts I've already made:📚 Reading - Marie Curie, Georgia O'Keeffe, and The History of Women's Football🎧 Listening - Women's attitudes to finance🗣️ Speaking Part 3 - Gender stereotypes and inequality✍️ Writing - Men and Women in Bar ChartsUSEFUL VOCABULARYgender stereotypes 🧩fixed ideas about what men or women can or should dobehind the times ⏳old-fashioned attitudes that hold back progressrole modelspeople who set an example and inspire others 👩🏻‍🔬to break down barriersto remove obstacles that stop people from progressing 🔨the pay gap 💰📉the difference between men’s and women’s salaries for the same workequality ⚖️equal treatment and opportunities for everyonea patriarchal society🏛️a society where men hold the main powera male-dominated field 👨‍💼a profession where most people are men 👨‍💼#IELTS

This Listening Part 2 about an archaeological dig will help you review maps 🗺️ and vocabulary related to the topic of Civilisation 🏺.Get the full Listening Course on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/courses

🏮 To celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse, here's an Academic Passage 1 text all about The White Horse of Uffington - an ancient chalk figure cut into a hillside in England. The text discusses how and when this 'geoglyph' was created, and my podcast walks you through a set of Gapfill Summary and True False Not Given (TFNG) questions. It includes tips about:⛳️ red flag clues in TFNG questions, especially comparisons and the use of 'most' (= the vast majority)how to skip information that you don't need how 'known as' and 'called' lead you quickly to the answer At the end, we review vocabulary related to ancient customs and traditional celebrations that you can use in the Speaking Test.👉 Join the Members Academy for the full lesson and lots more on a variety of IELTS topics. Go to my website for more information: ieltsetc.com.Useful expressions🎏 This festival is deeply rooted in history.📆 This ceremony marks the start of the new year.🎉 These traditions are passed down through generations.💃🏽 There is a festive atmosphere in the streets.👹 It is a communal celebration with music and dancing.🎎 Many people wear traditional costumes.🪦 Families pay respect to their ancestors during the festival.🧧It is a public holiday, so everyone can celebrate.🎎 Family celebrations give us a strong sense of belonging.🏮 Traditional festivals are important for our cultural identity.

This Academic Reading Passage 1, which is about the life of a well-known artist, will help you review the huge topic of art and the arts in IELTS.This topic covers writers (Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo in the Listening Test) and sculptors (Henry Moore in the Reading Test) as well as theatres, art galleries, pottery, photography and music. In the Speaking Test, you might be asked to describe a favourite painting, or to talk about a time you visited an exhibition or museum. This reading includes lots of vocabulary that will help you describe a painting with precise language.Get the full notes, video, tapescript, vocabulary lists, quizzes and model answers on my website and join the Members Academy for my comprehensive guide to IELTS Test Preparation.Describe a picture or painting you like. You should say: what the painting is about who painted it where you first saw it and explain why you like it. Some useful expressionsThe painting that left a lasting impression on me is… 🖼️The reason this piece means so much to me is… 💖The painting depicts… 🖼️To me, it represents… 🎭Personally, I find it incredibly… 🌈The use of colour really stands out… 🎨It has a timeless quality… ⌛

In this podcast you'll learn tips about guessing True False and Not Given questions, reference words, and how to use conditional sentences in your Writing Task 2.This text about polar bears explains how they are uniquely adapted to extreme Arctic conditions and possess genetic traits that may help scientists understand health problems in humans. threatened – at risk of harm or extinction ❄️adapted – changed to suit particular conditions 🐾genetic – relating to genes or inherited characteristics 🧪mutation – a change in a gene 🔬conservation – the protection of animals and the environment 🌱extinction – the complete disappearance of a species 🦣a breakthrough – an important discovery or development 💡

This IELTS Listening Part 4 is about research into microscopic animals called tardigrades or ‘water bears’. The speaker explains their extreme survival abilities - a topic that we covered in the previous Reading Podcast ('The secret of staying young').This is an essential topic in IELTS, so don't miss this chance to review the vocabulary related to ageing and longevity.You'll also pick up lots of tips related to gapfill questions.Get the full lesson on my website:https://ieltsetc.com/2026/01/ielts-vocabulary-topic-ageing/#ielts #ieltslisteningUseful Vocabularyconservation status 🌍 - the level of protection or risk faced by a speciesdecade 🗓️ - a period of ten yearsendangered ⚠️ - at risk of disappearing completelyextinction ☄️ - the total disappearance of a specieshabitat 🌿 - the natural place where an animal or plant livesinvertebrate 🦐 - an animal without a backbonemetabolism ⚙️ - the chemical processes that keep an organism alivemicroscopic 🔬 - so small it can only be seen with a microscopespecies 🧬 - a group of similar organisms that can reproducethriving 🌟 - growing well and surviving successfully

In this podcast, you'll work through an IELTS Academic Reading Passage 1 about ageing ('The secret of staying young') in a clear, guided way. I will take you step by step through gap fill and True False Not Given questions, so you can see how to find key information quickly. The episode helps you improve skimming, scanning, and careful reading skills. You can get the full lesson, with the video, extra practice and support on my website, IELTS with Fiona.The Vocabulary Topic for this episode is all about ageing - the website lesson includes everything you need to discuss this topic in the Speaking Test and IELTS Writing Part 2.🐜 Reading SummaryYsabel Giraldo studied Pheidole dentata ants to see how aging affects them. She tested ants of different ages on tasks like caring for young, following scent trails, reacting to light, and hunting prey. She also examined their brains for dying cells and important chemicals. Surprisingly, older ants performed as well as younger ones, showing no decline. Giraldo’s research suggests these social ants stay healthy with age, which could help scientists understand aging in humans and other social animals.Key vocabularyaging ⏳ – getting olderan ant 🐜 – a small insectan experiment 🧪 – a test to discover somethingthe brain 🧠 – the part of the body that controls thinking and movementto care for ❤️ – to look after someone or somethinghealthy 💪 – strong and wellin good shape 💯 – healthy and strong physically or mentallysocial 🤝 – living in groupsto stay fit 🏋️ – to remain healthy and stronga scientist 👩‍🔬 – a person who studies nature or sciencea worker 🐝 – an ant that does tasks in the colonya trail 🛤️ – a path marked by scent (smell)prey 🐞 – an animal that is hunted for fooda colony 🏘️ – a group of ants or insects living togetherbehavior 🐾 – the way someone or something actsto reproduce 🍼 – to have babies or make new lifeto deteriorate 💀 – to become worse with ageto decline 📉 – to become worse

How Plants Sense Temperature – IELTS Reading Made EasyThis episode breaks down a challenging IELTS Reading Passage about how plants use light and temperature to grow. I’ll guide you through the key ideas, explain tricky vocabulary, and help you answer the questions with confidence. Perfect for Band 6–8 students who want to improve comprehension, build science-related vocabulary, and boost their IELTS Reading score.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to use the words you DON'T KNOW to get the right answers!It's a difficult Academic Reading Part 3, which contains several scientific terms that might cause confusion.But I will show you how IELTS uses these words for gapfills, and you'll learn the 6 'triggers' that indicate the answer.Get the full video lesson in the Bronze Membership on my website, and in the full Members Academy.https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/Reading SummaryMusic is a powerful force that affects our emotions. When we listen to music we love, our body reacts—our heartbeat increases, and our muscles receive more blood. Scientists have found that music directly influences the brain, especially by releasing dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel pleasure.A study in Canada used brain scans to examine why music has such a strong effect. Researchers found that dopamine is released both when we hear a beautiful part of a song and before it happens. This suggests that our brain enjoys the feeling of anticipation, or waiting for something exciting.The way music is structured also plays a role. If a song is too predictable, it is boring. Great composers, like Beethoven, create patterns in their music and then delay repeating them to build suspense. This delay makes the final moment of resolution much more emotional.A famous music expert,Leonard Meyer, explained that the emotions in music do not come from its connection to real-life experiences but from how it plays with our expectations. Our brain enjoys the mix of predictability and surprise, which keeps us engaged and emotionally connected to the music.Keywords: affects – Changes or influences something. reacts – Responds to something by changing in some way. anticipation – The feeling of excitement when waiting for something to happen. predictable – Easy to guess or expect. delay – To make something happen later than expected. suspense – A feeling of excitement or nervousness while waiting for something to happen. expectations – Beliefs about what will happen in the future. engaged – Focused and interested in something.

This month, we've been exploring the huge topic of MONEY in the Members Academy.It comes up in ALL parts of the test, so in this lesson, we examine two very similar General Training Texts in order to learn more about the topic of government benefit systems and the allowances that you might be entitled to.Each country's benefit system is different, so it's really worth a listen as you'll learn valuable information and keywords.Get the video and full text with vocabulary list in the Bronze Academy on my website.https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/

This is a lovely reading about forced rhubarb: its history and how it is grown and harvested.There are 3 question sets: Matching Headings Multiple Choice GapfillIn this lesson you'll learn more about the general topic of FOOD and how this topic is tested in all parts of the IELTS test.Get the full lesson in the Bronze Academy on my website.https://ieltsetc.com/2024/12/ielts-vocabulary-of-food-cooking-and-eating/

Always check the title of a pie chart to make sure you're providing an accurate summary of the data.Pie charts show percentage and proportion, not numbers. Here's an example of a mistake that is very easy to make when you're under pressure.So practise plenty of pie charts before the test and get ready to use the language related to pie charts - listen till the end to find the 'marc' verbs that will help you.Get the full lesson on my website and in the Members Academy Study Programme.https://beacons.ai/ieltswithfiona#ielts #ieltstask1 #ieltspiechart

In this lesson, we'll analyse a Part 1 Reading text with the purpose of improving our understanding and use of prepositions.First, we go through the True, False and Not Given questions, followed by the Gapfill questions and then we go back to the first paragraph to analyse the prepositions.This is something that I recommend you do regularly - spend 5-10 minutes 'noticing' language from real contexts like the Reading and Listening tests.In the lesson you'll learn how to do this yourself and build up your independent learning skills. The vocabulary from the lesson will also help you with Writing Task 1 (Describing a Natural Cycle).Get more help with Prepositions, and find my Preposition Workbook on my website:https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-grammar-complete-guide/prepositions/

Did you know that uou can use "a/an + adjective" before a statistic to express your reaction to the number?This technique adds emphasis and helps the listener or reader understand your perspective on the data. Examples: A staggering 95% of teenagers spend over 4 hours daily on social media. An alarming 62% of young adults report experiencing significant anxiety. A heartening 78% of volunteers say they feel more connected to their community. A disappointing 34% of students complete their language learning goals. An impressive 92% of renewable energy targets were met this year. A troubling 46% of food produced globally goes to waste. A surprising 55% of people have never traveled outside their home country.Listen to find out how to use this structure in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 reports.Get the full document from my daily tip (31st October 2024).https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/halloween-grammar

In this lesson you'll learn 5 IELTS Listening Tips that (I'm guessing) nobody told you about.Get the full lesson with bonus materials in the Bronze Academy on my website.https://ieltsetc.com/2024/10/5-ielts-listening-tips-nobody-told-you-about/

Get the free lesson on my blog: How to use personal pronouns in IELTS Writing. In this lesson, we look at ways of USING and AVOIDING personal pronouns in Writing Task 2 essays. You'll learn when to use "I", "we" and "you", and you'll get examples of how to avoid personal pronouns by using plurals, the passive voice, and more general language. https://ieltsetc.com/personal-pronouns-in-ielts-writing/

If you really want to make a difference to your test score, stop practising grammar with useless examples that you'll never use in the IELTS test! In this grammar review we look at how to use few, a few, little and a little SPECIFICALLY FOR the IELTS test.You'll learn useful expressions that you can use in the Writing and Speaking Tests, and you'll find out how to avoid common mistakes with these quantifiers in the Reading and Listening Tests.Get the full lesson in the Bronze Academy, starting at just $4 per month.The full lesson includes: a set of IELTS-related phrases for each quantifier a set of practice questions for each quantifier an interactive review of all quantifiers 3 Listening video extracts with real test audio, tapescripts, answers and explanations 3 Reading extracts The most common mistake with 'few' Formal and Informal alternatives 10 examples for GT lettershttps://ieltsetc.com/2024/09/quantifiers-few-a-few-little-a-little/

In this lesson, you'll practise 3 reading question types while learning essential IELTS animal-related vocabulary items such as 'hibernation' and 'migration'.I also discuss differences between two summaries, which will help you use more formal language in the writing test e.g. to maintain fitness vs to stay fit.For example:(Advanced Summary)The article explores how animals maintain fitness differently from humans. Unlike humans, who need consistent training to prepare for endurance challenges like marathons, many animals maintain or even enhance their fitness without deliberate exercise.(Intermediate Summary)The article discusses how animals stay fit in different ways compared to humans. While humans need to exercise regularly to prepare for challenges like running a marathon, many animals stay fit without needing to train.Get the full lesson on my website (Bronze Academy) and in the Members Academy.https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-tips-and-tricks/https://ieltsetc.com/courses#ielts #ieltstestpreparation #ieltscourse

In this lesson we look at direct and indirect ways of asking for help.You will learn fixed expressions that you can use in any letter of request letter, and you'll also learn how to demonstrate flexibility with a variety of tenses when you 'give details of your musical activities'.Find the full lesson with models and interactive practice on my website (Bronze Academy).⁠https://ieltsetc.com/2024/09/ielts-general-training-letter-of-request/⁠You recently went to a concert and thought one of the singers was very good. You want to tell him/her how you feel.Write a letter to the singer. In your letter: say how you feel about his/her performance give details of your music-related/musical activities explain how you would like him/her to help you with your music-related/musical activities

In this lesson, we look at how you can use Listening Test maps to improve the way you describe maps and plans in the Writing Test. In this lesson we'll cover How to talk about FUTURE changes How to avoid over-using 'going to' How to use the passive tense How to use the vocabulary of change related to maps We also review map prepositions, and we look at a model answer. The lesson ends with a list of map expressions collated from 4 real Listening Tests. Members get the full lesson on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/2024/08/ielts-maps-plans-changes-future/ Get the FREE Maps and Plans Listening lesson on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-listening-maps/

This is a talk-through of a General Training Reading Passage 3. The text tells the story of the 'Fosbury Flop', which is a high-jump technique developed by a 21 year-old university student from the USA called Dick Fosbury in the late 1960s. In this lesson, you'll practise Matching Information, Multiple Choice and gapfill questions. Get all my lessons on my website ieltsetc.com and follow my courses in the Members Academy.

In this Listening Section 2 about tips for runners, you'll learn how to spot distractors in different question types such as matching people and multiple choice. Get the full lesson with 180+ more lessons in the Bronze Academy https://ieltsetc.com/2024/07/ielts-listening-matching-people-distractors/ Get the list of phrasal verbs to talk about hobbies (Free) https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/phrasal-verbs-hobbies-and-new-skills

This is a talk-through of a Passage 1 Academic Reading text about tennis rackets (Book 19 Test 1). It covers 2 sets of questions (True, False, Not Given and Gapfill Summary). Full lesson notes and video available on my website and Members Academy.

In this lesson, you'll see why so many model essays are NOT model essays. For each of the points I mention, you'll learn a better alternative so that you can make changes to your own writing. Here's the question: Some people believe that charities should help people in need no matter where those people are in the world. Others feel that these organizations should only serve the people living in the country where they are based. Discuss both sides and give your own view. Find the full lesson on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/2021/03/ielts-band-9-sample-essay-charity/ Watch my YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/c4nMPXwJls4 My tips about Coherence and Cohesion (avoiding mechanical linking words) are here: https://ieltsetc.com/2020/01/ielts-writing-coherence-cohesion/ Find more Band 9 essays and tips on my website. Join the Bronze Membership for full access. https://ieltsetc.com/2019/04/band-9-essay/ https://ieltsetc.com/2021/03/ielts-task-2-band-9-essay-ceos/ https://ieltsetc.com/2019/09/ielts-writing-task-2-topics-and-models-crime/ https://ieltsetc.com/2020/05/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/ https://ieltsetc.com/2020/03/to-what-extent-do-you-agree/ https://ieltsetc.com/2020/11/ielts-formal-writing/ #ielts #ieltswriting #ieltstask2 #ieltsband9 lCGmdgSdFMRaveqtPUv8

A quick look at TFNG and a less common type of Matching Headings. Get the full text here https://www.ieltsetc.com/2019/03/ielts-gt-reading-passports-and-airports/

Quick tips to help you with the Speaking Challenge followed by a Reading Passage 2 about the tool-making abilities of crows (and what we have in common with them). True/False/Not Given. Get the full reading here https://www.ieltsetc.com/2018/11/ielts-reading-two-wings-toolkit/

This is my walkthrough of an Academic Passage 1 about Stonehenge. Keyword before you listen: ‘Winter solstice’ - the shortest day of the year (December 21st) Meaning: to stand still The solstice (combining the Latin words sol for “sun” and ‘sistere’ for “stand still”) is the point where the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest point in the sky for the year and thus ancient astronomers came to know the day as one where the sun appeared to stand still. Become a member to get the full tapescript, wordlist and video. ieltsetc.com

This listening about a research project contains several examples of ‘academic’ language (language related to studying at university) that you need to understand Listening Part 3. It's about a volcanic eruption, and is adapted from a Cambridge Past Paper (Book 18). Get the full lesson notes and video in the Bronze Membership on my website ieltsetc.com and the Listening Course in the Members Academy.

This Part 4 Listening is all about moving elephants. In the lesson you'll learn about: using word prompts to keep your place using intonation and sentence stress to identify answers using spelling patterns and plurals to get the right answers The full transcript is available in the Bronze Membership on my website. https://ieltsetc.com/2023/10/ielts-listening-part-4-keeping-up-with-the-speaker/

This is a relatively easy Passage 2 from a Cambridge Past Paper, with 3 sets of questions [Matching Information, Categorising and Gapfill]. https://ieltsetc.com/2023/10/ielts-reading-forest-management/

This Listening Part 4 about a writer called Victor Hugo is taken from the new Practice Book 18. In the podcast you'll learn why this particular test is more difficult than usual how reference words give you the answer (if you can remember what they refer to) techniques for predicting and retaining information common gapfill answers and how they're related to pronunciation Get the full video, tapescript and tips in the Members Academy Listening Course with Members bonus features for 12 months. ieltsetc.com/courses

This is a Passage 3 review about a book about The Birth and Growth of Manhattan's Skyscrapers. This is an extremely difficult text. It would really help if you have the text in front of you. The only good thing about this text is that everything goes in COMPLETE ORDER and we know where everything is, because it goes from 'Chapter 1' to 'Chapter 10'. The Yes, No, Not Given questions are not too difficult either. But the last Gapfill Summary with Answers is a nightmare. Good luck with it! IELTS with Fiona

Farming and agriculture is my Number 1 Vocabulary topic for IELTS, and I noticed that most of the readings in this new Cambridge Practice Test Book (18) are related either to the environment (Week 1 of my vocab course) or to cities/architecture/buildings (Week 2 in my Vocabulary course - the Man-Made Environment). So make sure you re-read this text for the useful vocabulary e.g. sustainable, organic, intensive farming. Members: the video version of this podcast with pdf download is now available for you to watch. Get my Members Academy Reading package (2 full courses plus all the new lessons over 12 months, plus Members Academy benefits - Private blog, live zoom meetings, private community, daily tips, Writing coaching lessons etc). As I add more materials and benefits, the price will only increase, so join sooner rather than later so you can get the most of the resources before your test. https://ieltsetc.com/courses

This is a pretty straighforward Academic Part 2 about Stadiums. In this podcast we'll go through 3 question types (Matching Statements, Gapfill Summary and Choosing from a list.) Get more in the Members Academy https://ieltsetc.com/courses.

I guarantee that you can do this in under 10 minutes if you follow my system. Find the Reading online and do it yourself before you listen. Learn more about my IELTS Reading techniques with TWO courses in the Members Academy. ieltsetc.com/courses

Get the full blog with audio on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/2023/04/ielts-listening-tips-complete-guide/ In this lesson, I examine the MACRO and MICRO skills you need to get all of the answers right in this Section 2 IELTS Listening about a holiday company. For example: Background knowledge (what you already know about holiday companies, tour itineraries, travelling/place names in the UK etc etc) Vocabulary (phrasal verbs, synonyms, numbers) Spelling (ea words, al/ol words) Grammar (comparisons, 'used to', perfect modals for guessing) Accents (Northern English 'u') Pronunciation features (meet you) Linking (However...) Signalling (What we do is...) Predicting Remembering The Members Academy teaches all of these skills in a variety of easy-to-follow short courses with quick video guides and plenty of practice. Join today https://ieltsetc.com/courses

There are many free online IELTS Writing checkers available, and they can be useful when you’re starting your IELTS preparation. Online writing checkers such as Grammarly can give you simple feedback on your grammar, vocabulary and linking words. There are more sophisticated versions available that claim they can assess your IELTS writing using the Band Criteria, and give you a grade and feedback in a matter of seconds. But how accurate and reliable are they? I tested a few and here are my results. The one I mention in the podcast is testpredikt.com. Check out my blog here: ⁠https://ieltsetc.com/2023/03/best-online-ielts-writing-checker/

[Skip the 5-minute introduction if you want to just get to the question types!] Different websites have different ways of categorising IELTS Reading Question types. See my latest blog for all the details: https://ieltsetc.com/2023/03/how-many-ielts-reading-question-types/ In my online courses, I follow the official IELTS.org guidelines, and I have simplified the types so that you focus more on developing your reading skills. Developing good reading skills will enable you to answer all question types. The 3 basic categories are: Matching things (headings, statements, features, sentence endings, dates, people, choosing from a list) Filling in gaps (summaries, notes, tables, flowcharts, sentences, diagrams) Choosing from a list (Multiple Choice, True, False, Not Given and Yes, No, Not Given) In this blog, I examine the official 11 Question Types as outlined on IELTS.org and explain how other teachers and websites might label them.

The best thing about the IELTS Test is that you cannot fail it. The test simply takes a ‘snapshot’ of your current level of English. So if you’ve suddenly realised that you need to take the test in 10 days don’t panic too much. Consider it a ‘practice run’. 10 days is just enough time to familiarise yourself with the test requirements so you can give yourself the best chance of getting the best indicator of your overall ability. Here’s what I would do in the next 10 days. Read the blog here https://ieltsetc.com/2023/02/how-to-prepare-for-ielts-in-10-days/

There are 7 key features of fast speech and pronunciation that you need to develop a better understanding of in order to increase your Listening Score: Features of connected speech (dropping sounds, adding sounds, changing sounds, weak sounds and twin sounds). Word boundaries Homophones Sounds that are different or don’t exist in your language Accents and rhoticity (‘r’) Minimal pairs Consonant Clusters Read the full blog here. https://ieltsetc.com/2023/02/ielts-pronunciation-tips-listening-test/ Buy the workbook guide here: https://payhip.com/b/HzVmy

In this Listening Section 2 we look at: - Multiple choice questions - distractors - matching from a list - the word 'staff' and how it's repeated 32 times - how to pronounce 'staff' - academic language you can use in Task 2 Improve your IELTS score with my intensive Listening Course: ieltsetc.com/courses

What will you do differently in 2023? Here are my 7 resolutions to help you get the IELTS test over and done with once and for all. Get all the tips on my Daily Tips page https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en and get all my lessons on my website ieltsetc.com. Join the Members Academy to make faster progress.

In this episode, I'll take you through one of my Guided Readings - it's an Academic Passage 3 from Book 17 and, unusually, it's a book review. Follow my Advent Challenge on my website: https://ieltsetc.com/ielts-advent-adventure/ Join the Members Academy: https://ieltsetc.com/courses

Question: "How do I cope with so much information when I'm preparing for the IELTS test?" Answer: "Just do as much as you need to do for the Band score that you want." In all aspects of life, there are different levels of expertise and knowledge. Deciding what you want to do with your IELTS score will help you manage your time and your learning. I've carefully programmed this into the Members Academy.  Aiming for Band 6? Just watch the videos.  Need to get Band 7? Watch the videos and do the practice. Want Band 8/9? Do the EXTRA practice that I include in every lesson. Enrol today https://members.ieltsetc.com/academy This podcast talks about managing your learning according to what level of expertise you need to acquire. I call it the traffic-light system.  GREEN: Band 6 - INTERESTED (do a single course) YELLOW: Band 7 - COMMITTED (join the Members Academy - do all the courses) RED: Band 8+ - OBSESSED ("To be the best, you have to be obsessed": do the Coaching Program) But remember this - what is the opposite of "too much information"?  The opposite is "not enough information".  Not enough info is worse than too much info when it comes to preparing for IELTS because it is not a subject - it's a language and a skill. Can fluent speakers have "too much English knowledge"? I don't think that's possible. Let me know if you've got any questions.

Can you guess the answers to the gapfill before you listen? In this episode I talk you through a Passage 4 where I think about 60% of the answers are guessable! Thinking of becoming a Member of my Academy? Find out more on my website: ieltsetc.com/courses

A tricky GT Part 3 Reading with Matching Headings, Multiple Choice, and Matching Sentence Endings.

I've spoken a lot about Mindset for IELTS in 2 earlier blogs: 1. How to train your mindset for IELTS https://ieltsetc.com/how-to-train-your-mindset-for-ielts/ 2. How to stop making excuses and start making progress https://ieltsetc.com/2020/11/improve-ielts-score/ In this (rather long) podcast I talk about asking SMARTER questions to get smarter answers. S = Specific (Why, What, Why, When, Where?) M = Measurable (How much? How many?) A = Achievable R = Realistic T = Time-bound E = Evaluate R = Revise

In this podcast, you'll practice listening for the tricks in Multiple Choice Questions. This is yet another Listening based on the topic of farming, and it includes many of the keywords on my IELTS planner list Day 1 (Agriculture), for example: - breed - bred/reared - livestock - to increase production - domesticated animals - controlling and eradicating those diseases Add these to your wordlist and check out the other lessons related to agriculture on my website https://ieltsetc.com. Get the full version of this Listening Part 3 lesson in the Members Academy.