How can I get Band 7.5 overall in IELTS?
We received this question from a member in our private group on Facebook “IELTS writing and speaking support”; feel free to join. One of the examiners working for us answered this one. The easiest way, it seems, is to get Band 8.0 in reading and listening and 7 in speaking and writing. If you are actively studying (i.e. going to an English school/academy) then you should have a good idea what level you are now. If not, do a practice reading...
Linking words and why they matter in IELTS writing
Coherence and Cohesion in the IELTS writing criteria has a few parts to it. Here we are going to look at one part, linking words and common mistakes, because they are really important here. They make your sentences fit together and guide the reader. If you can't use them properly then you will lose marks. We see a lot of candidates make mistakes with them and when you read a sentence with poor linking, meaning becomes surprisingly difficult. We highlight some...
10 reasons why IELTS writing is so hard
There are a number of reasons why IELTS writing is where most people struggle. The IELTS examiners that work with us came up with these 10 reasons. People don’t write very much anymore so it is skill we are losing. Teachers avoid teaching writing and set it for homework. They think they should focus on speaking in class and so writing gets neglected. This happens pretty much from school age. Students don’t think they need to practice it. They are...