What do I need to do in the IELTS speaking test?
So, the good news is the speaking test is very short. It is 14 minutes maximum and is strictly timed. Things you need to be aware of; 1) If the examiner stops you talking, stop talking. As I said above, the test is strictly timed. If the examiner says “Thank you” to stop you talking, they are no being rude and you are not losing marks. They just need to move the test on to the next part. 2) Part 1 is easy. ...
How do I prepare for the IELTS speaking exam?
This is a common question we get from a lot of IELTS candidates that are preparing for IELTS. An IELTS speaking exam explains what you need to do. You need to focus on what you have to do in the speaking exam and then you will be able to focus on practising. Don’t practice alone though. Get yourself an English teacher so they can work on accuracy with you. So, in part 1, all you have to do is answer the question...
Misunderstanding IELTS and getting the score you need
This post comes from a question we were asked about doing an IELTS preparation course. They said that they had joined a 3-month IELTS preparation course in India to get Band 7. They got band 6 after 3 months preparation. They did a Full IELTS writing with us and we showed them why their writing was Band 6.0 and what they needed to do to get higher marks. The biggest problem that this person faces is that their English level is...
What kind of vocabulary do I need to use in IELTS to get high marks?
Firstly, you need to be careful where you get your IELTS information from because most of it is wrong. Have you seen people posting things on Facebook and Instagram saying things like this. IELTS vocabulary These are a complete waste of time. They are encouraging you to use highly specific words that have a very specific meaning. English has the largest vocabulary of any language in the world and words are used in very specific circumstances. Let’s look at ‘groggy’. ‘groggy’ means “weak and unable to think clearly or walk correctly,...
How long will it take to go from Band 7 to Band 8 in IELTS?
7 to 8 is a big jump. You need to increase your score in all the 4 skills. You have probably already got a higher reading and listening score but it is the speaking and writing that will be more difficult. If you live in an English-speaking country, work in English, live with English speakers, etc then you are probably looking at 6–8 months. However, this means that you are actively studying English, going to classes 3 hours a day...
How do I improve my IELTS writing and speaking?
This is a question that we often get asked and it is an easy one to answer. One of the IELTS examiners at upmyielts explains. First things first, you need to find where you are at the moment. If you need Band 7.0 in speaking and writing, then you need to know what you would get if you did the exam tomorrow. It may be the case that your speaking is already at Band 7+ level but your writing is not. ...
I spoke for less than a minute in Part 2 of the IELTS speaking exam. How will this affect my score?
We received this question from someone in our private Facebook group (Feel free to join) and one of the examiners that works for us has this to say. Less than a minute in Part 2 is very short. If this happens then the examiner will point to some of the prompts and say “Can you tell me more about this?” to try and get you to speak for longer. If you cannot continue for whatever reason, you can still do ok...
Why do we only use native IELTS examiners to evaluate your work?
upmyielts.com is where IELTS examiners work for you. So many people come to us having done IELTS numerous times and they haven’t got what they need in IELTS writing or speaking. Some of these people have even done IELTS courses with teachers in their countries or used other IELTS writing correction services. And here lies the problem. Unless you are an examiner, you will have no idea how to score your essays. We have had people come to us showing their...