IELTS
Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking — strategies for a high band
You will learn all four IELTS sections — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — step by step: the format, the task types, the marking criteria and time-saving strategies. Original practice tasks, model answers and band 7+ vocabulary and grammar suit both Academic and General Training candidates.
12 lessons4 modules≈ 4 hBeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Course content
12 lessons
Getting started
BeginnerThe IELTS format, Academic versus General Training, how bands are calculated and a study plan.
- 1The IELTS format: four sections, two versionsLearn how IELTS is built: the timing of each section, Academic versus General Training, what the computer-delivered test is like and how One Skill Retake works.14 min
- 2How band scores work and a study planUnderstand the 9-band scale, how correct answers become a band, how the overall score is rounded, and build your own 8-week study plan.16 min
23 lessons
Listening and Reading
IntermediateThe four Listening parts, Reading question types, fast-reading techniques and time management.
- 3Listening: four parts, question types and trapsLearn the four Listening parts, the question types, the spelling and number traps, how to spot distractors and how to predict the answer before you hear it.18 min
- 4Reading: True/False/Not Given and Matching HeadingsLearn the difference between True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given, a reliable test for telling False from Not Given, and how to match headings to paragraphs.20 min
- 5Reading: completion tasks, skimming, scanning and timingLearn to solve sentence and summary completion tasks, to skim a text for the gist and scan it for details, and to divide 60 minutes between three passages.20 min
34 lessons
Writing and Speaking
IntermediateDescribing visuals, General Training letters, essay types and the three parts of the Speaking test.
- 6Writing Task 1 (Academic): graphs, tables, processes and mapsLearn to turn visual data into a 150-word report: paraphrasing the introduction, writing an overview, comparing figures, the language of change, and the passive for processes and maps.22 min
- 7General Training Task 1: writing a letterLearn to tell formal, semi-formal and informal letters apart, to cover all three bullet points fully, and to choose the right opening and closing.18 min
- 8Writing Task 2: essay types, structure and the four criteriaLearn to recognise the five essay types, answer every part of the question, build a 250+ word essay with a clear position, and understand the examiner's four criteria (TR, CC, LR, GRA).25 min
- 9Speaking: three parts, the cue card and fluencyLearn the three parts of the Speaking test, how to extend your answers, a 1-minute preparation technique for the Part 2 cue card, how to discuss ideas in Part 3 and the four marking criteria.22 min
43 lessons
Band 7+ toolkit
AdvancedTopic vocabulary and collocations, advanced grammar, typical mistakes and test-day tips.
- 10Vocabulary: topic words and academic collocationsBoost your Lexical Resource score with vocabulary for the most common IELTS topics, academic collocations, a way to make your words more precise and a technique for remembering them.20 min
- 11Grammar for band 7+: complex sentences, conditionals, passive, relative clausesLearn the most useful structures for Grammatical Range & Accuracy: complex sentences, every type of conditional, the passive, relative clauses and the most common grammar errors.24 min
- 12Typical mistakes and test dayFix the grammar and pronunciation mistakes that speakers of Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian make most often in English, and plan your test day step by step.18 min
Exam preparation
SATUS university admission: Math and Reading & Writing of the Digital SATTOEFL iBTEvery section and task type of the academic English testCSCA (China)Bachelor admission to Chinese universities: maths, physics, chemistry and ChineseDIM: School-leaving and university entrance examsPreparing for Azerbaijan's school-leaving and university entrance exams