General Advice for Teachers

 Be honest
 Focus on weak points
 After the regular exam starts, with timing for the exam
 The average improvement for a typical student who studies on a regular basis will achieve an
increase of 0.5 for every six months of studying.
 Practice a lot, but be careful of burnout.
 Do an exam condition test for speed, then a slow test with a dictionary to learn

First Lesson
 Evaluate his level
 Ask about details of the student: Which exam, Score, deadline, Paper-based or online.
 Create a plan based on his level and goal
 Start with an exam and structure – Prepare a real answer sheet
 Give mock exam1 Listening and Reading

FAQ IELTS
 There is no difference between the IELTS test at the BC (British Council) and in IDP (Australia)
 There is also no difference between examiners and markings in the BC and IDP.
 All questions are written by Cambridge English Language Assessment.
 The test format, question types, allocated time to each test section, and content are the same
for both IELTS on Computer and IELTS on Paper tests. The only difference felt is in your test day
experience.
 Whether you do IELTS on a computer or paper, your Test Report Form is the same.

Listening Structure
 The listening section is the same for General and Academic
 40 questions – 40 minutes (30 minutes listening – 10 minutes writing to answer sheet)
 4 sections: gets more difficult as it progresses
 Section 1: Two speakers: Listen for specific information: names, dates, times, places, numbers
 Section 2: One speaker: Usually, information about a guide
 Section 3: Three or four speakers: Usually, information about a guide
 Section 4: One speaker: Academic lecture
 There might be people with different accents
 Both British and American spelling are accepted.
 Capital letters are not important. You can write with all capital if you want
  Answer with a pencil, not a pen (Practice like that)
 The answer sheets for listening and reading are similar but separate. Make sure you are writing
on the correct sheet.
 The answers are given in order.

Listening Tips
 INSTRUCTIONS: Pay attention to instructions and underline the maximum word number
Example:
The speaker on a tape says: “Well if you are dieting, try to avoid fruits with lots of fructose like
watermelon, mango, peaches, or grapes.”
The question in the booklet is:
“Name 2 fruits a person on a diet should not eat.”
The answer may be “watermelon, mango,” or any combination of items. But never three or four. Anyone
who writes “just in case” – watermelon, preaches, grapes – receives a 0 score for that question.

 The recording will be played only once. Practice like that (For training, you can do more than 1)
 Take notes in your question booklet as you listen. You will answer in the answer sheet during the
last 10 minutes.
 Underline the KEYWORDS: Keywords are the words that contain the main idea of the question.
 Practice multitasking – Answer as you listen
 Look ahead at questions in 1 minute and 30 seconds (Topic, Vocabulary)
 Use shorthand for speedy writing
 Watch out for traps:
1. Unexpected turn: Be careful of misspoken words and correction
2. Generalization: They say a list of things and then say them all in one word. For example: “Well, I
like to swim, hike, and camp – to be involved in outdoor the question is “What kind of
activities…” If the question asks for what kind of activities, the correct answer is “outdoor
“swimming,” “hiking” or “camping.”
3. Explicit answer choices: example: this course is a must for all the first-year students, excluding
foreign students.” The question is, “All the first-year students have to take this course.” The
answer should be false. Anything involved “except, exception, excluding” is suspicious.

 You don’t lose a mark if you answer wrong. So if you don’t know, GUESS.
 SPELLING: If your spelling is wrong, your answer is wrong. Check them later, not during listening.
 Spelling Task: learn the Alphabet correctly
 Numbers: In numbers, “00” sometimes is read as “double o” instead or “zero-zero.”
 Don’t try to understand everything. Focus on the answers
 Answers might come quickly. Get ready to write fast, but don’t panic if you miss. This is common
in Section 4
 Look out for answers that are plural with “s.”
  Similar words might not be the answer
 If you miss an answer, just move on; don’t lose track.
 RELAX and Concentrate – Keep moving forward. Always look one or two questions ahead.
 Listening is the least developed skill. So, if you are weak, you need to take some time to improve
 Know your clues (Signposts). Answers are louder and clearer
 Grammar Helps and Kills: Use it in Gap filling, sentence completion, and summary completion.
 Just copy the answer and nothing extra
 Write in the Listening Answer Sheet and NOT Reading
 Check your handwriting

Counting Words
- All the small words, such as articles (a, an, the) and prepositions (e.g., on, in, at), are also
counted.
- All the hyphenated words, such as state-of-the-art, self-improvement, and fine-tune, are
considered as 1 word.
- Dates, time, and number are also considered as a word. For example- the sentence, “There were
5000 people present in the auditorium at 6:30 pm on 25.12.2019.” has 12 words, whereas ‘5000’, ‘6:30
pm’, and ’25.12.2019’ are considered as three different words too.
- The symbols written along with numbers are not counted. For example- the % sign in 99.9% is
not counted, whereas 99.9 is counted as a word.
- Compound nouns (the nouns that are joined together to make a single word) are counted as
one word only. For example- the words skyscraper, grandmother, and grasshopper are counted as one
word.
- There are also various compound words that are separated with a hyphen like a mother-in-law,
this is also counted as one word. On the other hand, compound nouns that are written separately, like
training room, fire drill, and swimming pool, are counted as separate words. For example- the sentence,
“The bookkeeper stacked the books neatly in the university library.” has 10 words.
- The dates that are written in the way ‘14th November’ is counted as one number and one word
and not as a single word.
- All the words, even the ones written in brackets, are counted. Also, some people get confused
that if words such as ‘the’ are used several times in a sentence, will all of them be counted? Yes,
regardless of how many times a word is repeated in a sentence, it is counted.
- Contractions such as I’m, it’s, we’d, we’ll are counted as one word. Whereas I am, it is, we
would, we will are counted as two separate words. It is advisable not to use too many contractions in
IELTS writing.

Reading Structure

 The reading section is 1 hour after listening (no extra time for the answer sheet)
  The reading section is different in Academic and General tests
 3 sections – 40 Questions
 Academic reading is from books, magazines, and newspapers. It can contain academic
vocabulary, diagrams, maps, etc.
 General Reading each section gets more difficult. Section 1: relevant to everyday, Section 2: work
issues. Section 3: Long and of general interest.
 You can take notes or write on the reading paper or underline.
 Capital letters are not important. You can write with all capital if you want
 You can write letters instead of True, False, not given
 The answers do not come in order
 Answer with a pencil, not a pen (Practice like that)

Reading Tips
 DON’T READ – Skim and Scan
 Skim Reading: Title, Headings, First 2 sentences, Underline Keywords (dates, opinions, quotes,
comparisons, or anything important)
 A quick look at the questions
 Scan for the specific information to answer
 Underline the KEYWORDS: Keywords are the words that contain the main idea of the question.
 Search for the number first
 Skip the words you don’t know
 You don’t lose a mark if you answer wrong. So, if you don’t know, guess
 Instead of spending 20 minutes on each, they should spend 15 minutes on the first, 20 on the
second, and 25 minutes on the third.
 SPELLING: If your spelling is wrong, your answer is wrong.
 Focus on each type of reading each day to improve skills
 Read academic articles on various topics on BBC, Economist, National Geography
 Find your weaknesses and Practice with real exams
 You need advanced vocabulary for good results in Reading
 Write your answers into the answer sheet as you go
 Read the glossary
 Don’t assume; find the answer with evidence from the text.
HEADING:
 Read the headings before you read the passage
 There are often more headings than you need
 Think about the heading phrase meaning (Analyze)
 Identify the main point of each paragraph.
 Don’t waste time if you can’t match.
 Don’t match the keywords, but match the meaning.
 If a heading says description, look for adjectives and descriptive language
  Answers do not come in order
True False Not Given / Yes No Not Given
 Paraphrase the statements before trying to locate the answers
 Answers come in order

Matching Paragraph Information

 Paraphrase the question
 Find the information in the passage
 Answers do not come in order
 Not all paragraphs may be used
 Leave the most difficult last
 Check your answers before the finish – one mistake will make most of them wrong
Summary Completion Question
 Identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun, verb, adj, etc.)
 Locate the information in the passage
 If you choose words from the passage, check how many words can be used
 Answers usually come in order
 The summary must be grammatically correct, which can help you in choosing the right word.
Sentence Completion
 Identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun, verb, adj, etc.)
 Locate the information in the passage.
 The sentences must be grammatically correct, which can help you in choosing the right word.
 Check how many words can be used for each answer
 Answers usually come in order
Multiple Choice Questions
 Paraphrase the questions and options
 Locate the information in the passage
 Answers come in order
List Selection
 Paraphrase the list
 Identify the keywords
 Locate the information in the passage
  Answers come in order
Choosing a Title
 Look at titles first and the differences
 Check opening paragraphs and closing paragraphs
 Don’t spend too much time on this question. It is only worth one point
Classification
 Look out for paraphrases
Matching Sentence Endings
 Read through the sentences and then read through the possible endings
 Prepare paraphrases
 Find information in the passage the choose the best ending
 The completed sentence must be grammatically correct
 Sentence beginnings follow the order of the information
 There are usually more endings given than you need
Table / Flow Chart / Diagram Completion
 Read the column headings in the table
 Identify the type of word need
 Scan the passage for information: answers are often located in a specific part of the passage.
 Check how many words you can use for the answer
 Answers do not always come in order
Short Answer
 Identify the type of word need
 Paraphrase vocabulary in the questions
 Scan the passage to locate information
 Check how many words you can use for the answers
 The answer comes in order

Writing Structure
 2 Writings in 1 hour
 IELTS recommends to spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2, but it is up to you
 You will be marked on Task achievement (25%), Coherence and Cohesion (25%), Vocabulary
(25%), Grammar (25%)
 You can use either a pen or pencil in IELTS writing.

Writing Tips
 No need for a title
 Do not rewrite the question in the answer
 Plan where to put your information before starting for 3-5 minutes
  Focus on the structure (no more than 5 scores without paragraphs and no more than 6 without
main topic in paragraphs)
 Write interesting sentences
 Avoid vocabulary repetition
 Use a range of linking devices
 Use referencing (this, it, etc.)
 Do proofreading after writing
 Pay attention to Punctuation for IELTS
 Stick to one type of spelling (either American or British)
 Practice with writeandimprove.com
 Improve your writing by Read, Copy and Write.
 Write beautifully
 Use either indentation for the first line of each paragraph (traditional method) or a blank line
between paragraphs (modern method), but do not mix both methods.

Task 1 Tips
 Write a minimum 150 words
 33% of your total writing mark
 Avoid putting the wrong information
 Avoid an opinion
 Writing provided vocabulary with the question does not count as a mark for you. Paraphrase
them

Task 2 Tips
 Write minimum 250 words
Speaking Structure
 The Speaking test is held on a separate day, usually one or two days before or after the other
test day.
 The IELTS Speaking test is 11 to 14 minutes long
 You will sit on a one-on-one interview with the examiner
 3 parts – each roughly 4 to 5 minutes
 Part 1: you will be asked personal questions relating to your family, friends, and interests.
 The questions are set beforehand and will not change depending on your answers. But
sometimes, the examiners may ask you to elaborate.
 Part 2: you have to give a short speech based on a personal question. The examiner will provide
you with a cue card (a question paper), which has a topic and four short questions.
 You are given one minute to prepare your response. You can even write down the points that
you want to talk about.
 Part 3: general questions related to the topic of Part 2 are asked. Unlike Part 1 and Part 2, here
the questions are not personal. Rather, they focus on society and the world.
 This part, where you have to demonstrate logical reasoning and critical thinking, lasts for roughly
five minutes.

Speaking Tips
 Part 1: students should provide as much information as possible. (show vocabulary)
 Prepare for different accents: British or Australian actual person
 Examiners judge on holding conversation, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammatical
structures
 Your body language, personality, or opinions will NOT be evaluated. Only the words you speak
and their accuracy matter. So this means it is okay if you want to lie.
 Learn Fluency Tips
 Record yourself on various topics or daily activities.

Vocabulary Tips
 We are not going to cover every vocabulary in the class
 Inform the teacher only if you don’t understand something on your own
 You should have a notebook for vocabulary only
 Learn new words instead of using “very”, “a lot”
 Avoid repetition: Find the words you repeat a lot and learn similar words for that
 Students should try to learn 10-15 new words each day
 use “dead time” (on the bus, waiting in line)
 Use WordUp App
 Idioms count your score for Vocabulary. You can only use in Speaking. Never use for writing
  Learn Synonyms, opposites, paraphrasing (important for Reading)
 Learn Collocations
 Read a lot but don’t get bored. Read something you like. Underline new words

Grammar Tips

 Test you grammar to find the weak points and work on them first
 Use Grammar in IELTS to check and practice your problems
 Inform the teacher only if you didn’t understand something on your own

IELTS
Test format

IELTS scoring

IELTS Band Scores: How they are calculated

Sample IELTS Test

Free online IELTS practice tests | Take IELTS

Sample test questions

IELTS for Teacher

Teaching IELTS: 9 Vital Tips And Tricks

IELTS Liz – IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free Tips, Lessons & English

Magoosh IELTS Blog: Study Resources

Preparation for IELTS Exam

Reading IELTS
IELTS Reading Question Types: Information & Tips

IELTS Reading: Lessons, Information & Tips

IELTS Reading True False Not Given Exercises

Vocabulary for IELTS
Vocabulary for IELTS: Word Lists, Exercises & Pronunciation

Writing IELTS
How IELTS Writing Task 1 is Scored: Band Scores 5 to 8 with Useful Tips

Task 1 Evaluation

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Evaluation

IELTS Writing Task 1 Samples

150 ways to avoid using the word ‘very’ - Interlex

Test day advice

IELTS Speaking Interview | BAND 9 | Real Test!

IELTS Books
General Class Book: New Insight into IELTS SB / WB (Band 6)

Official Cambridge Guide for IELTS

Listening

 Spelling

 Numbers

Baron’s IELTS  Specific Skills + 4 Academic Tests + 2 General Tests

Listening:

 Understanding Numbers
  Understanding Alphabet

 Distinguishing Similar Sounds

 Listening for Time & Date

 Listening for frequency

Writing:

 Transition Words

 Synonyms

 Sentence types: While, If, Compound, respectively

 Punctuation

 Commonly misspelled words

Speaking Techniques

Vocabulary Book: Vocabulary for IELTS Cambridge

Barron's Essential Words for the IELTS

Grammar: Grammar for IELTS Cambridge

Writing: Collins Writing for IELTS (5  6.5)

IELTS Tips:

101 Helpful Hints for IELTS - (Practice Test 4)

Target Band 7

Ace IELTS