I have been a professional test writer for over 20 years and have written 5 IELTS preparation books, including The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS. In 2015-16 I wrote and developed two IELTS Vocabulary teaching apps and I am currently writing two books: a free e-book aimed at teaching candidates how to study effectively and achieve a high score in IELTS and an interactive e-workbook with interactive IELTS writing exercises focusing on getting ideas, planning, writing and checking.
How should I manage my time in the reading test ?
Time is a key part of the reading test. A Band 8 or 9 candidate can skim read or speed-read a passage a lot faster than a Band 4 or 5 candidate. Your ability to quickly read the passages and locate the relevant information to answer the questions is one of the reading skills being assessed. So it is important to have a strategy for the test and to practice the skills of skim reading and scanning a passage.
Remember also that you need to transfer all of your answers onto a separate answer sheet within the 60 minutes that you have. You are NOT given any extra time for this at the end. It is very important to make sure that you don’t make any mistakes when you are transferring your answers and that you don’t make any spelling mistakes.
One question I’m often asked is whether you should start by reading the questions first. My advice is to only very quickly look at the questions just to satisfy your curiosity and no more. You will absolutely NOT be able to ‘guess’ any answers or answer the questions without reading the passage. This is a common problem with practice tests that aren’t written by trained exam writers. In the IELTS test, you will have to read the passage to find out the information you need, so reading the questions in detail first will be confusing and may make you feel anxious about what you don’t know. It is also a waste of very valuable time.
The images below👇show what I think is the best way to use your time in the reading test.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
Time is a key part of the reading test. A Band 8 or 9 candidate can skim read or speed-read a passage a lot faster than a Band 4 or 5 candidate. Your ability to quickly read the passages and locate the relevant information to answer the questions is one of the reading skills being assessed. So it is important to have a strategy for the test and to practice the skills of skim reading and scanning a passage.
Remember also that you need to transfer all of your answers onto a separate answer sheet within the 60 minutes that you have. You are NOT given any extra time for this at the end. It is very important to make sure that you don’t make any mistakes when you are transferring your answers and that you don’t make any spelling mistakes.
One question I’m often asked is whether you should start by reading the questions first. My advice is to only very quickly look at the questions just to satisfy your curiosity and no more. You will absolutely NOT be able to ‘guess’ any answers or answer the questions without reading the passage. This is a common problem with practice tests that aren’t written by trained exam writers. In the IELTS test, you will have to read the passage to find out the information you need, so reading the questions in detail first will be confusing and may make you feel anxious about what you don’t know. It is also a waste of very valuable time.
The images below👇show what I think is the best way to use your time in the reading test.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
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#interview
How are overall IELTS band scores calculated?
🎙Interview with #Pauline_Cullen - Cambridge English Consultant
We're going to talk about band scores. I know that IELTS band scores go from 1 to 9, and I also know there are half-scores, like 5.5, 6.5. But that's all about I know.
0:19 ⏯ So, Pauline, to begin, can you tell us how the IELTS Academic Reading and Listening test are scored?
0:55 ⏯ And what about the Speaking test? How does the examiner decide the overall score of it?
1:17 ⏯ What about the Writing test?
1:50 ⏯ So how is the overall IELTS score calculated then?
2:30 ⏯ In the Listening and Reading test, can I just write my answers on the question paper?
2:59 ⏯ And what is the most common question you are asked about writing down answers?
3:43 ⏯ So what about if I make a spelling mistake on the answer sheet in Reading or Listening? Will I get half mark then?
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
How are overall IELTS band scores calculated?
🎙Interview with #Pauline_Cullen - Cambridge English Consultant
We're going to talk about band scores. I know that IELTS band scores go from 1 to 9, and I also know there are half-scores, like 5.5, 6.5. But that's all about I know.
0:19 ⏯ So, Pauline, to begin, can you tell us how the IELTS Academic Reading and Listening test are scored?
0:55 ⏯ And what about the Speaking test? How does the examiner decide the overall score of it?
1:17 ⏯ What about the Writing test?
1:50 ⏯ So how is the overall IELTS score calculated then?
2:30 ⏯ In the Listening and Reading test, can I just write my answers on the question paper?
2:59 ⏯ And what is the most common question you are asked about writing down answers?
3:43 ⏯ So what about if I make a spelling mistake on the answer sheet in Reading or Listening? Will I get half mark then?
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
Using It, This, and That
A common grammatical mistake I see is when people use It, This and That in their writing. These words are important because they are used to refer back to something mentioned earlier. Referencing, or referring back in this way, has an impact on your Coherence and cohesion score. The image above shows how to use It, This and That correctly, so that you can explain your ideas clearly in IELTS writing.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
A common grammatical mistake I see is when people use It, This and That in their writing. These words are important because they are used to refer back to something mentioned earlier. Referencing, or referring back in this way, has an impact on your Coherence and cohesion score. The image above shows how to use It, This and That correctly, so that you can explain your ideas clearly in IELTS writing.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
GETTING READY TO LISTEN 🙇♂️🎧
For many years, I was an invigilator for Cambridge English exams in Brisbane.
I was always interested to see the changes in behaviour as the day progressed, and the
language level of both the tests and the candidates increased. Even before the recording began, there were marked differences in the candidates’ approaches to getting ready to listen.
At the ⬇️lowest levels, many candidates would simply look at the question paper, often turning over pages and
looking ahead at later sections.
At band 6️⃣, candidates would use a highlighter to mark key parts of
the questions, but several would highlight almost all of the paper, rendering it useless.
At the highest 🔝level (bands 7️⃣ to 9️⃣), candidates would prepare to listen by highlighting only the key words and phrases they knew they would have to listen for in the test. This helped them not only to focus, but also to recognise the answers when they heard them.
This is what you must do in the test. 👉✔️
#PaulineCullen
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
For many years, I was an invigilator for Cambridge English exams in Brisbane.
I was always interested to see the changes in behaviour as the day progressed, and the
language level of both the tests and the candidates increased. Even before the recording began, there were marked differences in the candidates’ approaches to getting ready to listen.
At the ⬇️lowest levels, many candidates would simply look at the question paper, often turning over pages and
looking ahead at later sections.
At band 6️⃣, candidates would use a highlighter to mark key parts of
the questions, but several would highlight almost all of the paper, rendering it useless.
At the highest 🔝level (bands 7️⃣ to 9️⃣), candidates would prepare to listen by highlighting only the key words and phrases they knew they would have to listen for in the test. This helped them not only to focus, but also to recognise the answers when they heard them.
This is what you must do in the test. 👉✔️
#PaulineCullen
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
🤷♂A lack of ideas leads to repitition 🔄
Common problem: People often tell me they don’t know what to write about in writing task 2 and they find it hard to get ideas.
When candidates don’t know what to write about, the result is often at least one paragraph where the same idea is repeated over and over. This type of writing will keep you stuck at band 6 or 6.5.
Here is an example from an essay I was sent recently. I have corrected the language errors so that you can focus only on the ideas.
📝Picture below:👇
The paragraph begins well but the main idea is not developed. Instead, the same idea is repeated and even presented as though it is an ‘example’. This shows why using a fixed template to create a paragraph is not enough. It also provides a good example of band 6 task response: ”…the conclusions may become …repetitive.”
SOLUTION: Develop good thinking strategies for the test
If you need to score band 7 or above, in the test, you must 🔽
👉 form an opinion about the issue raised in the question
👉 explain your opinion to the examiner and
👉 produce a balanced argument showing that your opinion is justified and well thought-out
Here are some ideas to help you develop these skills:
💡think about the issue from your own perspective – how does it affect your life now or in the future?
🤔 if it does not affect you personally, does it affect a friend or someone in your family? Does it affect your town or businesses nearby?
💁♂ how do you feel about this?
🔰#Official #Pauline_Cullen
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
Common problem: People often tell me they don’t know what to write about in writing task 2 and they find it hard to get ideas.
When candidates don’t know what to write about, the result is often at least one paragraph where the same idea is repeated over and over. This type of writing will keep you stuck at band 6 or 6.5.
Here is an example from an essay I was sent recently. I have corrected the language errors so that you can focus only on the ideas.
📝Picture below:👇
The paragraph begins well but the main idea is not developed. Instead, the same idea is repeated and even presented as though it is an ‘example’. This shows why using a fixed template to create a paragraph is not enough. It also provides a good example of band 6 task response: ”…the conclusions may become …repetitive.”
SOLUTION: Develop good thinking strategies for the test
If you need to score band 7 or above, in the test, you must 🔽
👉 form an opinion about the issue raised in the question
👉 explain your opinion to the examiner and
👉 produce a balanced argument showing that your opinion is justified and well thought-out
Here are some ideas to help you develop these skills:
💡think about the issue from your own perspective – how does it affect your life now or in the future?
🤔 if it does not affect you personally, does it affect a friend or someone in your family? Does it affect your town or businesses nearby?
💁♂ how do you feel about this?
🔰#Official #Pauline_Cullen
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
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How to score IELTS Band 7+
Why many IELTS candidates feel stuck at Band 6 or Band 6.5, particularly in the writing test. Why learning 'complex language' doesn't work in the test, and why you need to learn vocabulary that goes beyond the Academic Word List.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
Why many IELTS candidates feel stuck at Band 6 or Band 6.5, particularly in the writing test. Why learning 'complex language' doesn't work in the test, and why you need to learn vocabulary that goes beyond the Academic Word List.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
#The_Key_To_IELTS_Success
This free book helps to dispel common myths about IELTS and shows you how to finally get the score you need. The book is based on 6 years on social media answering questions from both candidates and teachers, and helping to solve common IELTS problems.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
This free book helps to dispel common myths about IELTS and shows you how to finally get the score you need. The book is based on 6 years on social media answering questions from both candidates and teachers, and helping to solve common IELTS problems.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
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🎬Watch my interview talking about some great IELTS resources!!!
📚Book shopping with Pauline!! - Such a dream come true to see the legendary author Pauline Cullen at the Cambridge booth as she gives us a tour of the latest Cambridge books and shares her honest reviews on some of the best IELTS books in the business. Tips galore for those who want to hear from legitimate sources, given by none other than Pauline Cullen - the "J.K. Rowling" of the IELTSverse.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly
📚Book shopping with Pauline!! - Such a dream come true to see the legendary author Pauline Cullen at the Cambridge booth as she gives us a tour of the latest Cambridge books and shares her honest reviews on some of the best IELTS books in the business. Tips galore for those who want to hear from legitimate sources, given by none other than Pauline Cullen - the "J.K. Rowling" of the IELTSverse.
👩🏫 @ielts_weekly