Blog
Short, practical reads on strategy, tips and study plans. Pick a topic or start with the lead story.
How to read the band descriptors
The public band descriptors are the examiner's checklist. Here is how to use them on your own answers.
Paper or computer? Choosing the IELTS format that suits you
The test content and the scoring are the same. What changes is how you work, and what to practise.
How your IELTS band score is calculated, step by step
Raw marks, criteria, rounding and the one rule most learners get wrong: how the overall band is rounded.
Task 1 language bank: describe any graph with the right words
Verbs, adverbs and comparison phrases for trends, with a model sentence for each pattern.
Using a dictionary to build IELTS vocabulary
A learner's dictionary gives you collocations and examples, which is where marks are.
Academic or General Training: which test should you take?
The two versions share Listening and Speaking but differ in Reading and Writing. Here is how to choose.
Choosing study materials without wasting money
More books does not mean more progress. Pick a few and use them well.
Ready to put it into practice?
Take a practice set or see what each band looks like in a model answer.