Magoosh IELTS

In this episode, Eliot and Naomi talk about how to study for the IELTS in one month. They'll cover:

• What you should study
• How much time you should spend studying
• Our 1-month study plan

Episode resources and links:

• One month IELTS study plan
• The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS
• IELTS.org
• The British Council’s IELTS page
• IELTS vocabulary flashcards
• EnglishVocabularyExercises.com

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com

Episode 23 Transcript - How to Study for the IELTS in One Month

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 23. In this episode, we’re going to tell you how to study for the IELTS in one month. Afterward, you can check the show notes for direct links to Magoosh’s one month IELTS study plan, and links to recommended IELTS prep materials.

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Part 1

Eliot: If you need to study for the IELTS, you may wonder exactly what you should study, and how much time you should spend studying.

Naomi: That really can be tricky. I mean, obviously, you want to practice for all four sections of the test. But is there anything else students should focus on, Eliot?

Eliot: Well, Naomi, studying IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking does cover a lot of the bases. But yes, there are a few other general things students should study. Vocabulary is a big one. A good English vocabulary will help you in every section of the test. And it’s good to study skills that are test specific.

Naomi: Now, what do you mean by test-specific? Can you give me some examples?

Eliot: Sure. Let’s take pacing, the skill of finishing your tasks at the right speed. This skill is really specific to timed exams like the IELTS. But it’s not specific to any one section. It’s not really even a language skill, per se. As another example, it helps to understand the question types you’ll see in each section.

Naomi: It sounds like you’re saying IELTS Prep should focus on language skills, but also include some test-taking skills?

Eliot: You got it!

Naomi: So what does that balance look like? How much time should be spent on language lessons versus skills lessons?

Eliot: Well now, that’s a tricky question. You really do need to strike a careful balance between language learning and skills building. It helps to have a good plan.

Naomi: But how can students put together a really good study plan? It sounds like making a study timetable is a difficult task in and of itself.

Eliot: It really can be tricky. I know this first hand, because I actually wrote some study plans for our blog. That way, students don’t have to put in that kind of hard work, and can focus more on their actual test prep They can use one of the Magoosh IELTS study plans. Our one month IELTS study plan is especially popular.

Naomi: I’ve seen that plan on the blog. So that one month timetable-- it tells tells students how much to study vocabulary, and how much time to spend on each language and testing skill?

Eliot: That’s right. And in addition to covering the kinds of things you need to study, our one month study plan includes a checklist of the resources you should use--the right books, websites, and apps for the perfect 4 weeks of IELTS prep.

Naomi: So what materials do the students need for this plan?

Eliot: It’s a surprisingly simple list, actually. Almost everything comes from just one of t...

In this episode we cover: -How to prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 -What exactly you’ll be asked to do for the Task 1 section of the Academic IELTS. -Tips on how to analyze the Task 1 visuals -A step-by-step breakdown of how to write a strong Task 1 response

Episode resources and links:

The Complete Guide to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com Episode 19 Transcript: How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro:

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 19. In this episode, you’re going to learn about how to prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Eliot and I will start by discussing what exactly you’ll be asked to do for the Task 1 section of the Academic IELTS. Then we’ll give you some tips on how to analyze the Task 1 visuals, followed by a step-by-step breakdown of how to write a strong Task 1 response.

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Body Part 1:

Naomi: Today we’re going to talk about what the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is, and how to prepare for it.

Eliot: Task 1 will ask you to write a brief report, usually about two visuals. You’ll have twenty minutes to analyze what you see and write 150 words about it.

Naomi: That’s not much time -- what strategies can we use to craft an interesting, well-organized response?

Eliot: You’re right, it’s not much time...as with the rest of the IELTS, reading instructions closely is critical. Task 1 will ask you to consider two figures, or sometimes maps or flowcharts.

What are they explaining? How can you summarize the information presented? Can meaningful comparisons be made? You should be careful to focus on material you think is relevant, not your own opinions on what the graphs or visuals say.

Naomi: So it sounds like there are really two parts: interpreting the figure and writing the response.

Eliot: I like to think about it that way, too. With only twenty minutes, it helps to think about how you’ll approach it most effectively.

Naomi: Since this test is meant to measure your English skills, you won’t be asked to do any difficult math to understand the charts, right? You should just focus on accurately reporting the information in the figures and explaining it fluently.

Eliot: Exactly. The first thing to do when gathering your information is read the titles and headings of the graphs.

Naomi: Right, titles and headings often act as summaries of the data in the figures, so they’ll help you figure out what’s important.

Eliot: Next, you should take a look at the units and categories in the visual. Understand what is being measured and how that measurement is expressed by the visual.

Naomi: So it’d be a good idea to ask questions like, “Is the visual dealing with changes over time? Is that in days, months, or years?”

Eliot: Yes. The visuals can also show trends, patterns, or sequences. You can make sense of what these have in common by measuring them in similar ways.

Naomi: So once you know what you’re looking at, you can start thinking about what the information means?

Eliot: Exactly. Think about what kind of story the data tells or what argument it makes. Expressing that story or argument in your answer will show you are able to explain complex ideas in English.

Naomi: So you should try to show that you can decide what in the figure is important and what isn’t?

Eliot: Definitely. Try to explain what was most interesting about the graph to you, like you would explain it in a presentation in class or at work.

Before we find out some other IELTS Writing Task 1 tips, let’s pause for a word from Magoosh.

Midroll:Kevin: Do you want a great IELTS score?Well gues what, Magoosh can help!Here’s what you’ll get with Magoosh:

• In-depth video lessons that cover concepts, pitfalls, and shortcuts
• Over 200 practice questions to help you prepare for your exam
• 24/7 email access to a team of remote tutors ready to answer your questions

Are you ready to improve your score and get into your dream program? Great! We’re ready ...

In this episode we’re going to talk about requesting an IELTS rescore. Eliot and I will discuss

• the rescore process
• why you might (or might not) want a rescore
• and your chances of success

Episode resources and links:

• How to Contest Your IELTS Score

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com Episode 21 Transcript: What You Need to Know about Requesting an IELTS Rescore

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro:

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 21. In this episode, we’re going to talk about requesting an IELTS rescore. Eliot and I will discuss the rescore process-- how you can ask the IELTS to consider changing your score, and your chances of success.

Visit IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay let’s get started!

Part 1

Naomi: A lot of IELTS students wonder how often rescore requests are successful. But, Eliot--for those who may not be familiar with the rescore process, what is a rescore?

Eliot: That is a good place to start, Naomi. A rescore is a process where someone can ask the IELTS to review their score, and possibly change the score. The details on how to request a rescore can be found in the Magoosh IELTS Blog post “How to Contest Your IELTS Score.” I’ll put a link in the show notes.

Naomi: Wow! It’s good to have that option, for sure. Now, I know that on many standardized tests, you can only request a rescore for essays or speaking. Are IELTS rescores like that too?

Eliot: Yes and no. If you want an IELTS rescore, you actually can ask them to review your Listening or Reading scores. But it’s really rare for them to change scores in those sections-- it almost never happens. The real focus of the rescore is writing or speech, just like rescores on other tests.

Naomi: That makes sense. I mean, Listening and Reading are multiple choice, so....

Eliot: So there isn’t much room for human error in scoring those sections. But Speaking and Writing are scored by a rubric, and sometimes an extra set of eyes and ears can discover a scoring mistake.

Naomi: Of course. But how often are rescore requests for IELTS Writing or IELTS Speaking successful? Do students really have much of a shot?

Eliot: The majority of rescore requests don’t lead to a higher score, actually. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying... under the right circumstances. In some cases, a student has an especially good chance at a favorable rescore.

Naomi: OK, so what are some signs that a student should ask for a rescore?

Eliot: Well, rescores are more likely to be helpful if the student needs just a small point increase in IELTS Writing or Speaking. When rescores are successful, they typically raise a section score by half a band, or by one full full band. A bigger score bump is pretty uncommon.

Naomi: It sounds like unless a student needs a tiny boost to their score, maybe they shouldn’t bother?

Eliot: Maybe, but not necessarily. Remember, rescores are designed to catch scoring mistakes. And sometimes mistakes can be bigger than just a single band. If you’ve taken the test and you really feel like your score should have been a lot higher, you might be right. Let’s say you really felt good about your IELTS Writing tasks. You’d done a lot of practice tasks that were at a 7 or 7.5 level, and you felt like you kept up the good work on your exam. But then you got a score of, let’s say....

Naomi: 5?

Eliot: That would be a good example! Imagine you’re a strong writer, and you feel like you brought your usual 7-to-8 level of skill to the test. But to your surprise, you get a 5. Maybe a truly big mistake was made. You just might get a 7 or higher with a rescore.

Naomi: I’m starting to get the idea here! There are different reasons you might want to go for a rescore.

Eliot: Right! A rescore might help if all you need is a slightly higher score in IELTS Speaking or Writing. But it could also help if you’re pretty sure that the scoring was way off.

Naomi: Interesting. Is there anything else students should consider?

Naomi: Before we look at what else students should think about if they’re considering an IELTS resc...

In this episode, Eliot and Naomi talk about IELTS Speaking. They'll cover:

• What makes IELTS Speaking so different
• All three parts of the IELTS Speaking section
• IELTS Speaking scoring categories

Episode resources and links:

• The Complete Guide to IELTS Speaking

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com

Episode 25 Transcript - How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Speaking

Translations: (Tiếng Việt, فارسی)

Intro

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 25. In this episode, we’ll discuss all things IELTS-Speaking. Check the show notes for a complete transcript, and links to the IELTS Speaking resources we discuss.

And don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Part 1

Eliot: The IELTS Speaking section really is unique. You’re not just sitting there alone in a test center with your exam booklet.

Naomi: It is a real change of pace, isn’t it, Eliot? Can you tell our students more about what makes IELTS Speaking so different?

Eliot: Well, most noticeably, it’s an actual interview, where you talk to a real human being.

Naomi: An interview. That sounds intimidating. Is it stressful, like a job interview?

Eliot: Don’t worry, it’s definitely not structured like a job interview and shouldn’t be nearly as stressful. The interview has different sorts of questions, and comes in three parts....

Naomi: What makes each part different?

Eliot: You can think of them as three different pieces of the same conversation. And each part has a connection to the next. In Part 1, you’re asked a series of questions about your personal life. But nothing that’s deeply personal or embarrassing-- just questions about your hobbies, things you like to do with your family, your hometown, etc.... This part of the interview lasts 4 or 5 minutes.

Naomi: That does sound easier than a job interview. So how does IELTS Speaking Part 1 lead to the second part?

Eliot: For the second part, you’re still talking about something personal from your life. But now you need to give a short solo speech. You’ll be given a topic card, and a minute to prepare a speech based on the topic card. The speech itself will last for 1 to 2 minutes. This is longer than you’ll speak on your own during any other part of the test. So they call the IELTS Speaking Part 2 speech “the long turn.”

Naomi: Does that mean Part 2 is even shorter than Part 1? Is IELTS Speaking Part 2 just 2 or 3 minutes long?

Eliot: No, it still lasts 4-5 minutes. After you give your speech, the interviewer asks you some follow-up questions about how you responded to the topic card.

Naomi: About that topic card. I’m having a little trouble picturing it. What does it look like?

Eliot: It’s a small index card with a detailed question written on it. Actually, why don’t I read a typical IELTS Speaking Part 2 topic card to you?

Naomi: Oh yes, that would be very helpful.

Eliot: OK, here’s one:

Describe an important tradition in your family.

You should say:

• What the tradition is.
• How it’s celebrated.
• When it’s celebrated.

And explain why the tradition is important to your family.

Naomi: That really is a lot like the kinds of things you’d discuss in Part 1. So tell me: Does the IELTS set up the Part 1 questions so that they cover the same subject as the Part 2 “long turn”?

Eliot: That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, the topics that come up in Part 1 and Part 2 are random, and aren’t guaranteed to be directly related to each other. But here’s the good news: Part 3 does deal with the same subject you see on the Part 2 “long turn” topic card.

Naomi: You don’t have to give another speech, do you?

Eliot: Thankfully, no. Instead, Part 3 is kind of a “wind-down” exercise from Part 2. The interviewer and the student will have a short follow-up conversa...

In this episode Eliot and Naomi talk about how to prepare for the Academic IELTS Writing Task 2. They'll cover:

• organization
• structure
• tone
• example questions
• scoring

Episode resources and links:

• IELTS Writing Task 2: Sample Question and Outline
• Sample IELTS Task 2 Essay
• 5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Types
• Improving your IELTS Writing Task 2 Score

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com Episode 22 Transcript: How to Prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 2

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro:

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 22. In this episode, you’re going to learn about IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. We’re going to discuss everything you need to know about this second essay, including organization, structure, tone, example questions, and scoring.

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

And now, for the show!

Body Part 1:

Eliot: Today Naomi and I will discuss IELTS Writing task 2, and talk about some tips and tricks for writing a really good second IELTS essay.

Naomi: Eliot, what would you say is the first thing students should know about this essay?

Eliot: They should know that this is a bigger essay-- one that takes more work and time than IELTS Writing Task 1. The IELTS recommends you spend 20 minutes on Writing Task 1, but 40 minutes on Task 2.

Naomi: So most of your IELTS Writing section time should be devoted to the second essay? Why is that?

Eliot: There are a few different reasons, actually. One of the reasons comes down to scoring. Task 2 makes up two-thirds of your writing score. And you’re expected to write more-- they need to state an opinion and defend it with examples and details. That’s why there’s a 250 word minimum for the second essay versus the 150 word expectation for that first task.

Naomi: Wow! How can students write all that in just 40 minutes?

Eliot: The key is careful time management for each stage of writing. IELTS Task 2 Essay planning should take 2-10 minutes, then the actual writing should take 25-32 minutes, with 5 minutes left over to go back and proofread.

Naomi: So how exactly should you organize things?

Eliot: In both your outline and your essay, there are a few rules you should follow. Obviously, you’ll want to start with the introduction. Keep that part fairly short. Just restate the topic, and add your thesis. That’s where you state your position and your main points. After that, you can move straight to the body paragraphs. Body paragraph 1 will give supporting details for thesis main point 1....

Naomi: ...And body paragraph 2 covers thesis main point 2?

Eliot: You’re getting the idea! Then, after the body, end with a conclusion, where you restate and review the main points. The conclusion should be short and sweet--like the introduction.

Naomi: What about the writing style? Any special words or sentence structures students should use?

Eliot: The writing will be academic--formal. So we want sentences that are complete, and sometimes compound and complex.

Naomi: So there should be sentence variety.

Eliot: Definitely. And you don’t just need sentence variety. Top scoring Task 2 essays also have word variety. Students should avoid using the same words and phrases over and over. Oh, and keep the tone formal and academic.

Naomi: OK, I think I can almost picture what a good outline and essay look like. But how can I know for sure that I’m picturing the right thing?

Eliot: Well, fortunately for you and our students, Magoosh has some sample materials for that. If you go to our Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2, you’ll see a sample question for the second IELTS essay, and a model outline. Our gu...