Nervous you Won't Think of Something to Talk About in IELTS Speaking? FAPP! FAPP! FAPP!

I'm not CERTAIN the following is actually good advice.  It is, however, something that candidates consistently feel better knowing that they have in their pockets going into test day.  I'm talking about a pre-set structure on which to build your talk during the speaking test.

In the short video below, you will see me endorsing the idea to my students in class.  I describe it as a house on which you can place your language.  Each

Good Luck to Salvi, whose test is today, and this is the last feedback she's going to get

Gosh, I really hope I'm not too negative; I should be encouraging, right?

You may not always like what you hear from the Temple.

Salvi, you said your test was on the 4th. That's now today where I live (I dunno where you're from ).

One of the Most Common Problems : Good points made but not supported

I think I explain it well enough in the video...

Why is it so difficult to get a "7" in the Writing Tasks?

Why is it so hard to get that seven? 

When I first read tonight's essay up in the garage, it seemed to have supported its arguments, it flowed well, had complex sentences, and theren't weren't too many grammar errors at first glance. A Band 7 essay, I thought.
 
Then I took a closer look at it.

 
One of the main problems was one that many people have: he wrote a "generic task two" without regard to the exact type of question that he was answering.  If this had been a "to what extent do you agree or disagree" question, it would have received a higher mark in task response. In Band7, there's the requirement in TR that says "maintains a consistent position throughout", and you need to do that differently in a "give your opinion" essay than you do a agree/diagree or adv/disadvantage essay. 

A little closer attention to some of the most basic rules of grammar, capitalization and punctuation, then the very good complex sentences might have carried it.



So, to answer my own question, it's hard to get a 7 because if you make a big mistake in any ONE of the marking criteria, and get a 6, you'll need an 8 in one of the other three to make up for it.

Do We Have to bring up the pressure of exams, long working hours and the advancement of technology into every essay?

From the garage:

Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organized group activities in their free time. Others say that it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have different views about whether children should participate in group

TASK ONE MANIA!!

Oh, we've been having fun at the IELTS Temple...

It started when I got some new software and a 2-part question.

WHAT CAN YOU MAKE OUT OF THIS?

What can you make out of this?

NO! Not that!  THIS! A Task One line graph. A famous one!

How To Support Your Ideas in Task 2

Look up there at the top of the blog! In the pages toolbar! Where it says Slides *NEW*. That's where you can find the .ppt versions of workshops and talks I do.

Like the one from last night.

Causes/Solutions , Opinion to Extent, Positive/Negative Development - Catching Up

With a Discuss Both Views question, you can't CHANGE the reasoning behind one view!

What's the difference between these two possible beginnings to a discussion essay and how that ?

1. Some people believe that tourism should be banned in certain areas, while others believe... 
2. Some people believe that to protect local culture, tourism should be banned in certain areas, while others believe... 

 The difference is in what you need to think about before you begin writing.  In #1, during your pre-writing brainstorming, you'll want to think of reasons