iPass IELTS Blog

As English is not a phonetic language, correct spelling and pronunciation are tricky areas to master.

But did you know that pronunciation counts for 25% of the overall mark in the IELTS speaking test?

Obviously, pronunciation is not just about pronouncing words clearly, it is also about other things like stress and intonation, but it's a good idea to 'brush up on' (practise) any sounds that you know you sometimes have problems with, especially if they are not familiar sounds in your first language.

Here's a quick video to help you practice the long 'ee' sound with a fun tongue twister!

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To get a good score in the IELTS Speaking test, you need to show that you can use a wide range of grammatical structures and one way you can do this is by using different verb tenses.

Besides, using a variety of verb tenses is essential if you want to show the examiner that you can maintain a natural flow of speech throughout the test.

This short video gives you some simple techniques to try out yourself!

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Dinesh, from India, is our student of the month for August! Read More →

In both the IELTS speaking and writing test, you need to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary to show that you can discuss topics at length (band 6 - speaking) and convey precise meanings (band 7 - writing).

This means that to get a good score in the IELTS test, you need to use a variety of words of phrases and avoid repeating the same ones.

This short video gives you a useful technique for avoiding repetition. Try it out and see how your vocabulary expands day by day!

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Peggy, from Hong Kong, is our student of the month for July!

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Students are often asking me how to push up their vocabulary score to Band 8 in the IELTS speaking test and one way is to demonstrate that you can skilfully use less common and idiomatic expressions.

This short video gives you a couple of example expressions using animal-related idioms that are commonly used in conversation.

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Arvind from India is our student of the month for June! Read More →

Yes it's true - British people love to talk about the weather! So it's no surprise that the English language contains a lot of idiomatic expressions related to the weather.

This short video introduces you to just a few of them. Think about how you could use them in conversation because even if you manage to use just one of them correctly in your IELTS speaking test, you're sure to impress the examiner!



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Using idiomatic language in its natural context is a great way to boost your lexical score in the IELTS speaking test.

This short video looks at some common idioms you can use to describe people - a common topic in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test.


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A good way to learn idioms is by grouping them together by a common theme, such as colours. There are lots of idioms in English that use colours. For example, did you know that someone who likes gardening is often described as 'green-fingered'? Or that 'once in a blue moon' is used to describe something that happens very rarely?

This short video looks at some other colour idioms which are useful to learn to show you have a deeper understanding of the English language.


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