IELTS Speaking Tips

A few general IELTS speaking tips:

Show the examiner what you can do and use every opportunity to talk – no monosyllabic answers!
Part 1 is “easy” in content but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use complex grammar and vocabulary. 
Ask the examiner to clarify or repeat if you’re not sure. These types of interactions also show your level of English, they don’t have to be a problem. Say something like “Sorry, could you repeat that”, rather than “eh?” or “what?”
Record yourself on your phone and listen back to improve. You

IELTS Reading Tips

 

IELTS READING TIPS:

In this week’s podcast Conor and Rob discuss the the IELTS reading test. The give you lots of IELTS reading tips, strategies and techniques. As well as this they look at the trickiest reading question, the dreaded True, False, Not Given.

Enjoy and please let us know on Facebook or Instagram if you are enjoying the podcast 🙂

Skimming & Scanning

Skimming and scanning are skills you have to practice. It’s not a natural way, or a comfortable way to read a text. The IELTS is about very, very

IELTS Writing Tips
Everest Podcast Ep 13 – IELTS Writing Tips

IELTS Writing Tips: In this week’s podcast our teachers discuss the exam and offer some IELTS writing tips and techniques. Below are some notes about the exam. You can listen to the podcast here, on Spotify or any podcast app.

The IELTS writing exam

1 hour in total

Two tasks (20 minutes & 40 minutes) but you need to leave time for planning & proofreading.

Task 1 (150 words) – you get a graph, table, chart or diagram and you have to describe, summarise or

Business English Courses
Business English Courses in Everest Language School Dublin

Everest Language School has introducing a brand new 4 week business English courses for students who are looking to work in an English speaking country or need to improve their English for their job back home!

At Everest Language School, we believe that improving your general level of English including your grammar, speaking, listening and understanding should come first and foremost. However, we also understand that when applying for a job or starting a new job there is lots of specific vocabulary

Cambridge Writing Tasks & Listen Test

1. Cambridge Writing Tasks – Tips and Strategies
What are some good tips for improving your writing skills generally? 

Practice as much as possible (writing tends to be least practiced skill)
Find a reason to write (start a blog, send emails home, find a “pen pal” etc)
Get someone to correct your writing – highlight, think about, learn from your mistakes
Proofread
Make sure spell and grammar check is on when typing – and pay attention to it!
Use an app or other online tool – Grammarly for example to help you

Everest Podcast Ep 11: Cambridge Use of English

Cambridge Use of English (Podcast)

Some tips for Cambridge Use of English and reading
Practicing your English outside the classroom:

Reading as much as you can and taking note of grammar

Listening to and breaking down grammar of favourite songs

Watching local TV rather than just your favourite shows online

Keeping a vocab notebook with language chunks and examples, not just individual words (e.g To be interested in sth / in doing sth” not just “interested = word in my language”

Write a blog, force yourself to write things to

Cambridge Reading Test – Cambridge Podcast Ep2

 

Cambridge Reading Test

Some ways you can improve your skills for the Cambridge reading test:

Reading as widely as possible
Read in areas that interest you (don’t make it a chore!)
Try graded readers
Try to set aside a certain time every day to read, make it a habit 
Find a balance between taking notes of new vocabulary, looking up words & getting into the flow of a book 
Read a book you’ve already read in your own language (or seen the film of, etc). 
Read a book in a series so

Cambridge Speaking Exam (Cambridge Exams EP 1)

What the examiner is looking for in the Cambridge speaking exam:

C1 

Grammatical Resource 

Lexical Resource 

Discourse Management 

Pronunciation 

Interactive Communication 

5 
• Maintains control of a wide range of grammatical forms. 
• Uses a wide range of appropriate vocabulary to give and exchange views on familiar and unfamiliar topics. 
• Produces extended stretches of language with ease and with very little hesitation. • Contributions are relevant, coherent and varied. 

• Uses a wide range of cohesive devices and discourse markers. 
• Is intelligible. • Phonological features are used effectively to convey and enhance meaning. 
• Interacts with ease,

Business English Podcast
Episode 4: Customer Service & Formal and Informal English

Formal and Informal English
Main ways of being formal:

Vocabulary
Grammar
Tone of voice

 

1: Formal and Informal English : Vocabulary

There’s a range. For example:

Slang
Informal
Neutral
Formal 
Very formal (often antiquated)

‘sup? / What’s the craic? / Story?
Hi / Hey 
Hello
Good afternoon
Good day

 

Formal words often sound like Latin (and so Spanish, French, etc)

 

Please proceed to gate 12 Go

What time would be convenient? Handy /Good 

At what time does it commence? Start

 

Phrasal verbs are almost always informal/neutral

Look into investigate

Make up invent

Do up renovate

Look over review

 

Formal vocabulary tends to be similar across different

Phone English
Business English Podcast Ep.3

Phone English podcast from Everest Language School. Listen to the podcast about phone English and check out the vocabulary below. There are lots more business English podcasts available here, and we will have one more episode next week. Remember, if you are in Dublin and want to improve your business English, we run express and intensive Business English courses in Dublin.

Basic Phone English:

To pick up the phone

To hang up the phone

To make / take a call

To give someone a shout / bell (informal)

Some additional vocabulary