Useful Websites & Resources for IELTS

This page contains useful links to the best IELTS websites to help you develop your IELTS skills, IELTS information and tips as well as English language. These websites cover both the Academic and General Training IELTS tests with useful resources to help you practice at home.

IELTS Official Websites

• The Official IELTS Website
  • http://www.ielts.org/
• British Council Website for IELTS (the BC is one of the three owners of IELTS)
  • https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/
• IDP Website for IELTS (IDP is one of the three owners of IELTS)
  • http://www.idp.com

Find an IELTS Test Center & Application

• Find a Test Center near You
• IELTS Test Dates
• IELTS Application Form
• Application information

Free IELTS Practice Tests Online

Authentic papers published by IELTS.

• IELTS Listening Practice Test
• IELTS Reading Practice Test: Academic
• IELTS Reading Practice Test: General Training
• IELTS Writing Practice Test: Academic
• IELTS Writing Practice Test: General Training

IELTS Band Score Descriptors 

These are the assessment criteria for IELTS writing (both academic and general training) and speaking. Each marking criterion is explained for each band score. These public band scores are published by IELTS to help you understand the requirements of each band score and to learn how you are assessed by the examiner.

• IELTS Band Scores Explained (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
• IELTS Speaking: Public Band Score Descriptors
• IELTS Writing Task 2: Public Band Score Descriptors
  • IELTS Writing Task 2: Band Scores Explained from 5 to 8 with Tips
• IELTS Writing Task 1: Public Band Score Descriptors

IELTS Answer Sheets

It is useful to practice doing a full test using the answer sheets before your test. Remember you get an extra 10 mins for transferring answers in listening but no extra time for transferring answers to the answer sheet in reading.

• IELTS Listening Answer Sheet
• IELTS Reading Answer Sheet
• IELTS Writing Answer Sheet
  • Task 2 Answer Sheet
  • Task 1 Answer Sheet

Other Useful Links

• IELTS Academic Reading Practice: PDFs
  • Matching Headings – Passage 1
  • Summary completion and T/F/NG – Passage 2
  • Matching Paragraph Info & Short Answer Questions – Passage 3
  • Answer Key to all Passages
• Listening and Reading Topics (this may not be IELTS but it will help you improve your skills)
• Listening Topics and Practice (a great website for plenty of  general listening practices (not IELTS) on all different topics at easy, medium and difficult levels)
• Listening Quizzes (good for extra practice)
• Funny Stories: these stories are informal and the vocabulary in them will help you with your speaking
• Spelling Practice (improve your spelling with quizzes for all levels)
• Grammar Practice (great practice exercises to improve most aspects of your English grammar)
• Basic Pronunciation Practice (minimal pairs etc)
• Learn English with the British Council: free exercises for all skils
• BBC World News (good for developing academic reading as well as some listening. Also good to keep up with current world issues)
• The Economist (Science, Business, Economics, News etc)
• The New Scientists (Technology, Science, Environment etc)
• The National Geographic (Animals, Environment, Travel, Photography etc)
• Focus Magazine Online (Science and Technology)
• BBC Radio (Interviews with People)
• Ted.com (Non-Academic Talks from various People)

TOP 20 SENTENCE PATTERS OF ENGLISH

There are around 20 top sentence patterns of English. Learning these patterns will teach you how to combine short,  basic sentences into longer ones and so to express your ideas in a more elegant way.

PATTERN 2 

Subject - Verb - Direct Object or Subject Complement ; Subject - , ( in the place of the omitted verb ) - Direct Object or Subject Complement

This pattern can be used when you don't want to repeat the same verb in the second or third clause. To use it successfully, you have to develop your feeling whether the sentence sounds clear or not. If it does not, it might be not the right time to use this pattern.

EXAMPLES

His mother told him to rent a car; his sister, to pack the suitcase.

For many of us, the new math teacher was a savior; for others, a pain.


PROFESSIONAL EXAMPLES

'Thought is the blossom; language , the bud; action, the fruit.' Ralph Waldo Emerson


ALSO READ OUR POST ABOUT PATTERN 1


Source : adapted from " The Art of Styling Sentences' by A. Longknife & K. D. Sullivan   Find this book on Amazon

TOP 20 SENTENCE PATTERS OF ENGLISH

There are around 20 top sentence patterns of English. Learning these patterns will teach you how to combine short,  basic sentences into longer ones and so to express your ideas in a more elegant way.

PATTERN 1

Subject  - Verb ;  Subject - Verb

This pattern helps you join 2 short sentences that talk about similar ideas using a semicolon ( ; ).

EXAMPLES

Gloria, try on these jeans; they seem to be your size.
Some people dream of being something; others are awake and are.

PROFESSIONAL EXAMPLES

Study these examples to notice how this pattern is used to combine closely related ideas.


' He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened." Lao-tzu

' Sign up for our Family plan and you can share minutes with our one-rate plan; if you sign up now, you can take advantage of our special rate.' Ad for Nokia


Source : adapted from " The Art of Styling Sentences' by A. Longknife & K. D. Sullivan Find this book on Amazon

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Learning,Life,Love- To Share And To Be Shared

IELTS  -  SEPTEMBER 2012 

  RECENT  WRITING   TOPICS  

1.    Many countries spend large amounts of money on world sporting events such as the Olympic Games and football World Cup. Instead these monies can be spent on encouraging young children to take up sports at a young age. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

2.   Many governments in the world spend large amounts of money on art which helps to develop quality in people’s life. However, governments should spend money on other things rather than art. Do you agree or dis agree? Give your opinion.