Ielts Step-By-Step | Mastering Speaking & Writing

Learn everything you need for the IELTS Speaking & Writing exam — get that IELTS 7+!

What you'll learn

Improve your IELTS Speaking & Writing grade significantly to a 7+

Watch and review in detail 12 IELTS Speaking tests

Learn and practice using useful idioms that the candidates used or could have used

Learn how to come up with ideas in the Part 2 monologue of the Speaking exam

Do eighteen essays (Task 2) and eight Task 1 reports/letters, and review them in detail

Learn tips, tricks and structures to immediately improve your speaking & writing grade

Learn about every type of IELTS Essay and Task 1 report/letter

Improve your general speaking & writing skills in preparation for university study or work in an English-speaking country

Requirements

Intermediate (B1) English

Description

From ex-IELTS examiner James Castleden's YouTube channel IELTS Step-by-step comes a course dedicated to improving your speaking and writing skills, your confidence, and your time management in the IELTS Speaking & Writing exam. Together, you and James will listen, review and practice 12 IELTS Speaking exams done by students from the major language groups around the world, and, for the writing, complete 18 essays, 8 Task-1 reports (or, if you're doing General Training, 11 letters) and then review them in detail. You'll learn and practice hundreds of idioms that are particularly useful in the Speaking exam, as well as useful tips on how to answer typical questions in the exam. On top of that, you'll also learn tips, tricks, skills and techniques that will significantly improve your IELTS Writing grade in numerous automatically-graded exercises as well as through Self Assessment tasks which can be discussed on the IELTS Step-by-step Community page on Facebook.So what are you waiting for? Get that 7+ in Speaking & Writing you deserve!• Reviews for the Speaking part of this course: •★★★★★ "Just amazing. Such as a great opportunity to rich that CLB 9. Delightful experience to study IELTS with skillful and educated person."—Юра★★★★★ "This is a wonderful beginning to know more about ielts speaking sections. The best part of this is part three which is the amazing part to extend your answers about any topic."—Emad★★★★ "Great content."—David• Reviews for the Writing part of this course •★★★★★ "Holy! This course is the best of all writing courses. I'd enrolled then studied for only 2 days without any essay writing experience. I only studied section 2-4(first day) & 9-12(second day), which were not all he taught, and I got 6.5. If I had studied everything he taught, I could have got 7 or above!!! ps thank you James :)"—TW★★★★★ "Excellence doesn't come from everyone .But this goes above that boundary!"—Deepika★★★★★ "This course is super-organized and it is helping me to learn everything I need to improve my writing skills. Within a month I improved my score from band 5.5 to 8. Highly recommended!"—Ardian★★★★★ "I am learning how to write down properly an essay for tasks 1 and 2. I think grammar and vocabulary tips are been essential to developing a great text in the IELTS exam."—Ana• ABOUT ME •I have a masters degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Leicester in the UK, and a Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA) from Cambridge University. I've been teaching for over 20 years, the last 10 of which have been predominantly focussed on teaching the IELTS exam. When I was an IELTS examiner, I was fortunate to have access to important aspects of the exam that many teachers and candidates are not aware of — these I can reveal to you in my courses.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction

Lecture 2 A breakdown of the IELTS Speaking exam

Section 2: SPEAKING: Ukrainian/Russian speaker + Band descriptors

Lecture 3 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 4 Speaking test with Yuriy (Ukrainian/Russian speaker)

Lecture 5 Speaking practice + New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 6 Feedback for Yuriy

Lecture 7 Learner Training: Band Descriptors

Lecture 8 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 3: SPEAKING: Mandarin Chinese speaker + Individual sounds, Response structure

Lecture 9 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 10 Speaking test with Yi (Mandarin Chinese speaker)

Lecture 11 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 12 Feedback for Yi

Lecture 13 Learner Training: Pronunciation—individual sounds

Lecture 14 Skills for speaking formally: Response structure

Lecture 15 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 4: SPEAKING: Tamil speaker + Weak forms, Discourse markers

Lecture 16 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 17 Tamil speaker + Weak forms, Discourse markers

Lecture 18 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 19 Feedback for Vincent

Lecture 20 Learner Training: Pronunciation—weak forms

Lecture 21 Skills for speaking formally: Discourse Markers

Lecture 22 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 5: SPEAKING: Nepali speaker + Connected speech, Complex structures

Lecture 23 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 24 Nepali speaker + Connected speech, Complex structures

Lecture 25 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 26 Feedback for Rajesh

Lecture 27 Learner Training: Pronunciation—connected speech

Lecture 28 Skills for speaking formally: Complex Structures

Lecture 29 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 6: SPEAKING: Vietnamese speaker + Learning through music, Fillers

Lecture 30 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 31 Speaking test with Phat (Vietnamese speaker)

Lecture 32 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 33 Feedback for Phat

Lecture 34 Learner Training: Pronunciation—learning through music

Lecture 35 Skills for speaking formally: Fillers

Lecture 36 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 7: SPEAKING: Arabic speaker + Improving your accuracy + Asking for clarification

Lecture 37 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 38 Speaking test with Emad (Arabic speaker)

Lecture 39 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 40 Feedback for Emad

Lecture 41 Learner Training: Improving your accuracy

Lecture 42 Skills for speaking formally: Asking for clarification

Lecture 43 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 8: SPEAKING: Bengali speaker + Practicing without a teacher, Intonation

Lecture 44 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 45 Speaking test with Mahmuda (Bengali speaker)

Lecture 46 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 47 Feedback for Mahmuda

Lecture 48 Learner Training: Practicing without a teacher

Lecture 49 Pronunciation—Intonation

Lecture 50 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 9: SPEAKING: Portuguese speaker + Paraphrasing

Lecture 51 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 52 Speaking test with Monique (Portuguese speaker)

Lecture 53 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 54 Feedback for Monique

Lecture 55 Learner Training: Paraphrasing

Lecture 56 Discourse Markers: Talking about opinions & Adding contrast

Lecture 57 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 10: SPEAKING: Sinhalese speaker + Generating ideas for Part 2

Lecture 58 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 59 Speaking test with Deepika (Sinhalese speaker)

Lecture 60 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 61 Feedback for Deepika

Lecture 62 Learner Training: Generating ideas for Part 2

Lecture 63 Discourse Markers: Hedging & Expressing Certainty

Lecture 64 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 11: SPEAKING: Hindi speaker + Analysing a native speaker's performance I

Lecture 65 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 66 Speaking test with Dr Shivam (Hindi speaker)

Lecture 67 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 68 Feedback for Dr Shivam

Lecture 69 Analysing a native speaker's performance I

Lecture 70 Discourse Markers: Giving examples/explanations & Commenting on your own opinion

Lecture 71 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 12: SPEAKING: Turkish speaker + Analysing a native speaker's performance II

Lecture 72 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 73 Speaking test with Akbar (Turkish speaker)

Lecture 74 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 75 Feedback for Akbar

Lecture 76 Analysing a native speaker's performance II

Lecture 77 Discourse Markers: Rephrasing & Getting back to the point

Lecture 78 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 13: SPEAKING: Indonesian speaker + Bonus videos

Lecture 79 Pre-listening — test yourself

Lecture 80 Indonesian speaker + Bonus videos

Lecture 81 New Idioms, Collocations and Set Phrases

Lecture 82 Feedback for Marthen

Lecture 83 Discourse Markers: Concluding

Lecture 84 Bonus Video I: Why only a band 7?

Lecture 85 Bonus Video II: How to move from band 7 to 9

Lecture 86 Post-listening — see your progress

Section 14: Introduction to the WRITING section of this course

Lecture 87 Important information about the exam and this course

Section 15: WRITING: an advantages-and-disadvantages essay

Lecture 88 Introduction to this section

Lecture 89 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 90 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 91 Writing an introduction to an advantages-and-disadvantages essay

Lecture 92 Writing a conclusion to an essay

Lecture 93 Learner Training: Generating ideas for your essays

Lecture 94 Learner Training Practice: Writing Topic Sentences

Lecture 95 Learner Training: What is 'hedging'?

Lecture 96 Grammar & lexis practice: Hedging I

Lecture 97 Writing Criteria for Task 2

Lecture 98 Check your progress — compare essays

Section 16: Writing: a problem-and-solution essay

Lecture 99 Introduction to this section

Lecture 100 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 101 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 102 Lexis: Phrases to write about solutions

Lecture 103 Lexis: Discourse markers — contrasting ideas

Lecture 104 Lexis: Word building

Lecture 105 Grammar and Lexis: Introductions

Lecture 106 Grammar and Lexis: Conclusions

Lecture 107 Grammar: Advanced explanations

Lecture 108 Learner Training: Building a good paragraph

Lecture 109 Learner Training: Building a good paragraph

Section 17: WRITING: an opinion essay

Lecture 110 Introduction to this section

Lecture 111 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 112 Lexis: Crime and punishment

Lecture 113 Lexis: 'make', 'let' and 'allow'

Lecture 114 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 115 Lexis: Degrees of opinion

Lecture 116 Structure: Supporting Arguments & Opinions

Lecture 117 Writing an introduction for an opinion essay

Lecture 118 Building a good main-body paragraph

Lecture 119 Check your progress — compare essays

Section 18: Writing a discussion essay (a type of opinion essay)

Lecture 120 Introduction to this section

Lecture 121 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 122 Formal language: the passive voice and nominalisation

Lecture 123 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 124 Expressing someone else's opinion

Lecture 125 Check your progress — compare essays

Section 19: WRITING: another advantages-and-disadvantages essay

Lecture 126 Intro to this section

Lecture 127 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 128 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 129 Lexis: Employment

Lecture 130 Grammar and Lexis: Hedging II

Lecture 131 Grammar: Gerund phrases

Lecture 132 Discourse markers — contrasting linkers: despite / in spite of

Lecture 133 Structure: Using pronouns to link ideas and avoid repetition

Lecture 134 Grammar practice: The passive voice II

Lecture 135 Lexis: Strengthening adverbs — alternatives to 'really'

Lecture 136 Lexis: Comment adverbs

Lecture 137 Check your progress — compare essays

Section 20: WRITING: another problem-and-solution essay

Lecture 138 Introduction to this section

Lecture 139 Introduction to this section

Lecture 140 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 141 Lexis: Explaining why something is done

Lecture 142 Lexis: Other ways of making your writing more formal

Lecture 143 Lexis: Writing about solutions

Lecture 144 Grammar and Lexis: Developing a topic sentence further

Lecture 145 Grammar: The 2nd conditional

Lecture 146 Learner training: Getting feedback

Lecture 147 Learner training: Getting feedback

Section 21: WRITING: another opinion essay

Lecture 148 Introduction to this section

Lecture 149 Introduction to this section

Lecture 150 Lexis: Qualifying your opinion

Lecture 151 Lexis: Giving an opinion about future trends

Lecture 152 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 153 Lexis: 'Instead (of)'

Lecture 154 Grammar: Relative Clauses

Lecture 155 Learner Training: Error checking

Lecture 156 Grammar: Noun phrases

Lecture 157 Check your progress — compare essays

Section 22: WRITING Task 1: Graphs and charts with a trend (IELTS for Academic ONLY)

Lecture 158 Introduction to this section

Lecture 159 Writing criteria for Task 1 Academic

Lecture 160 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 161 Grammar and Lexis: Re-wording the introduction

Lecture 162 Writing an overview for a graph

Lecture 163 Lexis: Verbs and adverbs for describing changes

Lecture 164 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 165 Grammar and Lexis: Joining two changes together

Lecture 166 Grammar: Prepositions for Task 1

Lecture 167 Lexis: Commenting on data in a graph

Lecture 168 Grammar: Writing about graphs with a future trend

Lecture 169 Check your progress — compare responses

Section 23: WRITING Task 1: Comparative graphs (IELTS for Academic ONLY)

Lecture 170 Check your progress — compare responses

Lecture 171 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 172 Grammar: Comparative structures

Lecture 173 Lexis: Describing numbers

Lecture 174 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 175 Lexis: Numerical comparatives

Lecture 176 Lexis: Ranking information

Lecture 177 Dealing with more than one graph

Lecture 178 Check your progress — compare responses

Section 24: WRITING Task 1: Processes (IELTS for Academic ONLY)

Lecture 179 Introduction to this section

Lecture 180 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 181 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 182 Grammar: The Present simple passive

Lecture 183 Lexis: Linking stages together

Lecture 184 Grammar: Using relative clauses to give extra information about a stage

Lecture 185 Writing the introduction and overview

Lecture 186 Describing a process: Further practice

Lecture 187 Check your progress — compare responses

Section 25: WRITING Task 1: Maps (IELTS for Academic ONLY)

Lecture 188 Writing a letter of acceptance

Lecture 189 Unit preparation — test yourself

Lecture 190 Lexis & Grammar: Describing changes

Lecture 191 Lexis: Nominalisation and noun phrases for maps

Lecture 192 Model answer — Analysis

Lecture 193 Describing a map: Further practice

Lecture 194 Check your progress — compare responses

Section 26: WRITING Task 1: Letters (IELTS for General Training ONLY)

Lecture 195 Introduction to this section

Lecture 196 Writing criteria for Task 1 General Training

Lecture 197 Letter writing: The task and planning

Lecture 198 Letter writing: Paragraphing and salutations

Lecture 199 Letter writing: Formality and opening statements

Lecture 200 Writing a letter of complaint

Lecture 201 Writing a letter of request

Lecture 202 Writing a letter of advice

Lecture 203 Writing a letter of instruction

Lecture 204 Writing a letter of recommendation

Lecture 205 Writing an application letter

Lecture 206 Writing a letter of apology

Lecture 207 Writing a thank-you letter

Lecture 208 Writing a letter of acceptance

Lecture 209 Writing a letter of resignation

Lecture 210 Writing a letter to a friend

Section 27: Conclusion — Thank you and good luck!

Lecture 211 Congratulations!

People who need to take an IELTS test (Academic or General Training)