The website is still in its infancy. I’m doing my best to add more content and new pages whenever possible.

During our sessions, our main focus will be on working together through mock tests from the Cambridge IELTS books. Together, we will identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and tailor our approach to suit your unique needs. Additionally, I will share insights into my personal approach to the test and the mindset that helped me score 40/40 in both the academic reading and the listening. When necessary, we will explore additional resources to enhance your grammar and vocabulary skills.

When it comes to popular tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, or SAT, there is an overabundance of materials available. Some are from reputable publishers like Barron’s and Pearson, while others come from questionable sources. I firmly believe that the authentic test materials published by Cambridge University Press in the Cambridge IELTS series are ALL that a test-taker needs to achieve a perfect 9/9 score, provided they have a proficient level of English.

Although my primary focus is currently on teaching IELTS and TOEFL students online, I have over a decade of hands-on classroom experience. This history has equipped me with the confidence and proficiency to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to adult learners of diverse ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

Unfortunately, teaching children requires a different set of skills and approaches that I have not yet developed in my teaching career.

No, I don’t guarantee a band score. I find it unethical to promise something that is out of my hands and that I have no direct control over. What I do guarantee is that I will do all in my power to help you understand the different aspects of the test, to practice the right way, and for you to expand your knowledge of the English language. Your dedication and hard work are what will eventually lead to a perfect score.

As is the norm in almost all language schools around the world, there is a 10-15 minute break after every class, whether it’s online or in-person. This allows the teacher to prepare the material, set up the next meeting, test the equipment, get some fresh air, and hopefully brew some fresh coffee.

This is a question that I’m asked fairly often in recent years. While I find A.I. tools, mainly ChatGPT, to be phenomenal resources for learning and practicing, I do have to state that these apps have a wide margin of error. Sometimes, I know the answer to the question I’m asking ChatGPT, and even when I help guide it in the right direction, it still takes me 3-4 attempts to get it right. If it’s a question that I don’t know the answer to, which is most likely the case for many students, there will be no way to know whether the answer provided by ChatGPT is reliably accurate or not.

Visit this page, where I discuss the pros and cons of ChatGPT for language learners, share my personal strategies for using it to my advantage, and show you how I personally use it to extract the most value.

While I value the wide reach of the Udemy platform, their predatory revenue-sharing model, which often exceeds 90%, led me to unpublish the course. My primary goal is to provide learners with the same content, and more, through my personal website.

Charging for consultations helps me ensure that our time together is respected and valued. By discouraging no-shows and ensuring that appointments are honored, I can better serve all of my students and provide a consistent level of care and attention to each individual.

Please visit this page for detailed information on the similarities and differences between the two versions of the IELTS test.

You should take the Academic IELTS if you plan to study at the undergraduate or postgraduate level in an English-speaking country. Choose the General Training IELTS if you intend to migrate to an English-speaking country, such as Australia, Canada, or the United Kingdom, for work or immigration purposes.

The score requirements for ‘good’ universities (e.g., Cambridge, Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, **cough** Yale) vary widely, but aiming for an IELTS band score of 7 or above is generally recommended for most undergraduate programs. For postgraduate studies, a band score of 7.5 or higher is more typical.

In the IELTS exam, your reading and listening (receptive skills) scores are based on the number of correct answers out of 40 questions. There is no penalty for wrong answers. Your score will be converted into an overall band score, ranging from 0 to 9.

Number of correct answers / 40 = x / 9

For example, if you answer 35 questions correctly:

35 / 40 = x / 9
35*9 = 315
x = 315 / 40
x = 7.87

All scores are rounded UP to the nearest half or whole band score. Your 7.87 will be rounded up to 8.

In the speaking test, examiners assess you based on four criteria: fluency and coherence, lexical resource (vocabulary), grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Click here for more detailed information about what each of those mean. I also recommend visiting this page to get a better understanding of the scoring of the IELTS Speaking module.

Keep in mind that having an accent does not mean that you cannot get a perfect score, and speaking fast does not typically grant you a high score. Take a breath, think about your answer, speak slowly, loudly, and clearly. Make every word count. Don’t say things just to avoid a momentary silence.

In the writing test, you’re assessed on four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Here is the official rubric.

I use Cambridge IELTS 14 to 19 in my classes. While newer editions may better reflect current test content and format, older Cambridge IELTS books still offer valuable practice material.

In some parts of the world, it can be very difficult and extremely expensive to obtain the latest editions of a book. That’s why I strongly suggest finding the best deals possible, including used books, and working with those.