Best IELTS.com blog

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Your own 'Personal' Vocabulary

One of the biggest mistakes IELTS candidates make is in thinking the IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 is easy! In this section, candidates speak about 'safe' topics, such as family, hometown and hobbies.

It is vitally important that you learn the key vocabulary for any people, objects and situations that are particularly important in your own life. It will be extremely useful - apart from in the IELTS examination, you will need it every time you meet a new person and speak to them in English!

In recent mock tests, I have found candidates lacking such basic 'personal' vocabulary as "My father's job" (a property developer), "The musical instrument I have always wanted to play" (the harp) and "My ambition at work" (promotion to a more senior position within my department).

As you prepare for the IELTS examination, spend some time learning the vocabulary that is important to YOU. After all, the same range of grammar is essential to all of us, whilst some significant vocabulary varies from person to person. The Speaking Section of the BestIELTS.com website has lots more advice for the IELTS Speaking Test.

Monday 29 November 2010

Analysis, Analyse, Analyst, Analytical

Analysis [noun] is (alphabetically) the first word in sublist 1 of the Academic Word List (hereafter AWL). The Best IELTS web site will soon include a comprehensive Academic Word List reference section.

Analysis is the detailed inspection, investigation and/or examination of something to determine its constituent parts and their relationships to one another. This report contains a detailed analysis of the blood sample. The report would describe the composition of the blood. It could explain whether it was a healthy sample or else showed signs of disease or infection. It might also include information on any substances (drugs, alcohol etc) present in the blood and their concentrations.

Words related to analysis include analyse [verb] [US = analyze]: to perform/carry out analysis; analyst [noun] : a person who performs/carries out analysis and analytical [adjective] : capable of or prone to analysing things.

Sunday 28 November 2010

Academic Word List

The BestIELTS.com website will soon include a detailed reference guide to the Academic Word List. This is a list of 570 non-topic-specific 'word families' which occur extremely frequently in academic texts, such as those used in the IELTS examination. As you build your vocabulary for the IELTS examination, the Academic Word List is a useful tool.

Saturday 27 November 2010

IELTS Listening Test section updated

The IELTS Listening Test section of the BestIELTS.com website has recently been updated and expanded. A detailed description of each question type in the IELTS Listening Test is included. This link takes you directly to the IELTS Listening Test section of the BestIELTS.com website. You will find lots of useful tips if you are preparing for the IELTS Listening Test!