What You Say in English!
121 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago -It's a weekly podcast where I listen to you and give you my professional feedback on how you use grammar, vocabulary, discourse, and pronunciation. I will also share some tips and ideas with everyone out there who wishes to improve on their speaking. Go to the companion website: http://whatyousayinenglish.wordpress.com, check the questions of the month to get started. Be brave! Send your recordings to [email protected]. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whatyousayinenglish/support
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Episodes
Episode 34: Interactive communication tips and intonation of cleft sentences
May 15, 2022 12:08 - 32 minutes - 44 MBI always want to emphasize Interactive Communication because it's one of the criteria that gets overlooked by teachers and candidates altogether. Today I'll speak about three ways in which candidates can use language effectively to: Interrupt politely Add your opinion to what the other candidate said Ask for clarification I'm also including an element that also deserves some attention: intonation. On this occasion, I'll be talking about the way we say cleft sentences. So, enjoy today's e...
Episode 33: Brief message from Rossana (and feedback) and speaking skill: Making generalizations.
May 08, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 46.4 MBRossana, a listener from Italy, sent me this incredible message you'll hear today. It's very short but it's a good sample to give some well-deserved feedback. When clips are short, I mostly focus on pronunciation and some vocabulary. To give feedback on more aspects, I would need a longer piece of audio. In any case, she did really well. The main event in today's episode is how to make generalizations effectively. In many parts of the speaking exam, whether it's for B2, C1, or C2, the exami...
Episode 32: Conversation with fellow teacher and language lover, Marcelo.
May 01, 2022 10:00 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MBMarcelo was very eager to have my feedback, and I honestly don't have much to say about his amazing speaking skills. Being a teacher has allowed him to share everything he's learned along the way with his students. He has an incredible personality and a very focused mindset when it comes to how communication is essential in the classroom, whether it be face-to-face or online. Enjoy this conversation! Remember that if you want to learn more about Ben Gill's TTP Academy or my future course for...
Episode 31: Cambridge exams Set Texts
April 24, 2022 11:48 - 40 minutes - 55.2 MBThis is a short presentation about the set text for B2 First for Schools and the two novels for C2 Proficiency. I answer why they're used in the exams and what candidates are expected to do. Also, I will explain what the benefits are and the possible pitfalls if you decide to prepare for them. The set texts are: B2 First for Schools (January 2021 - December 2022) Daphne du Maurier: Rebecca. Teachers may choose to prepare candidates for questions on this set text by studying any film version...
Episode 30: C1 Mock Speaking with Magda and Alicia
April 17, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBTwo fantastic girls did the mock speaking for C1 this week and here's my full feedback. Remember that you can download the visuals for this test in this link. Also, I want to remind you (once again) of the special collaboration I'm doing with Ben Gill. Remember to check out Ben Gill's channels and Patreon Website, where you'll be able to join his TTP Academy. I'll collaborate with him delivering workshops on exam preparation and answering all your questions about the Cambridge Exams. Ben Gi...
Episode 29: What are your plans for Easter? Oscar and Sara tell us what they think
April 10, 2022 11:21 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBTwo of my B2 First students, Oscar and Sara wanted to share their plans for these Easter holidays. We had a nice chat in class, speaking about the different things they enjoy most about these holidays in Spain. You'll be surprised to hear how they can speak English. I always enjoy their participations in class, and you'll see how that comes across in this episode. Two young people with a bright future ahead. Thank you very much, guys! Enjoy the holidays. Also, I want to remind you of the sp...
Episode 28: The "Chaos" of English pronunciation
April 03, 2022 10:00 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBToday's episode is shorter than usual, but I'm bringing some fun with pronunciation. If you haven't heard of Gerard Nolst Trenité's poem "The Chaos", then you have no idea how hard English pronunciation can be! The poem illustrates the disparity between spelling and pronunciation. It's so hard, that even native speakers of English find it impossible to recite fully. Not only will I be talking about the poem, but also about its history and the many different versions it has. If you wish to ge...
Episode 27: C2 Proficiency Success Story. How Maura got a "Pass A"
March 27, 2022 10:00 - 44 minutes - 61.8 MBMaura is a hardworking person who took upon her the preparation of the C2 Proficiency exam. It seemed like an impossible task, but she was very serious and organized with her preparation. She tells everything in this episode. Getting a "pass A" is the dream of many test-takers, and quite honestly, with the proper preparation, it isn't difficult. She even got 230 points (the maximum score) in the Use of English paper, the part that most people fear. Among her recommendations, she says you sh...
Episode 26: Full mock IELTS speaking and commentary
March 20, 2022 11:26 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBJavier is a great candidate for the IELTS exam. He's in his early twenties, doing a Master's in teaching Spanish and wanting to go and live in Australia to teach his native language. To apply for the residence, he doesn't need much in the IELTS exam, just a 4.5 (out of 9), which is roughly equivalent to a B1 (Cambridge Preliminary). However, having studied English as a degree at the University, Javi is more than capable of getting that score. He would even get a seven (7) on the exam! We sat...
Episode 25: Analyzing the English of four Spanish politicians
March 13, 2022 11:00 - 50 minutes - 69.1 MBAfter not being able to upload an episode last week (I apologize for that!), today I'm bringing an analysis that I've been wanting to do for quite a while. Last year, I was amazed by how well the current Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, spoke English in several interviews he did while on tour around the United States. So, I came up with this and see how other Spanish politicians can handle English. Some with very mixed results and others incredibly well. Apart from Sánchez, we'll list...
Episode 24: Three highly proficient speakers of English answer two opinion questions
February 27, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 37 MBThis, you might say, is a continuation from a previous episode in which two students of mine answered some opinion questions. This time, it's Yolanda, Nat and Marta, who show off their incredible speaking skills. Pay close attention to how they answer the two questions and how they use pronunciation, discourse, and vocabulary to a very high level. In some cases, they're almost indistinguishable from a monolingual native speaker of English. What would your answer be for these two questions? S...
Episode 23: Alberto, from Zaragoza, shares his tips to learn English
February 20, 2022 18:32 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MBAlberto is a great guy. Ever since he contacted me, he's shown an incredible attitude (and aptitude) to learning English. He never stops learning and kindly agreed to have a brief conversation with me about how he started learning English, his job, his career as a teacher, and his tips to learn English. He's a great model to follow, as he's been able to develop a very good level of fluency and discourse management that you'd like to imitate. Listen to me giving advice on how he can become an...
Episode 22: Grammar and Lexical Control at B2, C1 and C2 levels
February 13, 2022 20:38 - 38 minutes - 52.2 MBHere's the last part of the 6 candidates doing the collaborative task of the B2, C1 and C2 exams and the corresponding analysis. They all did well, with some ups and downs, but with enough control to make a pass. I sincerely hope you can find these recordings, and my comments, useful. Remember that I'm available to coach students on their writing skills as well. Just contact me at [email protected] and I'll give more information on how to get my feedback on your writing skills as w...
Episode 21: Discourse Management and Pronunciation at B2, C1 and C2 levels
February 06, 2022 12:47 - 36 minutes - 49.6 MBFollowing a friend's advice, I'm covering two more criteria, with the same people from last week. Here, you'll hear how they did in terms of discourse and pronunciation. The six candidates gave some good material to work with, and I hope you take your note pad and jot down the ideas you liked the most. As last week, the visuals can be downloaded from https://drive.google.com/file/d/10blaiOno3U3GOPaOpx4exqV6VugnhZM4/view?usp=sharing This week, I'm also trying to vary the music I use. I've ch...
Episode 20: Interactive Communication at B2, C1 and C2 levels
January 30, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MBInteractive Communication is usually the criterion that is least understood by many candidates. Many know that they have to respond and establish a conversation in many parts of the speaking test, but they sometimes don't know what they're doing that might affect their mark. Today, I've chosen the collaborative sections of the B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency exams to illustrate how this is viewed from an examiner's point of view. The six candidates do a good job and, despite some mi...
Episode 19: Money Heist's Úrsula Coberó's English
January 23, 2022 13:21 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBOne of the stars from the Netflix hit series "Money Heist", Úrsula Corberó gave me this incredible opportunity to speak about what makes her an incredible English speaker and a wonderful role model to follow. After having a successful career as an actor in Spain, she went on to become Money Heist's Goddess. Here, she was invited to the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (https://youtu.be/yA4I5t2R7yA) and guess what? She did amazingly well. She's pure talent, and this interview just proved it. -...
Episode 18: Opinions about language learning - Part 4
January 16, 2022 11:00 - 47 minutes - 64.9 MBThis is the last installment of the series of episodes exploring common misconceptions about language learning. Here, I’m trying to demistify the last three questions I posted in the link https://forms.gle/puJMknBoTrKAMFBw5 The questions are: English should be kept in its pure form. Any contact with other languages only leads to its bastardization. Any language teacher should be a native speaker of the language they teach. People learn depending on their learning style. A visual learner,...
Episode 17: Opinions about language learning - Part 3
January 09, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBThis is the first part of a series of episodes in which I explore what the common assumptions are for language teaching. Today, I'm covering three more questions in the survey I opened, which you can also answer here: https://forms.gle/qAnoxepR2Fdgpnbv6 The questions are: Written language is superior to spoken language. English grammar should be followed strictly. Anything that doesn't conform to grammar rules is incorrect. Using a translation approach to learn English is a mistake. Thank...
Episode 16: My farewell wishes for this year.
December 19, 2021 11:00 - 6 minutes - 9.09 MBAs you can read in the title of today's episode, I don't have the continuation of the series I've been preparing. Several commitments have kept me busy, and finding a moment to record was almost impossible. However, I didn't want to say goodbye to you and to this year without giving you a present. So, go ahead and press play to open it. If anyone is interested in getting it, you can follow this link: https://www.bookdepository.com/es/Prophet-Kahlil-Gibran/9780099416937?ref=grid-view&qid=16398...
Episode 15: Opinions about language learning - Part 2
December 12, 2021 11:00 - 40 minutes - 55.9 MBThis is the first part of a series of episodes in which I explore what the common assumptions are for language teaching. Today, I'm covering the first three questions in the survey I opened, which you can also answer here: https://forms.gle/qAnoxepR2Fdgpnbv6 The questions are: Sounding like a native speaker should be the ultimate goal for any language learner. To learn English, you must start thinking in English. Learners who constantly translate in their heads learn slower. Children are...
Episode 14: Opinions about language learning - Part 1
December 05, 2021 11:00 - 49 minutes - 68.1 MBThis is the first part of a series of episodes in which I explore what the common assumptions are for language teaching. Today, I'm covering the first three questions in the survey I opened, which you can also answer here: https://forms.gle/qAnoxepR2Fdgpnbv6 The questions are: The basis for teaching is the spoken, not the written language. Teachers and students should use the target language (English) rather than students' first language in the classroom. Teachers should avoid explicit ...
Episode 13: Answering opinion questions at C2 level
November 28, 2021 13:06 - 37 minutes - 52.1 MBThis time, I had a student of mine from a C2 Proficiency group answer some questions that would be appropriate for the discussion section of the speaking exam. C1 students would also benefit from listening to her answers, as she uses a wide range of structures and vocabulary. She also used intonation effectively to enhance the message she was trying to convey. The questions were: Do you have much opportunity to travel? Where would you go if you had the choice? How would you feel about a ro...
Episode 12: A conversation with teacher and exam trainer, Ben Gill
November 21, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBFirst of all, I'd like to apologize for the audio quality. I didn't have the right audio equipment (the one I usually use) and I was at another location and I had to amplify Ben's voice so you could hear it. Despite that, I hope you can get to hear him share his knowledge and expertise as a teacher and exam trainer. We talked about our shows, our students and our impressions on what matters most when preparing for exams. Ben's channels are To The Point, English with Ben (https://www.youtube....
Episode 11: Giving feedback on accent reduction.
November 14, 2021 11:00 - 44 minutes - 60.4 MBSomething that sounds very enticing to English learners is that they wish to speak English with a native accent. Apart from being a difficult goal to reach, in today's world, it's probably becoming less and less important. There's also the problem of selecting a native accent to imitate... native from where? Today I'm giving feedback to Elaph, an English learner from Iraq. Although she's a very fluent speaker, she feels she would like to "reduce her accent", because she feels that it would b...
Episode 10: Mock speaking for IELTS and feedback
November 07, 2021 11:00 - 53 minutes - 73.1 MBIt's been a long time since I've done anything IELTS related. Well, here I am, doing a mock speaking with a great candidate who wishes to get a 6.0 in his exam. Mohd Farook is from India. He contacted me through Facebook and we recorded this a few days back. He received the video version of this mock. I hope you enjoy it. The card he used for part 2 goes as follows: Talk about a polluted place you have seen. What is this place and where is it? Why is it polluted? How does this affect li...
Episode 9: Full mock speaking for C1 Advanced with Sindo and Suzy.
October 31, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 91.5 MBYou may not know this, but today is my birthday! And as a special treat, I bring this full mock speaking for C1 Advanced with two incredible candidates: Sindo and Suzy. We recorded this a while back and I was planning never to post it, but Sindo contacted me to let me know that he'd passed the exam (now he can say he's got the advanced level, officially), which makes me very happy. All success stories call for a celebration. The visuals for this exam: Part 2, candidate A: shorturl.at/vMSU3 ...
Episode 8: Grammar control when speaking about the future.
October 24, 2021 10:00 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MBBelieve it or not, English only has, strictly speaking, two tenses: present and past. Of course, if we only consider the changes in the verb. But that doesn't mean we can't express different concepts to talk about the future. For such purpose, we can use different "tenses" (or verb forms) that can do the job as well as in your first language. I will try to dispel any confusions regarding the future in English and I hope my explanations come across as easy as possible for you. Remember that s...
Episode 7: How we can improve our pronunciation with word stress
October 17, 2021 10:00 - 41 minutes - 57.1 MBDue to all the downloads the previous episode got, I decided to cover an aspect of pronunciation that usually leads to confusion: word stress. Take out your notebooks because this will be a very eye-opening class that you may wish to revisit in the future. I speak about different aspects of word stress, how confusing it may be, and how we can better predict how words are said just by looking at how they're written. Remember to support the channel by sharing the episodes on your favorite soci...
Episode 6: Introduction to connected speech (Pronunciation)
October 10, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutes - 35.4 MBOne aspect that complicates things whenever a non-native speaker of English and a native speaker of English communicate with each other is how the latter joins words together. This could be a problem for English learners, especially at the beginning of their learning journey. Today, I'm covering some of those problems, trying to explain what makes them difficult at times. It's not my intention that you produce these sounds, but if you want to, I promise you that people will start complimenti...
Episode 5: Analyzing a celebrity's English: Vanessa Paradis
October 03, 2021 10:00 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBAfter analyzing Penelope Cruz's incredible English, thus time, as suggested by a listener, I'm talking about what I think of Vanessa Paradis' English. She's a French singer and actor who started her career at 14/15 years old, and since then, she's done a lot of interesting things. I selected 4 clips that illustrate how much she has learned over the years. It is interesting to hear how she sounded at 15 and what she's like now. You have to remember that she was married to Johnny Depp and had ...
Episode 4: Understanding minimal differences in vocabulary
September 26, 2021 11:08 - 48 minutes - 66.3 MBThis time, I'm offering the tools to understand words that may be confusing because of their meaning. Some people may use them interchangeably but not all the time. Something you need to bear in mind is that complete synonymy is almost impossible. For example, 'big' and 'large' are not really synonyms. You can speak of 'a big laugh' but not of 'a large laugh'; likewise with 'high' and 'tall'. 'A tall lady' is possible, but not 'a high lady'. The list of words I'm analyzing in today's episod...
Episode 3: Answering personal questions with Cristian.
September 19, 2021 10:00 - 50 minutes - 68.7 MBCristian is a young man from Mexico City. He contacted me through the C1 Advanced - CAE (Certificate in advanced English) Facebook group. We had a nice conversation in which he answered personal questions that can help those who are preparing for part 1 of the Cambridge speaking exam. He demonstrated great skills to communicate complex ideas and use vocabulary that any advanced learner should be using. Take your notebook and write down all the expressions and fixed phrases he used, and you'l...
Episode 2: Full Mock C1 Advanced Speaking with Mónica and Daniela
September 12, 2021 10:00 - 49 minutes - 68.6 MBThis time I'm bringing another mock speaking for the C1 Advanced. Mónica and Daniela did very well, and I'm sure they'd make a pass in a real exam. Listen carefully, as these two girls produce some great language that you can recycle and make it your own. The visuals I've used for this test were: Part 2 (Cadidate 1): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1orusiw1EJ82L1bOieXuEuxkDKaUSBOeT/view?usp=sharing Part 2 (Cadidate 2): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1owmOnNFrByZ4D0UpfD9GScuXX8GA5mlk/view...
Episode 1: Cambridge Exams... Frequently Asked Questions for the exam day
September 05, 2021 10:00 - 46 minutes - 64.1 MBIt's good to be back! In this first episode, I am answering all your questions regarding the Cambridge exams. What to do and not to do during the exam day. I decided to do it as a response to my collaboration with English teacher and YouTuber Ben Gill. You can visit his channel, To The Point - English with Ben, and get lots of incredible advice on how to prepare for your Cambridge exams. If you're interested in watching the interview he did with me, it's divided into two parts: Part 1: http...
Episode 36: A mock speaking from takeIELTS.net
May 30, 2021 16:09 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBAfter a 2-week pause due to problems with my voice, I'm back again with great news from takeIELTS.net. Also, while you listen to this mock, take note of the questions and answers provided because the report provided by takeIELTS.net will tell which answers were problematic or needed a bit of help. So, take this episode as a learning class and exercise your listening skills by taking notes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/whatyousayinenglish/message Support this podcast: htt...
Episode 35: Analyzing a Celebrity's English!
May 09, 2021 10:00 - 34 minutes - 47.3 MBAs an English teacher, I always like to choose positive role models for my students to feel inspired. This week, I have chosen an A-list Hollywood celebrity whose first language is not English. Not only is she an incredible professional, devoted to her craft, but she's also a charming person who's worked hard to gain the level of confidence that she's got in English. Listen to this episode to discover who she is. Also, take note of all the wonderful expressions I have analyzed and explained....
Episode 34: Grammar control: Talking about past habits
May 02, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36 MBOne area that is particularly difficult for many English learners is how to keep constant control of the tenses they use when speaking. They sure know how to form questions in the past, and how to answer written questions in controlled exercises. However, when they have to speak, it can be quite difficult to use the structures correctly. In this episode, I'll give you some tips on which 3 structures we use in English to talk about past habits: past simple, used to and would. Also, I will tel...
Episode 33: Improving discourse by using conjunctions and linking adverbs
April 25, 2021 10:00 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBOne problem that I encounter with candidates and students is the way they link ideas. Using linking expressions not only helps you with how you control grammatical structures, but also adds to how you organize your thought coherently. In this episode, I focus on some of the most common expressions and how they're used. Sometimes distinguishing between American English and British English. It is essential that you download the accompanying study notes I have prepared for this episode. The lin...
Episode 32: IELTS speaking feedback for Angrej's IELTS Institute
April 19, 2021 08:05 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBThis episode was done in collaboration with Angrej's IELTS Institute, a Language School in Ghanaur, Patiala. Please, if you're in India and need counseling and training in the IELTS exam, visit their website at https://angrejsieltsinstitute.com/. If you're not in the region, rest assured that you can also get online classes from any part of India. Today, we have three students who got feedback on their speaking skills as they were going to take their IELTS exam that week. In this episode, on...
Episode 31: Cambridge speaking exams. Part 4: Further discussion
April 11, 2021 19:17 - 29 minutes - 40.6 MBThis is the last installment in the series of 4 episodes on the Cambridge Speaking exams for B2 and C1. I hope you've enjoyed them and found them useful. Remember, I'm always here for any consultation you may have. My goal is that everyone who has a genuine desire to improve on their English can find in this podcast the motivation to continue improving. Next week, we'll go back to the IELTS speaking with some mock exams I'll be doing in partnership with Angrej's IELTS Institute, a Language ...
Episode 30: Cambridge speaking exams. Part 3: The Collaborative task
April 05, 2021 10:01 - 32 minutes - 45.1 MBIn part 3 of the speaking for Cambridge B2 and C1, candidates have to collaborate to answer a question. The most important element to consider is how well you interact with each other and what structures you use to encourage participation and how you can expand on what you partner says. You can download the visuals from here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UaN2qfjN3fg_NdyVNyxpePMUwj-P6XHC/view?usp=sharing) and follow the conversation and the analysis I make on these candidates performance....
Episode 29: Cambridge speaking exams. Part 2: The Long Turn
March 28, 2021 12:16 - 49 minutes - 67.8 MBNow it's the turn of part 2. As the one before, I'll concentrate in the B2 First and C1 Advanced exams. Listen carefully to my advice as these two levels, although similar in execution, differ in what specific language you're required to produce. Also, listen to what I say about the common pitfalls in which many candidates usually fall into. The visual material used can be found here: B2 First and C1 advanced: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OYlZlEW8bNHRCm70lMcdfWKJ2hhM-ejF/view?usp=sharin...
Episode 28: Cambridge speaking exams. Part 1: The Interview
March 21, 2021 11:00 - 34 minutes - 47.9 MBSince many people liked the previous episode with a full speaking speaking for C1 Advanced, I've decided to explain, part by part, what you should do, and shouldn't do, in the speaking for Cambridge exams. I'll be focussing on B2 and C1 levels because they're the more demanded levels. In this episode, part (The Interview) is explained with 2 candidates for each level. So, take paper and pencil and take note of all the tips I offer. Also, if you feel up to the challenge, you can write down t...
Episode 27: A full C1 Advanced speaking mock
March 15, 2021 08:37 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBThis time, I'm bringing a full speaking mock exam I did with two of my students. If you wish to see the visuals I used for this episode, visit the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NA0EK08cHgW7Pi5-S6QLLm2LiKr5dcrb/view?usp=drivesdk Also, if you wish to see the video reaction, visit this other link: https://youtu.be/6r25KAye6xo Remember that you can also be part of this project and get feedback on your speaking skills. My contact email is [email protected]. --- Send...
Episode 26: An advanced speaker from North Africa
March 07, 2021 12:00 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBThis female speaker from North Africa is a very good example of an advanced level. She speaks naturally and confidently with only minor slips that even native speakers can have. Despite having a marked accent heavily influenced by her first language (Arabic), it is clear that she's a fluent speaker. I was very happy to have her on the show despite her reluctance. She was charming and very open to share what she does as a teacher. Remember that you too can be part of this show, just drop me a...
Episode 25: Understanding the IELTS speaking marking criteria: Pronunciation
February 28, 2021 11:00 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MBThis is the final installment of the series of 4 episodes in which I try to explain what matters most in the speaking test of the IELTS exam. This time, I'm using recordings from test takers that have done my online version of the exam. They all represent different band scores and different features such as rhythm, intonation, individual sounds, stress and accent. For that, you'll need a copy of the public version of the speaking band descriptors that is available here. Remember that the can...
Episode 24: Understanding the IELTS speaking marking criteria: Grammatical Range and Accuracy
February 21, 2021 11:00 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MBThis is part 3 of a series of 4 episodes in which I'll try to explain the marking criteria in the IELTS speaking exam. If you've been using the mock exams from TakeIELTS.net, you may have received some feedback from IELTS examiners that can catch off guard. So, to help you all understand what matters in each set of criteria, I'll give you very specific examples from real people that exemplify what is expected at different bands. Today, I'll walk you through Grammatical Range and Accuracy, an...
Episode 23: Understanding the IELTS speaking marking criteria: Lexical Resource
February 14, 2021 17:48 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBThis is part 2 of a series of 4 episodes in which I'll try to explain the marking criteria in the IELTS speaking exam. If you've been using the mock exams from TakeIELTS.net, you may have received some feedback from IELTS examiners that can catch off guard. So, to help you all understand what matters in each set of criteria, I'll give you very specific examples from real people that exemplify what is expected at different bands. Today, I'll walk you through Lexical Resource, and for that, yo...
Episode 22: Understanding the IELTS speaking marking criteria: Fluency and Coherence
February 07, 2021 11:00 - 30 minutes - 41.6 MBThis is part 1 of a series of 4 episodes in which I'll try to explain the marking criteria in the IELTS speaking exam. If you've been using the mock exams from TakeIELTS.net, you may have received some feedback from IELTS examiners that can catch off guard. So, to help you all understand what matters in each set of criteria, I'll give you very specific examples from real people that exemplify what is expected at different bands. Today, I'll walk you through Fluency and Coherence, and for tha...
Episode 21: Nouari Hadj Amine, from Algeria, wants to help the world.
January 31, 2021 11:00 - 42 minutes - 58 MBAnother learner who tries a part 2 question from the IELTS speaking test. Hadj Amine contacted me because he wanted to take part and get his speaking analyzed. The question was: Describe your favorite TV program. You should say: the name of the program and where it is set what kind of program it is what it is about and explain why you enjoy it. Overall, he did very well. His strongest points include the use of complex sentences, including conditionals. He can also handle some phrasal v...