Ielts and Celpip Premier

You only have 200 words on each task to prove your language proficiency, so it's important to make those words count. When you're proofreading task 1 and task 2, watch for simple words such as:
good
bad
nice
big
small
These are just a few examples of words that can often be replaced with something more specific. If you're writing about a work event in task 1, for example, and you've written:
"The staff lunch was really good and I'm glad we were able to see everyone from the team," try changing it slightly to:
"The staff lunch was really lively..." or
"The staff lunch was really memorable..."
Vocabulary like this can provide a better description that simple, general adjectives that we use everyday. Best of luck everyone.

If your CELPIP exam is coming up soon and you haven't studied, here are some very general tips for the Writing section.
1. Use all the time allotted for each task. You'll be tired and possible less focused after completing the listening and reading tasks which means you're more likely to make mistakes or misunderstand the directions on the writing tasks. Write your response for task one, take a minute or two to reset, then proofread, make any changes, and proofread again.
2. Cover all bullet points in task 1.
3. Choose only A or B in task 2, not both.
4. Don't go over the word count by more than 10 words. There are no bonus points or marks for writing extra content.
5. When you're proofreading, watch for repeating descriptive words and simple words. For example, if you notice that you've used the word, "great," three times in task 2, change it up with another word like excellent, amazing, wonderful, or whatever you think will fit.

Too often people rush through task 1 and 2, lose focus, and lose marks. Use the time you have and proofread your work slowly. Best of luck everyone!

Tips for CELPIP task 1:
Focus your response on the bullet points for task 1. Make your introduction and conclusion short—often a one-sentence intro and conclusion will work, and use most of your time to work on covering each bullet point. To keep things simple, just make one paragraph of maybe two to four sentences for each bullet point, then wrap it up with a short concluding sentence. You won't receive additional marks for going over the word count, so don't try adding extra content for a longer introduction or conclusion.

For example, if task 1 is an email complaining of a recent experience in a coffee shop, just open with, "I'm writing in regards to a recent experience I had in your cafe and I'm hoping that you can resolve this issue." Then move on to bullet point one in a new paragraph.

Best of luck on your exams, everyone!

Tips for finding an IELTS or CELPIP tutor:
First, in most cases, students can improve their listening and reading skills on their own. Read books, blogs, social media posts, whatever; just read in English every day for 30-60 minutes. The same goes for listening. YouTube speeds can be adjusted, and there are hundreds of free practice listening tests out there. Make a schedule if that helps you study.

If you're stuck on speaking and writing, a tutor or a proper class may help. Look for schools that offer the IELTS and/or CELPIP tests since they will normally have qualified teachers. If you need to go up by one band score in IELTS, for example, 6 to 7, or two band scores in CELPIP, for example 7 to 9, consider taking a class. It will be more time and cheaper in the long run. If you just need to improve by half a band score in IELTS, for example 6.5 to 7, or just one band score in CELPIP, 8 to 9 perhaps, a tutor should be enough. If the tutor is experienced and you have lots of sample materials, try four hours of tutoring:
-1 hour to assess your level and make a plan.
-3 hours of follow up and practice.
-You may decide to add more time after this.

When you're looking for a tutor, the cheapest option is often the worst. Experienced IELTS and CELPIP instructors will be $25 per hour or more, and are very busy. In the Vancouver area, you may be spending $40 per hour for a top IELTS tutor. If you're unsure about a tutor, just start with one hour. Avoid anyone who makes you a guarantee or promise about achieving a certain score—this is often a sign that it's just someone looking to take your money.

As long as you're comfortable typing in English, you should have time remaining on task 1 and 2 of the CELPIP writing section to proofread your work. Here's what to look for:
1. Spelling—at this point in the exam you'll be tired and mistakes will happen easily.
2. Did you stay on topic? Re-read the instructions, then go sentence by sentence through your response.
3. Did you repeat descriptive words? Remember you're tired, and this is an easy mistake to make as well.
4. Did you use a variety of sentences? Short, long, simple, compound, and complex sentences.
5. Can you add any details? This is always an opportunity to show that your vocabulary is more than sufficient.
Best of luck on your exams everyone!

Hi everyone, someone recently reached out looking for help with reading on the CELPIP exam and I wanted to pass along my advice to anyone else who needs help in that area as well.

If you're scoring well below the score you need—for example, you get 5 but you need 9—you need to boost your reading skill overall. Read for 30-60 minutes every day and find something that you enjoy. News, social media, blogs, whatever. The main thing is, read!

If you find that your score is close to what you need—for example, you score 8 but need 9—focus on test-related materials. Use any free CELPIP tests you can find, read articles from places such as National Geographic and the BBC.

A lot of people turn to a private tutor to help with their reading skill and this usually isn't necessary. Save your money, and get reading.

Hi everyone, I'm very happy to announce that I'm expanding this page to now include tips for the IELTS test. Standby for both CELPIP and IELTS writing and speaking tips.

A common tip for writing task 1 and task 2 is to create an outline before you begin writing. This is not always useful depending on a couple of factors.

In task 1, you will have three or four points to cover. These points are basically your outline and you may not need to make any personal notes before you start writing. You can simply write a short introduction, then begin the next paragraph with point number one. If task 1 happens to be a topic that you can easily relate to, then by all means, start writing!

In task 2, it's a wise choice to create an outline since you don't have those three or four points like in task 1. Don't spend anymore than three or four minutes, and simply jot a few notes down in order to keep everything organized.

Everyone has different writing styles and preferences. Some people really need an outline whereas others can write comfortably without it. In the end, you probably know which style is best for you.

CELPIP Writing Tip: Stay On Topic
Far too often candidates go off topic. The tragic thing is your writing quality could be quite high, but if you’re writing about unrelated topics, it will negatively impact your score. Here’s an example from an email to a restaurant manager regarding the quality of the food:

"I ordered the chicken souvlaki with a baked potato. Unfortunately, the chicken was undercooked and the baked potato was cold in the middle. I felt very sick after eating the meal and was throwing up for most of the evening. The following day I missed work and ended up in a walk-in clinic for most of the morning. Now I’ve wasted one of my sick days from work and it’s your fault!"

The details about the undercooked chicken and baked potato are fine, but notice that the candidate goes off topic to details the symptoms from food poisoning and the missed day of work.
Tip: after you finish your first draft, go sentence by sentence and ask yourself if the content directly relates to what has been asked of you.

CELPIP Writing Tip for task 1 and task 2.
For both tasks, use a variety of sentences. More specifically, try to add at least two complex sentences to each task response. This is difficult to do while you're writing, but it can be something you check for before you move on to the next section. An easy trick is to change a compound sentence into a complex sentence. For example:

"I visited your cafe last Saturday and I noticed that all of the tables were filthy" can be changed to "While I was visiting your cafe last Saturday, I noticed that all of the tables were filthy."

Again, just try to get two or more complex sentences in each task, that's it. Best of luck everyone!

An easy tip for task 1 and task 2:
write what you know—whenever possible, use a personal experience in your response. If you have to write a letter of complaint to a coffee shop, think of a real coffee shop that you've visited. If you're writing a thank-you email to a co-worker, think of a real person who you work with. It's normally easier to write about something personal than something completely made up. Whenever possible, use a real experience with real details, and simply change some aspects to make it work for your task response. This should help you write the response quicker and leave you with more time to check your answer.
Best of luck everyone!