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metodo
IELTS. Complete master reference. Speaking and Writing in one document. How this document is organized. Everything produced across all previous documents has been merged here and reorganized into three books. Book one covers Speaking, first the drill material meant to be read aloud and timed, then the reusable phrases with a note on when to use each. Book two covers Writing, Task one and Task two, organized by what you are describing. Book three is the consolidated error profile, where every recurring mistake from both skills is gathered in one place, separated into the errors that affect both skills and the ones specific to speaking or to writing, followed by the checklists. Error corrections were deliberately moved out of books one and two so that nothing appears twice. Formatting is the same throughout, complete sentences separated by periods, no arrows, no tables, no bullet dashes, so a text to speech reader can move through it without interruption.
BOOK ONE. SPEAKING. SECTION A. THE DRILL BANK. Verb ladders. For each verb, five forms are read in a row. Present simple, past simple, present perfect, past continuous, and the would conditional. Be. She is a doctor. She was a doctor. She has been a doctor for ten years. She was being unusually quiet. She would be a good doctor. Have. He has four sessions. He had four sessions. He has had four sessions today. He was having a session. He would have more time if he planned better. Go. She goes to work early. She went to work early. She has gone to work early every day this week. She was going to work when it happened. She would go if she had the time. See. He sees the pattern. He saw the pattern. He has seen this pattern before. He was seeing a specialist. He would see it differently now. Hear. She hears the noise. She heard the noise. She has heard that noise before. She was hearing things, apparently. She would hear it if she listened closely. Take. It takes effort. It took effort. It has taken years to build. She was taking notes. It would take longer without help. Leave. He leaves at six. He left at six. He has left already. He was leaving when I arrived. He would leave earlier if traffic was better. Live. She lives downtown. She lived downtown. She has lived downtown since two thousand fifteen. She was living alone that year. She would live abroad if she could. Become. It becomes clear. It became clear. It has become clear over time. It was becoming a problem. It would become worse without treatment. Feel. He feels anxious. He felt anxious. He has felt anxious all week. He was feeling better. He would feel calmer with more sleep. Get. She gets nervous. She got nervous. She has gotten nervous before exams. She was getting nervous. She would get nervous too. Make. It makes sense. It made sense. It has made sense from the start. She was making a decision. It would make things easier. Give. He gives advice. He gave advice. He has given advice for years. He was giving a talk. He would give more if he could.
Tell. She tells the truth. She told the truth. She has told the truth every time. She was telling a story. She would tell you if she knew. Know. He knows the answer. He knew the answer. He has known the answer for a while. This verb has no continuous form, it is a stative verb. He would know if he checked. Want. She wants change. She wanted change. She has wanted change for years. This verb has no continuous form, it is a stative verb. She would want more information first. Decide. He decides quickly. He decided quickly. He has decided already. He was deciding between two options. He would decide differently now. Start. It starts slowly. It started slowly. It has started already. It was starting to rain. It would start earlier with more planning. Buy. She buys groceries. She bought groceries. She has bought groceries already. She was buying groceries. She would buy more if it was cheaper. Think. He thinks it's fair. He thought it was fair. He has thought about it carefully. He was thinking it over. He would think twice about it. Keep. She keeps records. She kept records. She has kept records for years. She was keeping notes. She would keep going if she had support. Break. It breaks down. It broke down. It has broken down twice. It was breaking apart slowly. It would break under pressure. Understand. He understands the case. He understood the case. He has understood it for a while. He was understanding it better each session. He would understand more with time. Forget. She forgets details. She forgot details. She has forgotten most of it. She was forgetting names. She would forget under stress. Choose. He chooses carefully. He chose carefully. He has chosen his specialty. He was choosing between two paths. He would choose differently now. Worry. She worries about the exam. She worried about the exam. She has worried about the exam for weeks. She was worrying about it all morning. She would worry less with more preparation. Try. He tries a new approach. He tried a new approach. He has tried several approaches already. He was trying to explain it calmly. He would try again if it failed. Meet. She meets new patients every week. She met new patients every week. She has met hundreds of patients over the years. She was meeting a colleague when it happened. She would meet him again if she had the chance.
Find. He finds the right words eventually. He found the right words eventually. He has found this exam genuinely difficult. He was finding it hard to concentrate. He would find it easier with more practice. Lose. She loses focus under pressure. She lost focus under pressure. She has lost track of time twice this week. She was losing patience by the end. She would lose confidence if she failed. Teach. He teaches residents every semester. He taught residents every semester. He has taught this topic for years. He was teaching a seminar that morning. He would teach it differently now. Explain. She explains the diagnosis carefully. She explained the diagnosis carefully. She has explained this same thing many times. She was explaining the results when he arrived. She would explain it more simply if asked again. Expect. He expects a difficult conversation. He expected a difficult conversation. He has expected this outcome for a while. He was expecting bad news. He would expect the same result again. Plan. She plans every session in advance. She planned every session in advance. She has planned the whole move already. She was planning her notes the night before. She would plan differently with more time. Notice. He notices small changes quickly. He noticed small changes quickly. He has noticed a pattern in the results. He was noticing something odd about the case. He would notice it immediately now. Admit. She admits her mistakes openly. She admitted her mistake openly. She has admitted she was wrong before. She was admitting the error when the supervisor walked in. She would admit it sooner next time. Realize. He realizes the risk too late. He realized the risk too late. He has realized his error since then. He was realizing the mistake as it happened. He would realize it faster with more experience. Manage. She manages her time well. She managed her time well. She has managed a heavy caseload for years. She was managing three cases at once that day. She would manage it better with support. Avoid. He avoids the topic entirely. He avoided the topic entirely. He has avoided this conversation for months. He was avoiding eye contact the whole time. He would avoid it if he could. Accept. She accepts the feedback gracefully. She accepted the feedback gracefully. She has accepted every correction so far. She was accepting the criticism calmly. She would accept it more easily with practice.
Contrastive pairs, present versus past. Each pair is read back to back. The goal is to feel the tense switch physically and not let the second sentence drift back to the present. I go to the clinic every morning. Last year, I went to the clinic every morning. She has speakers in her room. When I was a child, she had speakers in her room. We don't have much time. That day, we didn't have much time. He leaves the house early. That morning, he left the house early. Santa Claus leaves presents under the tree. In the story my mother told, Santa Claus left presents under the tree. She reads us stories every night. She used to read us stories every night. She'd read us stories every night. It affects my mood. That week, it affected my mood badly. The decision requires patience. The decision required patience back then. People don't understand. At the time, people didn't understand. Music changes how I feel. That summer, music changed how I felt completely. I work long hours now. Back then, I worked even longer hours. He doesn't speak about it. He didn't speak about it for years. She trusts the process. She used to distrust it completely. It matters to me. That year, it mattered more than anything. I worry about this every day. That whole year, I worried about it every day. She doesn't accept criticism easily. Back then, she didn't accept criticism at all. He explains things patiently. In that session, he explained things patiently. We don't always agree on the diagnosis. That day, we didn't agree on the diagnosis. It takes real effort to change. It took real effort to change, back then. They avoid the subject at family dinners. That year, they avoided the subject completely. She manages the whole team now. Before the reorganization, she managed only three people. He forgets appointments occasionally. That month, he forgot two appointments in a row. I plan my sessions the night before. During my residency, I planned everything the night before.
Music helps me focus while I write. That semester, music helped me get through the exams. Full past tense story drills. Each story is read in one breath, timed. If the present tense slips in anywhere, stop, go back to the last correct sentence, and continue in the past, without restarting from zero. Story one. A childhood memory. When I was seven, my grandmother gave me an old radio for my birthday. It had two speakers and a broken antenna, but it still worked. Every evening, she sat next to me and we listened to music together. I didn't understand most of the lyrics, but I loved the melodies. One night, the radio stopped working completely, and I cried for almost an hour. She calmed me down and promised to fix it the next day. She kept her promise, and that radio became one of my most important childhood memories. Story two. A difficult moment at work. Three years ago, I had a patient who refused to speak during our first four sessions. I tried different approaches, but nothing seemed to work. One afternoon, he suddenly started talking about his childhood, and everything changed. I listened carefully and didn't interrupt him once. By the end of the session, he looked visibly relieved. I went home that day feeling exhausted but genuinely hopeful. That experience taught me more about patience than any textbook ever did. Story three. Moving to a new place. When I moved to this city, I didn't know anyone. I arrived in winter, and the weather felt unbearably cold. For the first few weeks, I stayed inside most evenings and missed my family constantly. Then a neighbor invited me to a small dinner, and I met people who eventually became close friends. Slowly, the city stopped feeling foreign. Looking back, that difficult beginning shaped how independent I became. Story four. A mistake I made. Early in my career, I made a mistake during a routine assessment. I misread a symptom and gave the wrong initial diagnosis. My supervisor caught the error before it affected the patient, but I felt terrible for days. I went back, reviewed every detail, and asked for feedback openly instead of hiding it. That mistake taught me to slow down under pressure. I've never repeated it since. Story five. A trip that didn't go as planned. Two years ago, I traveled to a small town for a conference. My flight got delayed, and I arrived at midnight instead of the afternoon. The hotel had already given away my room, so I spent the first night in the lobby. Despite the terrible start, the conference turned out to be one of the most useful I'd attended. I met colleagues who later became close collaborators. Sometimes the worst beginnings lead to the best outcomes. Story six. Learning something the hard way. During my first year of residency, I assumed a senior colleague's diagnosis was automatically correct. I followed his lead without questioning it, and the patient didn't improve for weeks. Eventually, another doctor reviewed the case and found something we'd both missed. I felt embarrassed, but I also learned not to defer blindly to seniority again. From that point on, I double-checked everything myself. It was an uncomfortable lesson, but it stayed with me.
Story seven. A decision I almost regretted. Before I applied for registration abroad, I hesitated for almost a year. I worried about leaving my patients, my routines, and honestly, my comfort zone. My family encouraged me to at least start the process, so I did, slowly and without much confidence. Once I began preparing seriously, the doubt turned into something closer to excitement. Looking back, hesitation was just fear wearing a practical disguise. I don't regret starting when I did. Story eight. An unexpected connection. A few years ago, I treated a patient who barely spoke my language and I barely spoke his. We communicated mostly through gestures and short phrases for the first two sessions. Somehow, despite the barrier, he trusted me enough to keep coming back. By the fourth session, a translator joined us, and everything he'd tried to say finally made sense. It reminded me that trust sometimes arrives before language does. That case changed how I approached every difficult consultation afterward. Story nine. A time I had to adapt quickly. Once, during a home visit, the situation changed completely within minutes. The family hadn't warned me about a second person present, someone in acute crisis. I had to shift my whole approach on the spot, without preparation. I stayed calm, prioritized safety first, and adjusted my plan as I went. Afterward, my hands were shaking, though I hadn't noticed it during the visit itself. That day taught me how much training becomes instinct under real pressure. Story ten. Something Kandinsky taught me. When I first adopted Kandinsky, he was anxious around new people and new spaces. I assumed patience alone would fix it, but it took much longer than I expected. I changed his routine gradually, kept things predictable, and waited without forcing anything. Slowly, he became calmer, more confident, almost a different dog. Watching that change happen taught me something I already knew clinically but hadn't really felt, that recovery rarely follows a straight line. Story eleven. An achievement I'm proud of. Two years into my training, I presented a case at a national conference for the first time. I prepared for weeks and rewrote my notes more times than I can count. During the talk, a senior psychiatrist asked a question I hadn't anticipated, and for a moment I froze. I took a breath, admitted I wasn't certain, and answered as honestly as I could. Afterward, several colleagues came up to discuss the case further. That moment taught me that confidence mattered less than honesty. Story twelve. A time I gave someone advice. A close friend once asked me whether she should leave a stable job for something riskier. I listened for a long time before I said anything at all. Eventually, I told her that the fear she described sounded more like excitement in disguise. She hesitated for another month, but she eventually took the leap. A year later, she thanked me for not pushing her either way. I learned that the best advice sometimes just helps someone hear their own decision. Story thirteen. A change I made in my life. For years, I reviewed my notes constantly while I was still writing them, which slowed everything down. A colleague pointed out that I was editing
before I had even finished a thought. I decided to try writing first and revising only afterward, without stopping halfway. It felt uncomfortable at first, almost careless. Over time, my writing became faster and, surprisingly, more precise. That single change affected far more of my work than I expected. Story fourteen. A skill I learned as an adult. When I started preparing for this exam, I assumed my English was already good enough. Within the first few sessions, I realized how many small errors I made without noticing them. I practiced verb ladders and timed drills almost every day for weeks. At first, the tenses felt mechanical and forced. Gradually, the correct forms started to come out without me thinking about them first. It reminded me that fluency is a skill you rebuild, not one you simply have or don't have. Story fifteen. A disagreement I had with a colleague. During a case discussion, a colleague and I disagreed strongly about a patient's diagnosis. He believed the symptoms pointed toward one condition, and I was convinced it was something else entirely. We reviewed the file together, argued respectfully, and neither of us backed down immediately. Eventually, a third opinion settled the disagreement, and it turned out we were both partly right. I left that meeting frustrated but also genuinely impressed by how carefully he had argued his side. That disagreement made me more careful, not more defensive, in future discussions. Story sixteen. My first day in a new role. On my first day of residency, I arrived early and immediately felt out of place. Nobody explained where anything was, and I was too nervous to ask more than once. By midmorning, a senior resident noticed I looked lost and quietly walked me through the whole department. I made a small mistake with the scheduling system, and she fixed it without making me feel foolish about it. By the end of the day, I felt exhausted but strangely reassured. That kindness on a difficult first day stayed with me longer than any lecture did. Subject verb agreement ladder, mixed and abstract subjects. Music changes people's moods. Technology affects how we communicate. The decision requires careful thought. Having good memories helps during hard times. Getting good grades takes real discipline. People don't always agree. Children are developing faster than before. Genres are constantly evolving. Nobody understands the full policy. Everything depends on timing. Whatever happens next matters a lot. One of the most important pieces of technology is the smartphone. One of the most difficult experiences I've had was moving abroad. Advice is easy to give but hard to follow. Flooding is becoming more frequent in this region. Stigma still prevents people from seeking help. Research on this topic remains limited. The evidence suggests otherwise. Progress in this field depends on funding. Trust takes years to build and seconds to lose. None of the data supports that conclusion. Each of these cases requires a different approach. Feedback from patients shapes how the clinic improves. Access to therapy remains limited in rural areas. Burnout among residents is rising steadily. The literature on this topic keeps growing every year. Communication between departments still needs work. Neither of the two diagnoses
fully explains the symptoms. The number of applicants has increased significantly this year. A growing number of patients report similar symptoms. The staff, as a whole, supports the new policy. The news spreads quickly through the hospital. The team's morale depends heavily on scheduling. Would versus will versus used to. I will finish this by Friday, that is a fact or a plan. I would finish it sooner if I had help, that is hypothetical. It will rain tomorrow, according to the forecast. It would rain less if the climate wasn't changing. I will call you later. I would call more often if I had more free time. She will start the new job next month. She would start earlier if the company let her. I would prefer to move abroad, not I will prefer. I would love to learn Nahuatl properly, not I will love. I would recommend that clinic, not I will recommend. I will register as soon as the paperwork clears. I would register sooner if the process wasn't so slow. It will take time to adjust to a new system. It would take less time with proper guidance. I would choose the same specialty again, without hesitation. I will present this case next week, that is a plan. I would present it differently if I had more time, that is hypothetical. The results will surprise you. The results would surprise you less if you had seen the raw figures first. I used to review my notes while writing, describing a repeated past habit with no hypothetical meaning. I would review my notes for hours back then, also describing a repeated past habit, but would cannot describe a past state, only a repeated action, so we say I used to live downtown, not I would live downtown. I would rather work fewer hours, not I will rather. I would hate to repeat that mistake, not I will hate. SECTION B. THE PHRASE AND COLLOCATION REFERENCE FOR SPEAKING. Opinion openers.
Use these to replace the plain phrase I think when you open an answer to an opinion question, especially in Part three, where a flat I think sounds underdeveloped. From my perspective, technology has made communication faster but shallower. As I see it, governments move too slowly on climate policy. I honestly think that university degrees are becoming less relevant. I would argue that job security matters more than salary. It seems to me that extended families are disappearing in cities. To be perfectly honest, I hadn't thought about that, but traditions do adapt rather than die. As far as I'm concerned, private healthcare widens inequality rather than closing it. My honest opinion is that remote work has quietly rewritten what a workday means. If you ask me, most productivity advice ignores how exhausted people actually are. I'd say psychiatry as a field is still catching up with what neuroscience already knows. To some extent, I think loneliness has become a public health issue disguised as a personal one. What strikes me is that most people underestimate how slowly institutions change. In my experience, the theory rarely survives first contact with a real case. I've come to believe that patience matters more than talent in most fields. From my perspective, most healthcare systems weren't designed for how many people are living this long. I honestly think artificial intelligence will change diagnosis before it changes treatment. As I see it, most debates about immigration ignore the mental health cost of leaving everything familiar behind. It seems to me that competitive sports teach discipline, but they can also normalize ignoring pain and exhaustion. I would argue that how a city is built shapes mental health as much as its economy does. From my perspective, learning a language later in life changes how you think, not just how you speak. Hypothetical structures, the second conditional. Use this pattern for what would happen if questions, policy speculation, and any Part three question that invites you to imagine a different scenario. The structure is if plus past simple,
followed by would plus the base verb. A note on register. The examples below use was, which is what most native speakers actually say in spoken English, including in careful registers, and is not an error. The traditional subjunctive form were is also correct and slightly more formal, for example if I were you, if it were true, if the policy were different. Either form is acceptable in a speaking exam, which rewards natural, flexible grammar rather than one fixed textbook rule, so use were if it comes naturally, and don't feel obligated to force it. If companies limited screen time, employees would concentrate better. If plastic was banned tomorrow, oceans would recover within decades. If tuition was free, more people would pursue postgraduate studies. If remote work became standard, cities would feel less congested. If parents worked shorter hours, children would be less anxious. If healthcare was fully public, fewer people would delay treatment. If prisons focused on rehabilitation, reoffending rates would drop. If platforms verified information, misinformation would spread less. If politicians faced real accountability, corruption would decrease. If psychiatric training included more supervision hours, burnout rates would probably fall. If insurance covered therapy properly, people wouldn't wait until things got severe. If cities were built around walking, mental health outcomes would likely improve. If exams tested speaking under real conditions, students would prepare very differently. If more countries invested in home care, fewer elderly people would end up isolated. If algorithms were more transparent, doctors would trust them more easily. If relocation support included psychological guidance, adaptation would be considerably smoother. If schools valued participation as much as winning, fewer children would quit sports early. If neighborhoods were designed around walking and shared spaces, loneliness would likely decrease. If adults practiced speaking as much as children do, they would progress far faster. Balanced answers, it depends. Use this whenever a question has no single right answer and you want to show nuance instead of picking one side. State what it depends on, then develop both sides briefly rather than just
naming them. It depends on the generation. Older people distrust new apps, whereas younger users adopt them instantly. It depends on the country's wealth. Rich nations can afford green policies, poorer ones can't prioritize them yet. It depends on the subject. Practical skills benefit from vocational training, but theoretical fields need universities. It depends on the industry. Creative jobs adapt well to remote work, but manufacturing simply can't. It depends on access. In cities, healthcare is fast, in rural areas, people wait months. It depends on the offense. Minor crimes respond well to rehabilitation, but violent crime needs stricter measures. It depends on the platform. News apps still fact-check, whereas social media rarely does. It depends on the system. Democracies debate slowly, authoritarian states act fast but without consent. It depends on the diagnosis. Some conditions respond well to medication alone, others need years of therapy. It depends on the workplace. Some employers genuinely support mental health, others just say they do. It depends on the language. Some concepts translate easily, others simply don't exist in the target language. It depends on the country's system. In some places, registration takes months, in others, years. It depends on family structure. In some cultures, elderly relatives live with family, in others, they rely mainly on institutions. It depends on the coaching style. Some coaches build confidence, others quietly damage it. It depends on density. Compact cities encourage encounters, but they can also increase stress if poorly managed. It depends on exposure. Immersion accelerates fluency, but structured study still matters for accuracy. Point, evidence, example. Use this three-step structure to fully develop a Part three answer that needs justification rather than a bare opinion. First state the point, then give a reason introduced by because or this
happens because, then close with a concrete example introduced by for instance, a classic example is, or take X, for example. I would argue that smartphones have shortened our attention span. This happens because notifications constantly interrupt deep focus. For instance, I can't read for ten minutes without checking my phone. As I see it, individual recycling barely matters. The real damage comes from industrial emissions, not household waste. A classic example is how a handful of companies produce most global carbon output. I honestly think exams measure memory more than understanding. Students often forget the content weeks after the test. Take my own medical training, for example, I memorized entire textbooks I never used clinically. I would argue that flexibility matters more than salary. People burn out faster when they have no control over their schedule. Take my colleagues, for example, those with flexible hours report far less stress. I would argue that prevention is cheaper than treatment. Chronic diseases cost healthcare systems far more once they develop. A clear example is diabetes, which is far cheaper to prevent than to manage long term. I would argue that stigma delays treatment more than cost does. Many patients wait years before admitting something is wrong. Take my own clinical experience, most first consultations happen after a crisis, not before one. I honestly think structured practice beats natural talent under exam pressure. Nerves erase fluency that isn't automatic yet. A clear example is how well prepared candidates default to rehearsed structures when they blank. Advanced connectors for speaking. Use these to link ideas smoothly in an extended answer, instead of repeating and, but, and so. For addition. What's more, it saves considerable time. On top of that, it benefits the environment too. For result. As a result, smaller businesses struggled to compete. Consequently, prices increased across the sector. For contrast. Having said that, there are exceptions worth mentioning. On the flip side, the cost can be prohibitive. That said, the evidence isn't entirely conclusive. Even so, the trend is hard to ignore. By contrast, the opposite happened in neighboring regions. For reconsidering a position. Given that, it's worth reconsidering the whole approach.
For conceding a point before disagreeing. Granted, the policy has some merit, but the implementation has been poor. For softening a strong claim. To some extent, that's true, although the exceptions matter just as much. To plus base verb collocations. Use this pattern when talking about decisions, plans, intentions, or attempts, all common territory in Part two and Part three answers about your own choices. I decided to specialize in psychiatry after my residency. Governments need to invest more in renewable technology. Universities are trying to modernize outdated curricula. She refused to accept the company's final offer. I am planning to relocate my whole family next year. The court decided to reduce his sentence significantly. Editors are starting to fact-check viral stories more carefully. I try to eat home-cooked meals whenever possible. I managed to finish the whole assessment before the deadline. We agreed to postpone the decision until next month. He offered to cover the missing shift. I expect to hear back from the registration board soon. They failed to notice the obvious pattern. I hesitated to bring it up at first. She agreed to reconsider the whole plan. Would like plus to. Use this for polite wishes or desires, a more natural and formal alternative to I want, useful throughout Part two and Part three. I would like to understand this policy better before judging it. We would like to preserve these traditions for future generations. The committee would like to reform outdated healthcare regulations. I would like to work abroad at some point in my career.
They would like to raise their children bilingually. I would like to see stricter laws on data privacy. We would like to reduce our household's carbon footprint. I would like to know why this case took so long. I would like to settle in before starting a new job. I would like to specialize further once I'm registered. Indefinite and abstract subjects with a singular verb. These subjects look plural or vague but take a singular verb. The error version of this pattern is covered in book three, these are the correct forms to rehearse. Nobody expects a recession to hit this quickly. Everything changes once you have children. Whatever happens in the election affects healthcare funding. Someone always benefits from a crisis, even a small one. Everybody deserves access to clean water. Nobody wants to admit the system is failing. Everyone assumes the process is quick until they go through it. Nothing prepares you for how disorienting relocation feels. Politics aside, the evidence points in one direction, using politics as a singular field rather than plural opinions. Time and place prepositions as fixed chunks. The healthcare system is in a state of collapse in some regions. People usually relax at the weekend, rarely during the week. Crime rates tend to rise at night in poorly lit areas. Families gather on national holidays more than any other day. The economy is in a period of gradual recovery. I feel most productive in the afternoon. Streets stay empty at night in this neighborhood. Since plus the present perfect.
Use this to talk about something that started in the past and is still true or ongoing now, a very common structure for describing your own history in Part two and Part three. I have worked in psychiatry since I finished my residency. This region has struggled with unemployment since the factory closed. We have known each other since medical school. Traditions have changed significantly since industrialization began. Prices have risen sharply since the pandemic. Crime rates have dropped since the new policy was introduced. I have been preparing for this exam since early July. Things have felt different since we started planning the move. I have thought about this decision since long before it was possible. Hope plus the present simple. Use this to express a hope about something ongoing or upcoming, not a wish about something impossible, which would need a different structure. I hope this policy actually reduces inequality. I hope my patients feel safe enough to speak honestly. I hope the exam reflects real communication, not memorized phrases. I hope tourism doesn't destroy this town's character. I hope this generation questions things more than mine did. I hope Kandinsky adjusts well to New Zealand. I hope the registration process moves faster than people warn. I hope the speaking test feels more like a conversation than an interrogation. I hope I stay calm enough to actually sound like myself. Reported speech. Use this when narrating what someone else said or asked, common when telling a Part two story that involves other people, or when citing an opinion in Part three. She said that the results were inconclusive. He told me that he had never seen a case like it.
The supervisor explained that the policy had changed last year. She mentioned that she would be late for the session. He admitted that he hadn't read the full file. They announced that the funding had been approved. She asked if I had considered a different diagnosis. He wondered whether the treatment was actually working. The patient said he felt better than he had in months. My colleague warned me that the process would take longer than expected. She promised that she would call as soon as she knew. He insisted that he had followed the correct procedure. Passive voice in speaking. Use this to describe processes, policies, or findings with objective distance, when the action matters more than who did it, common in academic-style Part three answers. The diagnosis was confirmed after further testing. The policy has been criticized by several experts. New guidelines are being introduced this year. The results were published last month. The decision was made without much consultation. Funding has been cut across several departments. The study was conducted over a five year period. Mental health is often overlooked in general checkups. The report was reviewed by an independent panel. These symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed as something else. The findings will be presented at the conference next year. Handling strange, absurd, or difficult topics. Part three sometimes includes a question that feels abstract, oddly specific, or simply strange, and going silent costs you far more than a slightly imperfect answer. Use these to buy a second to think, narrow an impossibly broad question, or speculate openly without pretending to certainty you don't have.
That's not something I've thought about before, but let me try. Use this to admit unfamiliarity honestly while still committing to answer. It's an unusual question, but I suppose, and then continue. Use this to acknowledge the strangeness of the question and move straight into an attempt. I've never really considered that, but if I had to guess, and then continue. Use this when you genuinely have no prepared opinion and need to speculate on the spot. I'm not an expert on this, but from what I understand, and then continue. Use this for topics that sound technical or specialized, to hedge without refusing to engage. I can't speak to that directly, but in my own field, something similar happens. Use this to bridge an unfamiliar topic back to something you actually know, psychiatry, linguistics, or your own experience. It depends what you mean by that, but assuming you mean the second sense, and then continue. Use this to narrow a vague or overly broad question before answering it, which also buys you a moment to think. That's actually harder to answer than it sounds. Use this as an honest stalling phrase that still sounds articulate, better than a silent pause. My guess would be that, and then continue. Use this to signal you are speculating rather than stating a fact, which protects you if the answer turns out shaky. If I had to speculate, I'd say, and then continue. A slightly more formal version of the same speculative framing. I suppose the honest answer is that I don't know, but my instinct tells me, and then continue. Use this when total honesty about uncertainty is the most natural response, followed immediately by a real attempt. Example difficult questions with a bridging answer. Do you think animals dream. That's not something I've thought about before, but I suppose their brains show similar activity to ours during sleep, so it seems plausible that they experience something like dreaming, even if we can't know what it feels like from the inside. Is it possible to be too honest. It's an unusual question, but I'd say yes, because honesty without any consideration for timing or tone can damage trust just as much as dishonesty does. Do inanimate objects have any kind of history that matters. I've never really considered that directly, but I suppose an object can carry meaning simply because of what it witnessed, which is different from having a history of its own. Would you rather lose your sense of smell or your sense of taste. That's actually harder to answer than it sounds, but I think I'd choose to lose my sense of smell, since taste feels more
tied to memory and to sharing meals with people. Can a machine ever truly understand language, or only imitate it. I'm not an expert on this, but from what I understand, the honest answer is that nobody fully agrees yet, my instinct is that imitation and understanding might not be as different as we assume.
BOOK TWO. WRITING, TASK ONE AND TASK TWO. A note on the source material. The original writing document ran to about one hundred thirty pages, and roughly half of it was a generic alphabetical dictionary of everyday collocations, repeated twice with only minor variation and not tied to any specific error of yours. That generic block was left out, since it added volume without personalization. Where the source repeated the same rule across twenty or thirty near-identical examples, this version keeps only enough examples to fix the pattern in memory. SECTION A. TREND AND GRAPH VOCABULARY. Describing an upward trend. The results showed a significant increase. The city experienced a substantial increase. The country witnessed a sharp rise. The sector recorded a marked rise. Prices increased dramatically. The number rose sharply. The figures show an upward trend. Tourist arrivals reached a peak in August. The rate attained its highest level. There was considerable growth. The city saw exponential growth. Describing a downward trend. The birth rate experienced a gradual decline. The figures showed a sharp fall. The company recorded a significant drop. The rate declined sharply. The figures show a downward trend. The numbers hit the lowest point. The region experienced a considerable decline. Describing stability and a plateau. The proportion remained relatively stable. The rate remained constant. The figures reached a plateau. The numbers levelled off. The curve flattened out. There was a period of stability. Describing fluctuation. The temperature fluctuated slightly. The values fluctuated sharply. The figures show some fluctuation. The results varied considerably. There was a considerable variation. A slight fluctuation was observed. Percentages and comparisons. Renewable sources accounted for a majority. Non-renewable energy accounted for a minority. A large percentage of people. A significant percentage of the budget. The highest percentage was recorded in the capital. Just under fifty percent of respondents. There was a twenty percent increase. The rate was slightly higher than the national average. The figure was significantly higher than expected. The cost was three times higher than the previous year. London was closely followed by Paris. There are considerable differences between the two groups. Comparing two maps. The main differences between the maps are the transport links and the housing. There are significant differences in land use. Only minor differences can be observed in the town centre. The area underwent major changes over the period shown. The forest decreased in size, while the residential zone expanded. The city centre has seen the most change of any area on the map. The growth in population was more significant than the growth in
industry. There was significant growth over the course of twenty years. Introducing a process diagram. The diagram illustrates a complex process. This is a relatively short process. The process consists of four main stages. The process involves several steps. This is a natural process, not a man-made one. The system has various components. It consists of several component parts. This creates a continuous cycle. In the initial stages of the process, the raw material is collected. In the first stage, the water is heated. The next step is to filter the mixture. After which it is sent to the next chamber. In preparation for the final stage. At this point, the liquid is cooled. SECTION B. WRITING TASK TWO COLLOCATIONS. Expressing an opinion. Education plays a vital role in shaping society. It is widely believed that technology improves lives. It is my firm conviction that early intervention matters most. There is a strong argument for renewable energy. I am inclined to believe that the risks are overstated. I firmly believe that investing in education is crucial. From my perspective, the benefits outweigh the costs. This essay will argue that regulation is necessary. It is widely accepted that stress affects health. There is no denying that climate change is real. Advantages and disadvantages. Globalisation brings about significant benefits. Technology creates opportunities for remote work. Social media poses a threat to privacy. Pollution has a detrimental effect on health. The advantages outweigh the drawbacks. The policy offers significant benefits. This approach brings considerable advantages. Problems and solutions. Governments must address the issue of pollution. Authorities should take effective measures. It is essential to implement solutions quickly. We must tackle the root cause of the problem. Immediate action is needed to prevent further damage. Innovation can help solve this problem. Researchers are trying to find a solution. Cause and effect. Deforestation gives rise to habitat loss. This policy may result in economic growth. Climate change has a severe impact on biodiversity. Urbanisation led to the emergence of new industries. The factory is responsible for the pollution. The rise in obesity can be attributed to poor diet. One contributing factor is lack of exercise. This phenomenon can be explained by shifting demographics. This often leads to social unrest. As a result, many people lost their jobs. Academic evaluation. Education plays a significant part in development. From an economic perspective, the policy is beneficial. In the long run, this will benefit everyone. In terms of impact, the changes are significant. This decision has far-reaching consequences. The new law has a significant effect on businesses. Teachers play a crucial role in child development. Giving examples. For example, many countries have banned single-use plastics. This is clearly illustrated by the case of urban recycling programs. Many countries, such as Germany and Japan, have adopted this policy. This affects two groups, namely children and the elderly.
Adding and contrasting ideas. Moreover, the cost of living has increased. On the other hand, there are some drawbacks. Nevertheless, the benefits are clear. While it is true that technology has improved lives, the risks remain. Despite this, many people remain sceptical. Conclusion. In conclusion, the evidence supports this view. To sum up, there are several key factors. All things considered, the benefits are greater than the costs. Taking everything into account, the policy should be adopted. Overall, it can be said that education is key. SECTION C. LEVEL-UP ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS. Instead of big or large, use substantial or considerable, as in a substantial rise in imports. Instead of small or little, use minor, marginal, or slight, as in a minor difference. Instead of very big, use overwhelming or vast, as in the vast majority. Instead of a lot, use significantly or considerably, as in significantly higher than. Instead of a little, use slightly or marginally, as in slightly exceeded. Instead of about or around, use approximately or roughly, as in approximately nine hundred thousand. Instead of clear or obvious, use apparent or evident, as in it is evident that. SECTION D. YOUR OWN REPETITION PATTERN, WITH SYNONYMS. In one of your energy texts, you used accounted for three times in a row, which weakens your range of vocabulary. For accounted for, alternate with made up, comprised, or constituted. For represented, alternate with constituted, or accounted for. For showed, alternate with illustrated, depicted, or indicated. For increase as a noun, alternate with rise, surge, or growth. For decrease as a noun, alternate with fall, decline, or drop. For went up as a verb, alternate with rose, climbed, or surged. For went down as a verb, alternate with fell, plummeted, or declined. Instead of writing oil accounted for thirty four point three percent, try oil made up thirty four point three percent, or oil constituted thirty four point three percent. SECTION E. DESCRIBING MAPS, THE VERB TENSE SYSTEM. When both maps show the past, for instance 1990 and 2000, everything goes in the past simple. The typical mistake is treating it as present, writing the forest is in the north, when it should be the forest was in the north. In 1990, a factory was located in the north, by 2000, it had been demolished and a park was created. The old railway line was removed and replaced by a cycle path. When one map is the past and the other is now, use the present perfect for the change that has happened, and the present simple for what exists today. The present perfect signals that the change happened at some point between the past and now, the present simple describes the current state. The typical mistake is using only the past, writing the factory was demolished, when the fuller answer is the factory has been demolished, currently a park stands in its place. The old cinema has been closed down, nowadays a modern shopping centre occupies the site.
The industrial zone has been redeveloped, at present it comprises several apartment blocks. When one map is now and the other is the future, use the present simple for what exists now, and a future form, will, is going to, or is planned to, for what is coming. The typical mistake is using the present for everything, writing there is a park, they build a hotel, when it should be there is a park, however it will be demolished to make way for a hotel. Currently a forest covers the northern area, according to the plan, it will be cleared to build new houses. The airport is small at present, by 2030 it is expected to be significantly expanded. When one map is the past and the other is the future, use the past simple for the old map, and a future form, or the future perfect, for the new one, to emphasize that the change will already be complete by then. In 1990, a forest covered this area, by 2030, it will have been replaced by a business park. The old railway line was still in use in 1990, however by 2030 it will be completely removed. The golden rule for active versus passive in maps. Use the passive, was built, has been built, will be built, always for human constructions, buildings, roads, bridges, airports, since the classic beginner mistake is writing they built a new road, when a new road was built sounds far more like a band seven or higher. Use the active, increased, decreased, grew, shrank, only for natural or numeric changes that don't need a builder, the population, the size of a forest, a river. The forest shrank. The population grew. Comparatives for maps. Instead of the new airport is big, write the new airport is significantly larger than the old one. Instead of there are many houses, write there are far more houses than there were in 1990. Instead of the forest is small now, write the forest is now less than half its original size. Instead of the population grew, write the population increased by two hundred percent over the period. Instead of the road is long, write the road is twice as long as it was previously. Prepositions of place for maps. To the north of, for something outside and beside the reference point, as in a new car park was built to the north of the station. In the north-east, for something inside that area, as in the industrial zone in the north-east was removed. Adjacent to, for right next to, as in the shopping centre is adjacent to the new road. Opposite, for directly facing, as in the cafe was built opposite the library. Replaced by, as in the old houses were replaced by a block of flats. Converted into, as in the farmland was converted into a golf course. The six passive verbs you must have automatic for maps, each with its past, present perfect, and future passive form. Build, a school was built, a school has been built, a school will be built. Demolish, the factory was demolished, the factory has been demolished, the factory will be demolished. Replace, the trees were replaced, the trees have been replaced, the trees will be replaced. Extend, the runway was extended, the runway has been extended, the runway will be extended. Convert, the farm was converted, the farm has been converted, the farm will be converted. Remove, the old rails were removed, the old rails have been removed, the old rails will be removed.
A full golden paragraph, showing the whole system together. The maps illustrate significant changes to a coastal town between 1990 and 2020. Overall, the town experienced considerable modernization, with new transport links and the expansion of residential areas. In 1990, a large forest was located to the north, however by 2020 this forest had been completely demolished and replaced by a new housing estate. Similarly, the old railway line in the east was removed and converted into a cycle path. Turning to the south, the industrial area has been significantly extended, in 1990 it was small, now it is twice as large as it used to be. Furthermore, a new supermarket has been constructed adjacent to the main road. SECTION F. THE MAP OVERVIEW FORMULA. A correct overview needs a signal phrase, overall or on the whole, a summary of the main features, a maximum of three or four features, and no specific numbers or exact place names. The formula in three steps, first state the macro change, what did the area change from and to, rural to urban, agricultural to residential, second mention the infrastructure, what roads, railways, or bridges were added or removed, third mention services and facilities, what shops, hotels, or schools appeared. Examples that follow the formula. Overall, the town has undergone significant modernization, with new transport links and recreational facilities replacing what was once a largely rural settlement. On the whole, the most notable changes involve the expansion of residential areas and the introduction of commercial amenities, while the natural landscape has been largely replaced by man-made structures. Overall, the most striking changes are the disappearance of farmland and the emergence of new public amenities, such as a pub and a hotel. What makes an overview wrong is including specific details that belong in the body paragraphs. Writing overall, a shopping centre was built in the north, and the train line runs east to west is too specific, the correct version is overall, new commercial and transport facilities have been introduced, without saying exactly where. Writing overall, the population increased from two thousand to fifteen thousand is too specific, the correct version is overall, the population has grown significantly, without the exact numbers. Writing overall, the trees in the south-east were removed is too specific, the correct version is overall, green spaces have been largely replaced by built-up areas, without naming the exact location. A full introduction plus overview, ready to adapt. The two maps illustrate the developments that have taken place in the town between 1815 and the present day. Overall, the town has undergone a dramatic transformation from a predominantly agricultural area with scattered housing into a densely populated urban centre. Notably, transport infrastructure has been significantly upgraded, and a range of new commercial facilities has been introduced. SECTION G. DESCRIBING PROCESSES.
The tense rule for processes is simple, always use the present simple, active or passive, because a process is a general fact with no specific time, it happens the same way every time. The golden rule, ninety percent of process sentences use the passive in the present simple, because what matters is not who performs the action, but what happens to the material. Introduction structures for a process. The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles. The flow chart shows the stages involved in making cement. The diagram depicts how glass is recycled. The illustration outlines the steps required to produce paper. The figure provides a visual representation of the water cycle. Sequencing connectors for a linear process. Initially, the raw materials are collected. Subsequently, the mixture is heated. After that, the liquid is filtered. This is followed by the packaging stage. Finally, the bottles are transported to shops. For a cyclical process, where it starts again, use the water returns to the ocean, and the cycle begins anew, or the process is repeated continuously. Verbs by category for process description. For heat and temperature, heat becomes is heated, burn becomes is burned, melt becomes is melted, cool becomes is cooled, freeze becomes is frozen, vaporise becomes is vaporised. For movement and transport, transport becomes is transported, convey becomes is conveyed, pump becomes is pumped, push becomes is pushed, deliver becomes is delivered. For change and transformation, transform becomes is transformed, convert becomes is converted, process becomes is processed, refine becomes is refined, purify becomes is purified. For mixing and combining, mix becomes is mixed, combine becomes is combined, blend becomes is blended, stir becomes is stirred, add becomes is added, pour becomes is poured, place becomes is placed. Natural collocations that sound like band seven or higher, instead of a direct translation from Spanish. Instead of it is put in the machine, say it is fed into the machine. Instead of it is put in the heat, say it is subjected to heat. Instead of it is put in the cold, say it is exposed to low temperatures. Instead of it goes through a pipe, say it is passed through a pipe. Instead of it is taken out, say it is extracted. Instead of it is put into the water, say it is discharged into the water. Instead of the product is made, say the product is manufactured. Instead of the heat makes it liquid, say the heat causes it to melt. Instead of it changes to gas, say it is converted into vapor, or it undergoes vaporisation. Instead of it moves to the next step, say it progresses to the next stage. Active versus passive in processes. Use the passive, ninety percent of the time, for anything done to the material by a machine or a person, the clay is shaped, the mixture is heated. Use the active only for natural actions with no agent, water flows, or when the material itself is the subject moving forward, the mixture progresses to the next stage. Process overview formula. State how many stages the process has, as in the process consists of eight distinct stages, and state where it begins and ends, as in beginning with the extraction of raw materials and ending with the finished product, or note if it is cyclical.
SECTION H. UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS BY THEME, WITH COUNTABLE ALTERNATIVES. These never take an s or a or an. In academic and education topics, the uncountable nouns are research, knowledge, progress, homework, coursework, information, feedback, and guidance, with safe countable alternatives being a study, a fact, a step, an assignment, or a suggestion. In work and employment, the uncountable nouns are work, employment, experience, training, overtime, and labor, with alternatives being a job, an occupation, a task, a skill, or a workshop. In policy and society, the uncountable nouns are advice, legislation, infrastructure, accommodation, welfare, chaos, and violence, with alternatives being a recommendation, a law, a facility, a building, or an incident. In environment and cities, the uncountable nouns are congestion, pollution, waste, litter, traffic, scenery, wildlife, and weather, with alternatives being a jam, a pollutant, a trash can, a landscape, or an animal. In technology and media, the uncountable nouns are software, hardware, equipment, data, media, news, and coverage, with alternatives being a tool, a device, a report, an article, or a story. In economy and money, the uncountable nouns are money, cash, wealth, funding, capital, expenditure, and commerce, with alternatives being a dollar, a grant, an investment, or an expense. In health and wellbeing, the uncountable nouns are health, stress, exercise, sleep, fatigue, nutrition, and hygiene, with alternatives being a condition, a factor, a workout, or a habit.
BOOK THREE. YOUR CONSOLIDATED ERROR PROFILE. Every recurring mistake from both skills is gathered here, so there is one place to review instead of several. The first group affects both speaking and writing, the second is specific to speaking under time pressure, the third is specific to writing. SECTION A. ERRORS THAT AFFECT BOTH SPEAKING AND WRITING. Subject verb agreement with singular abstract, uncountable, or collective subjects. This is your single most persistent error and it appears in both skills. These subjects quietly take a singular verb even though they can feel plural. Note that in the pairs below, the wrong and correct forms differ by exactly one letter, the missing or present third-person s, and that single letter is the entire rule being illustrated, not a typo. Wrong: The evidence suggest otherwise. Correct: The evidence suggests otherwise. Wrong: Trust take years to build. Correct: Trust takes years to build. Wrong: Research on this topic remain limited. Correct: Research on this topic remains limited. Wrong: Politics affect healthcare more than people admit. Correct: Politics affects healthcare more than people admit, when politics refers to the field as a whole. Wrong: The news spread quickly. Correct: The news spreads quickly, since news is always singular. Wrong: The percentage are rising. Correct: The percentage is rising, since a percentage is one single number. Wrong: The difference in these roles were small. Correct: The difference in these roles was small, since difference is one single thing. Wrong: There was more men. Correct: There were more men, since men is plural. The golden rule, look at the end of the subject, if it has an s, like numbers, countries, or roles, the verb takes no s, they were, they have, if it has no s, like number, country, or role, the verb does take an s, it is, it has. A note on the word data. Data is technically the plural of the Latin word datum, and some formal academic style guides use a plural verb, as in the data do not lie. In contemporary general and spoken English, including most spoken registers and many current style guides, data is treated as a singular mass noun, as in the data doesn't lie. Both forms are defensible. For the Speaking exam the singular form is safe and natural, for the strictest academic writing the plural form is the conservative choice. The one thing to avoid is switching between the two within a single text. Fixed preposition collocations. These pairings don't translate word for word from Spanish and are a recurring, isolated source of error rather than a grammar problem. Wrong: The results were different of what we expected. Correct: The results were different from what we expected. Wrong: I arrived to the clinic after the delay. Correct: I arrived at the clinic after the delay — note that arrive at (small places) and arrive in (cities or countries) are both correct, but arrive to never is. Wrong: She's married with a colleague from residency. Correct: She's married to a colleague from residency. Wrong: We depend of public funding. Correct: We depend on public funding. Wrong: He's responsible of the whole department. Correct: He's responsible for the whole department. Wrong: data of
the prices. Correct: data on the prices, or data about the prices. Wrong: spend on gasoline. Correct: spend on petrol, since money is spent on something. Wrong: increase on ten percent. Correct: increase by ten percent when you mean the size of the rise, or increase to ten percent when you mean the level it reached. Wrong: prioritize X above Y. Correct: prioritize X over Y. Wrong: solution to X, or key for X. Correct: solution to X, or key to X. Wrong: invest on X. Correct: invest in X. Wrong: result in X. Correct: result in X, when you mean it leads to something. Wrong: result by X. Correct: result from X, when you mean it is caused by something. Wrong: attribute X on Y. Correct: attribute X to Y. Wrong: effect to X. Correct: effect on X. Wrong: focus in X. Correct: focus on X. Wrong: engage on X. Correct: engage in X. SECTION B. ERRORS SPECIFIC TO SPEAKING UNDER PRESSURE. Tense collapse. This is the core failure mode of your speaking. Present tense bleeds into a sustained past-tense story, usually during an emotionally loaded or cognitively demanding narrative. Wrong: When I was seven, my grandmother gives me an old radio and it has two speakers. Correct: When I was seven, my grandmother gave me an old radio and it had two speakers. Wrong: I went home that day and I feel exhausted but hopeful. Correct: I went home that day feeling exhausted but hopeful. The fix under pressure is not to stop and edit mid-sentence, it is to notice the slip, return to the last correct verb, and continue forward in the past. Would versus will in hypothetical wishes. Will gets used for a hypothetical wish or preference, when would is required. Wrong: I will prefer to move abroad. Correct: I would prefer to move abroad. Wrong: I will love to learn Nahuatl properly. Correct: I would love to learn Nahuatl properly. Wrong: I will recommend that clinic if things were different. Correct: I would recommend that clinic if things were different. Irregular past simple, false regularization. Under time pressure, irregular verbs sometimes get a regular ending added by mistake. Wrong: She goed to work early. Correct: She went to work early. Wrong: He haved four sessions that day. Correct: He had four sessions that day. Wrong: I feeled anxious all week. Correct: I felt anxious all week. Wrong: It taked years to build. Correct: It took years to build. Wrong: She losed focus under pressure. Correct: She lost focus under pressure. Wrong: He teached residents every semester. Correct: He taught residents every semester. SECTION C. ERRORS SPECIFIC TO WRITING. This versus these. This is the most repeated error in your written texts, and the rule is mechanical, if the word that follows has an s at the end, use these, if it doesn't, use this. Wrong: the difference in this roles. Correct: the difference in these roles, because roles has an s. Wrong: this sectors. Correct: these sectors, because sectors has an s. Wrong: these year.
Correct: this year, because year has no s. A quick mental trick, if you could say estos in Spanish, use these, if you would say esto or esta, use this. Spend versus spent. Spend is present tense, spent is the past tense and the past participle. In Task one you are almost always describing data from a graph, so when you talk about money you almost always need the participle. Wrong: money spend on petrol. Correct: money spent on petrol, since this is spent money, a participle. Wrong: the amount they spend on 1996. Correct: the amount they spent in 1996, since 1996 is in the past. The golden rule, if you see the word money or income right before the verb, use spent. Verbs after to and after modal verbs. After to, and after can, could, should, will, the verb always goes in the base form, with no ed, no s, no ing. Wrong: could occupied every job. Correct: could occupy every job. Wrong: they need to spent. Correct: they need to spend. Wrong: will remained unchanged. Correct: will remain unchanged. The golden rule, can, could, will, would, should, may, and must all take the base verb with no changes, and to takes the base verb. A versus an. If the next word begins with a vowel sound, use an, regardless of which letter it is written with. Wrong: with a expenditure. Correct: with an expenditure, since expenditure begins with a vowel sound. Wrong: a average income. Correct: an average income, since average begins with a vowel sound. Watch out for university, which sounds like it starts with a y sound, so it takes a, not an, because the rule is about the sound, not the letter. Amount versus number. Amount is for things you cannot count, like money, water, or time. Number is for things you can count, like people, cars, or crimes. Wrong: the amount of people. Correct: the number of people, since people can be counted one by one. Wrong: the number of money. Correct: the amount of money, since money cannot be counted that way. Comparison structures. These have fixed forms, don't improvise them. Wrong: double compare with. Correct: twice as high as, or double compared to. Wrong: more higher. Correct: much higher, or simply higher, since more higher is a double comparative. Wrong: the most highest. Correct: the highest, since most highest doesn't exist. Wrong: compare with, used on its own. Correct: compared to, or compared with. Dangerous collocations, words that exist but don't combine. Wrong: overcome by male workers. Correct: dominated by male workers, or male-dominated, since overcome means being defeated, not being the majority. Wrong: hegemonic of work distribution. Correct: dominance in work distribution, since hegemonic belongs to international politics, not labor statistics. Wrong: spectacular growth. Correct: substantial rise, or sharp increase, since spectacular suits fireworks, not professional writing. Wrong: negative repercussions in exports. Correct: a decline in exports, or exports fell, since repercussions describes the consequences of an action or decision, not a simple trend in a data set. Wrong: levelled of. Correct: levelled off, since the correct particle for stabilizing is off.
Words you misspell, with memory tricks. Contributing, not contibuting, it has two rs and two ts, think con-tri-bu-ting. Fuels, not fules, there is no r in this word, it is f-u-e-l-s. Oil, not oli, it is o-i-l. Committed, not commited, double m and double t. Unlawful, not unlawfull, only one l at the end. Depicts, not depecis, de-picts, with a c and a t. Independence, not independency, it ends in ence. Projected, not projeted, there is a c before the t. Every job, not everyjob, these are two separate words. Train station, not trainstation, also two separate words. Australia, not Austrialia, the r comes after the t, aus-tra-lia. The golden rule for checking, if you see a word with an r or a double consonant, underline it and check it letter by letter in your head before submitting. SECTION D. THE CHECKLISTS. Your thirty second anchor before any timed speaking drill. Say these irregular pasts out loud, the ones that trip you up most. Went, not goed. Had, not haved. Felt, not feeled. Took, not taked. Lost, not losed. Taught, not teached. Found, not finded. Met, not meeted. Then say these agreement anchors for subjects that look plural or vague but take a singular verb. Trust takes, not take. Evidence suggests, not suggest. Nobody understands, not understand. Politics affects, when politics means the field. The news spreads, not spread. Your two minute checklist before submitting any written task. Did you use these for plurals and this for singulars, checking whether the following word ends in an s. Does the verb agree with the subject, if you wrote the difference did you write was, if you wrote the figures did you write were. Did you use spent to describe money and spend for the present action. Are the verbs after could, will, and to in the base form. Did you put an before words that begin with a vowel sound. Did you use number of for people and amount of for money. Did you vary any word you used more than twice, especially accounted for and showed. Your extra checklist for maps. Did you use the right tense for the years shown, past simple if both maps are past, present perfect plus present simple if one is past and one is now, present simple plus a future form if one is now and one is future. Did you use the passive for constructions, a school was built rather than they built a school. Did you use comparatives, larger than, smaller than, more than. Did you indicate location, to the north of, adjacent to, in the east. Did you vary the verbs of change instead of repeating changed, using demolished, replaced, constructed, and converted. Your extra checklist for processes. Is everything in the present simple, not past or future. Did you use the passive, is heated, are mixed, for actions performed by machines or people. Did you vary your connectors, initially, subsequently, after that, finally, instead of repeating then four times. Did you use natural collocations, subjected to, fed into, passed through, instead of a direct translation like put in. Does your overview state how many steps there are and where it starts or ends. Does every sentence have a clear subject, the material, before the verb, for instance the plastic is melted, rather than just is melted with no subject.
Your highest-leverage habit change, applying to both skills. Your errors tend to arise from reviewing while producing rather than producing simply first and revising in a dedicated second pass. In writing, draft the whole paragraph before correcting anything. In speaking, finish the whole answer before fixing anything, and correct only at the end of a block, never mid-sentence. This single change addresses more of your error profile than any individual rule on this list.