Ace Your IELTS Exam with These Top Tips for Scoring 8.5 and Above

Ace Your IELTS Exam with These Top Tips for Scoring 8.5 and Above

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a popular English proficiency exam that assesses your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Scoring 8.5 and above in IELTS is no easy feat, but with these top tips, you can increase your chances of acing the exam:

Understand the Exam Format

  • Familiarize yourself with the exam format, including the types of questions you’ll encounter and the time limits for each section.
  • Review sample test questions and practice tests to better understand the exam format.

 

SSHUTANU BLOG BANNER

Improve Your Vocabulary and Grammar

  • Expand your vocabulary by learning new words and phrases, and practice using them in context.
  • Master grammar rules, including sentence structure and verb tenses, to ensure your writing and speaking are accurate and clear.
1

Practice Your Writing Skills

  • Practice writing essays and reports under timed conditions to build your writing skills and develop your ability to organize your thoughts.
  • Familiarize yourself with different types of writing prompts, such as argumentative, descriptive, and narrative, and practice writing in each style.
2

Develop Your Reading and Listening Skills

  • Improve your reading comprehension by practicing with various texts, such as academic articles, news articles, and fiction.
  • Practice listening to English language media, such as podcasts, radio, and TV shows, to build your listening comprehension skills.
3

Practice Speaking English

  • Practice speaking English with friends, family, or a language exchange partner to develop your fluency and pronunciation.
  • Record yourself speaking and listen to the recording to identify areas you need to improve.
4

Time Management

  • Develop good time management skills to ensure you have enough time to complete each exam section.
  • Use a timer when practicing to get a sense of how long it takes you to complete each section.
SSHUTANU BLOG BANNER 1

Test-Taking Strategies

  • Develop test-taking strategies, such as skimming passages before reading them thoroughly, and guessing intelligently when you’re unsure of an answer.
  • Read instructions carefully and understand what the question is asking before answering.

With these top tips, you’ll be on your way to achieving a score of 8.5 or above in your IELTS exam. Remember to stay focused, stay motivated, and practice as much as possible to improve your English language skills. Good luck!

… And If you’re super serious about acing your IELTS exam and want to ace the exam at the first Chance then I would strongly recommend you to take help from a skilled and experienced coach.

…Don’t let the IELTS exam hold you back from achieving your goals.

Book your demo session with Ms. Sutanu Majumder today and take the first step toward success!

English Sentences and Vocabulary for Renting an Apartment

English Sentences and Vocabulary for Renting an Apartment

Apartment hunt in an English country or a state that does not speak your language is a complete nightmare. But there is nothing to fear because all you need is a little preparation to understand and rightly convey the message. When you start looking for an apartment, the first person you approach is a real estate agent, who helps people with the rentals and purchases of houses and apartments in exchange for money.

Being the tenant, the person who rents an apartment, you should have a set of questions ready for the real estate agent. Before moving on to the questions, you have to greet the other person and communicate your requirements.

Here is an example conversation

John: Hey, I am John. I am looking for a studio apartment in the downtown/upscale area.

(Studio apartment – A single room with living space, kitchen, bed space, and bathing space. Downtown – the commercial or center part of the city. Upscale area – rich, chic, fancy)

Real Estate Agent:  Hey there. I am Jack. Nice to meet you. What is the price range you are looking in?

John: $1000 to $1500.

So, this is how the conversation with a real estate agent begins. Sometimes, they might even ask just to be certain, “Are you also looking for 1 BR apartment?” If you are not looking for a single bedroom apartment, respond politely, “No, I am not looking for a single bedroom apartment. A studio will do. Do you have any?”

Then, the real estate agents will show the prospective tenants (prospective – likely to be or do something) all the studio apartments downtown.

How to Politely Reject the Offers, Which do not Suit Your Budget or Style?

  1. I cannot afford it. Can you please show me an apartment that falls within my budget?
  2. That’s outside my price range. 
  3. I’m looking for something a little more affordable. (Affordable – inexpensive; price that you can pay.)
  4. I like this but I would like to explore more. 
  5. This apartment is lovely but it is not my style. Can you please show me more?

Here are a Few Questions That You Must Ask the Real Estate Agent

  1. How much is the rent?
  2. Does the rent include utilities? (water, electricity, TV, internet)
  3. What are the other facilities available?
  4. Which floor the apartment is on? Is there an elevator?
  5. Is it close to a subway station or a bus stop?
  6. Am I allowed to have a pet?
  7. Does the apartment have air conditioning?
  8. Is there a security deposit?
  9. When can I look around the apartment and move in?

If the real estate agent does not know the answer to any of the questions, he/she might say, “I will have to check with the landlord/landlady about that.” A landlord or a landlady is the person who owns the apartment.

After moving in, a housewarming party is a great idea to get to know your neighbours and also show your English friends where you live in.

How to Invite Your English Friends to Your Housewarming Party?

When you call your friends, some might know the address and others might not. You should be able to explain the location clearly to them so that they do not lose their way in search of your apartment.

Here is a phone conversation with a friend.

John: Hey Lisa, it’s John. This is my new number.

Lisa: Hey John, how is the apartment hunt going?

John: I just signed the lease on an apartment that is in downtown Chicago.

Lisa: Awesome. How is the neighborhood? (Neighborhood is the locality or community you live in)

John: Lovely and near to all the big supermarkets. I called to invite you to the housewarming party this Sunday at 6 pm.

Lisa: Will be there. Send me your address. Is there any landmark nearby?

John: Sure. The building is a 5-minute walk from the subway station.

And the call between friends never ends despite language barriers.

If someone asks you about your apartment, speak to them about how spacious the studio apartment is, the ventilation, the appliances, and furniture if it is a furnished apartment, windows, lights, and the overall stay in the apartment. You can also include details about the building – whether it is a high rise (very tall building) or two or three-story building (the building has two or three floors).

And, if you are looking for a roommate (a person who shares your room and pays half of the rent), including all the answers that you received from your real estate agent while creating the poster and never forget to include the commute time if you are looking for someone in your college or at work. (commute time – the time taken for the trip from home to work/college).

After moving in, if you don’t like the apartment for reasons that you found out later, here are a few sentences you can use to talk to your friends (Hope that does not happen)

Sometimes, our judgment might not be right and it could be too late to realize but at least talking about it to your friends might help to cope.

Here are more phrases for problems with your living area

  1. “The apartment is dark and dingy.” (dingy = dirty and discolored)
  2. “There’s very little ventilation.”
  3. “My neighbors are noisy and inconsiderate.” (noisy = opposite of quiet) (inconsiderate = don’t think about the effects of their actions on other people)
  4. The dogs never stop barking.
  5. The nights are too dark without street lights. It is a bit scary.

Final Words…

Use the sentences and vocabulary used in the blog to sound like a native speaker. Practice them before you reach the place where your English speaking skills are required. Once you learn basic English, you will gain the confidence to socially interact and eventually learn more from those practical live sessions. If you want to become an advanced English speaker, check out the courses on www.englishwithsutanu.com

15 Tips on How to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

15 Tips on How to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

The English language plays a crucial role now more than ever. From interviews to converting more global leads to customers, many companies rely on English as a common medium of communication. In this globalized world, products and services are exchanged among countries that use English to communicate with one another. 

It is absolutely necessary to improve your English speaking skills to climb your career or academic ladder. But most do not know the effective ways to learn the language, and so they keep postponing the process.

So, in this blog, we are going to list a few ways to help you improve your English vocabulary and speaking skills.

tips-to-improve-your-english-speaking-skills

Here are the 15 Tips on How to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

1. No Magic; Just Speak

Speaking makes you get comfortable with the English language. Grab the chance to speak in English whenever you get one. Never hesitate. Hesitation is never a good sign for someone who wants to improve their Language Skills. Throw it away and start speaking. 

2. Work on Your Vocabulary

Learn five new words every day. Write it, find the meaning and usage and practise it the entire day. Create the context to use the words you learned that day. If you are not certain which words to learn, read an article from an English Newspaper and choose the words that you do not know the meanings of. 

3. Read Books to Practice Reading

Books teach you a lot of new words to help you build your vocabulary. On the other hand, it also helps to practice reading English. Read the sentences aloud to practice the natural flow of the language. Watch yourself read, record it and compare it with natural English sentences you hear in English movies or online. 

4. Watch English Movies

Movies give us a lot of slang words. But pick only the phrases and idioms that they use, definitely not the bad words (No kidding!) Repeat the sentences after them with the same intonation. That helps you speak like a native speaker. 

5. Always Have a Pocket Dictionary

Wherever you go, have a pocket dictionary near you. That might help you learn a few words instantly. While reading a book, attending a lecture, participating in a business conference, etc. At some places, you can’t use it immediately but you can use it later, perhaps once you come out of the meeting. 

6. Learn the pronunciation of Words

Whenever you learn a new word, never forget to check its pronunciation too. If you don’t pronounce it correctly, the listener might not understand you well. Just Google the pronunciation, be it Indian or UK or US, or you can just use the online dictionary which contains an audio symbol (pronunciation) right next to the word you are looking for.

7. Enroll in a Trainer’s Course

Find the best English trainer with genuine reviews online and enroll yourself in the course. You will learn the natural flow of sentences, and also you will get a chance to learn from the speaker. All your doubts, just clear them with her. 

8. Use Technology as much as You Can

Download the language applications on your mobile and learn from them. Games like word builders also help to improve your vocabulary. Focus on apps that connect you with a foreign native speaker so that you can have great conversations or get yourself into an online community that serves this purpose. 

9. Your Mobile Assistants Help a Lot!

You already have a bot friend with you to help you out. Siri or Alexa. Chat with them and learn more about how to chat in English. You will have to form sentences in the right way to get your idea across clearly. Here, you can implement all that you have learnt and see if you are doing it well. 

10. You do not Always Need a Friend

What if you don’t have a partner to practise with, are you going to stop? No, you should not. Start speaking to yourself. When is your brain too active? Morning or evening? Find the time, stand in front of the mirror and start speaking. That way, you will gain confidence and your public speaking skill will develop too. 

11. Podcasts or YouTube English Talks

Listen to English podcasts and YouTube channels like TED Talks and Josh Talks that have great speakers. You will learn a great deal about various things. Also, observing them teaches you public speaking, articulating your thoughts well and simple sentence formation.

12. Have a Journal

Think in English and write the day’s journey in English in your journal. That will help you improve your writing and work on your basic grammar. How basic grammar? Well, after a few days, if you don’t understand your own sentences, you will revisit your grammar or fill in the gaps where you go wrong. 

13. Never Miss a Day!

Never ever take a break from practising. Then, you will have to start all over again. Even if you go on a vacation, how about choosing an English country? Or if it is a local place, just take twenty minutes of your time in 24 hours. Why? Because taking a break will make you keep postponing the process and eventually you will forget all your new vocabulary. Your months of hard work will be destroyed by just a few days of pleasure. This is not to instill fear but for you to be aware.  

14. Learn Idioms!

Idioms make you sound more like a native fluent speaker. One idiom a day is 30 a month. Just try to include the popular ones while speaking. This is one great way to improve your English speaking skills. 

15. Grab Every Opportunity

No matter what, when you come across a chance to speak in English, grab it and start speaking. It is time to throw away your hesitation and shine in the outside world. Check the level of your English speaking skills from your audience. Remember, rejection is a part of life. 

Conclusion

Now, you have the top 15 ways to speak English. What are you waiting for? Start right away. Remove the word ‘postpone’ from your dictionary. Throw the fear away and improve your English speaking skills. It is going to get easy. If you have any thoughts to add, feel free to comment and do check out my website www.englishwithsutanu.com

12 Tips for Writing Effective Business Emails

12 Tips for Writing Effective Business Emails

Work is all about emails. Do you agree? How often do you make calls to your clients or colleagues from other teams? I bet that it is not as frequent as you send emails. In fact, the superiors would insist so much on mail communication in order to have everything recorded for future reference, even after you resigned from your position.

That’s a lot of pressure, isn’t it? But do not worry much. If you get a few hacks right, all your emails will be well appreciated by your receivers. What makes an email great? If the message is conveyed right, and it achieves its purpose.

Emails do not follow a standard tone as the receivers are all different. At some point, you will have to send emails in a very formal way. To already acquainted clients, you will have to send it in a bit informal way. And, to your counterparts, the emails can just be a one-liner that is clear enough to convey the message.

Here are 12 tips to write effective business emails.

Check out our:- Advanced English Grammar Course

1. What is the Purpose of Your Email?

The emails might have different purposes. You will have to stick to that throughout the entire content. Do not bring in too many items into one email. It might confuse or divert the readers. Have one goal and align the subject, the opening line and the body to that one objective. For instance, if your email wants to convert the reader into a lead, create a subject line as ‘Performance Management System Gives 10X Productivity.’ The body of the email should speak ‘How?’ and the opening line should make the reader want to read more.

If it is a business email to a client, include the purpose in the subject line and be concise in communicating your purpose.

2. Subject Lines Cannot Be Ignored

The subject lines’ importance cannot be insisted enough. A person receives a lot of emails each day. Your subject line should convey why the email should be opened. Besides, a subject line makes it easier for the receiver to find the email later easily. But remember, do not send emails with misleading subject lines. That will just make your receiver lose the trust in you and your brand.

3. Keep it Short and Precise

These days, people appreciate short and to-the-point emails. Again, they receive too many emails, and they do not enjoy spending too much time on one email. Write an email that is 70-100 words long and make sure to include all the key points in that small piece of content.

4. Relevant and Engaging Opening Line

If you make the receiver open your email, you have overcome one herculean task but there is another one left. If the opening lines aren’t engaging or something that the reader was eager to know, they will just stop reading and send your email to the trash. That’s the bitter truth. So, make sure to have your opening line engaging and something the readers want to read.

For instance, be on-point.

Example 1:

“Hey Emily,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing to you to inform you that your request has been forwarded to the support team. You will receive an email from the team within 24 hours.

Have a great day!

Regards,

[Your Name]”

If it is a sales email,

Example 2:

“Hey Emily,

50% off on your online grocery shopping in Twinkie.

We want to send a gift to you for staying strong in this pandemic. Use the code ‘TWINKIE50’ to buy groceries on the Twinkie, your grocery partner. We are with you. Stay strong.

Yours Truly,

Twinkie Team”

This sales email is short, and the key point is highlighted by having it as the opening line.

5. Right Call to Action

Why call-to-action is important? If you are sending an email to an executive or a prospect, you will want them to take an action. It could be either replying to the email or clicking on the link to visit the landing page. Whatever it is, make your purpose clear to the readers. Toward the end of the email, either include a question or a call to action link to prompt the readers to take the desired action.

6. Keep the Language Simple 

Write your email in simple language. Flaunting your vocabulary or jargon will only make it difficult for the readers. They might not get your message or will take too much of their time, which could be a huge turn-off. Of course, there would be a few unavoidable cases where you will have to use the technical terms. When you must, you must.

7. Think of Your Target Audience Always

Think from the receiver’s perspective. That will change your way of writing an email. Your email will be in reader-friendly language, and it would be more about the benefits to the reader. That is, the email will talk more about what the reader can gain from this mail than speaking about the USPs of the product/services. It is all about how you present a piece of information to the readers in an engaging way. That is one great tip to write effective business emails.

8. Font Style, Size and Format Matter

Imagine receiving an email that has the opening line in a different font style, the first half of the text body in a different style and the latter part in a different style. I would never read such emails. The opening line can be boldened and italicized but never an abnormal font style. The formatting should be done to the left, and the entire content should follow a uniform font style and size as this is no ad copy or brochure.

9. Be careful when Using Images

Images can be a tricky part. It conveys the message easy but the image size should be concise to the email. If the image is too large, the email will load slowly. the readers will not be too patient. And if it is a less-effective image, again the readers will not be interested in the mail.

10. Include a Meaningful Signature

A meaningful signature gives a good impression to the readers. You can add your name, designation and the company name to the signature or a small image with your company brand logo and your details. The details in the signature will make it look more personalized and achieve the desired impression.

11. Avoid Offensive Sentences

When we write emails, we tend to become too controlling and use sentences like ‘This is where you go wrong.’ People get offended by these kinds of sentences and move the email to the trash. Instead, we could try using persuasive language, where you are empathetic by assuring your audience that you have been there too and it is easy to overcome that ‘something.’ Persuasion is a key skill in writing effective business emails.

12. Do Not Overdo Emojis

Emojis and other little décor are recent trends and using them in the interest of your email the readers but never overdo them. One or two emojis here and there in your email will highlight the content of your email but using too much of them will just divert the attention of your audience. Not just that, it will even kill the interest of your reader.

Conclusion

Follow these tips to write effective business emails. Besides, proofread your emails before pressing the send button. This is a crucial step as typos could lead to a really huge mistake. Write, follow the tips, proofread and send. It sounds easy now, right? If you have anything more to add, feel free to comment and share your thoughts. If you love this blog, do check out my www.englishwithsutanu.com

How to Make a Good Impression that Everyone Remembers?

How to Make a Good Impression that Everyone Remembers?

The first impression is the best impression. That’s an old saying but it holds so much value even today. In a professional or academic setup, you will have only a little time to shape the opinion of others. Your superiors and peers will decide by your appearance and manners, which imply that you will have to make a good impression that everyone remembers. 

What kind of impact does making a good impression give?  Whitney Johnson, the author of Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work, says that a first strong impression gives someone the benefit of doubt so that the person can have more chances at being a human as it would never come across as bad actions. 

On the other hand, a poor impression can affect the future relationship of the two parties. It is hard to climb the career or academic ladder because there would be a lot of hurdles and very few helping out. In this blog, we have listed the 10 best ways to make a good impression on everyone. 

1. Focusing on Appearance is a Must

By appearance, looks are never meant. It is how you dress and whether it is suitable for the occasion or not. For instance, you cannot wear a Hawaii shirt in an event celebrating the annual success of an organization. Don’t you agree? People will look at you differently and maintain a distance from you. (If that is your goal, please go ahead 😅).

At schools, strict discipline is enforced on the students to teach them how important it is to be well-groomed, especially if there is any special occasion. That’s because they know that dress code and a well-groomed appearance are mandatory in the outside world. 

2. Be on Time Always

Giving excuses on your first meeting with someone will take the chance to make a good impression away. Your presence will be hardly felt by the attendees. To create an effect, you will have to be there on time or even a few minutes early. Consider all the challenges on your way and start from your home accordingly. Besides, if you reach early, you will have enough time to prepare and get used to the venue so that you can start off confidently, whatever your objective is. 

3. A Calm Face with a Sweet Smile

You might be anxious or nervous, and everyone is when they are at an important place. But you should never show that on your face and always have a winning smile. Practising at home can help to reduce your anxiety and give a confident presence. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I am the best. I will do great today.” That gives a boost to your confidence.

Also Read:- 10 ways to improve your English vocabulary

4. Body Language is Important

You will have to exhibit confidence with your body language. Your walk, gesture and handshakes should be firm enough to show that you know what you speak or do (Not as firm as army men). Maintain eye contact with the person who speaks to you but never be awkward. Relax and play the role well keeping the tip in mind. 

5. Find the Common Ground

Vivian Zayas, a professor of psychology at Cornell University, says, “As social beings, we use everything available to make sense of a person that we’re meeting for the first time.” When you speak to someone, in a job interview or some other event, try to find the common ground and speak on it because people tend to be more interested in a conversation if it is a topic that they love or know about. 

6. Research About the Attendees

If you want to make a great impression in a business event, know the attendees and use LinkedIn or any other professional platform to know more about them. Knowing your audience, you can speak confidently and dodge some hindrances that might create a poor impression on you. This is an important step particularly when you are going to deliver a speech. You need not look up each person but you should know the general interests. 

7. Talk about Others; Not just About Yourself

When you talk only about yourself, the other party might get bored and disinterested. You should pose questions and make them talk about themselves too. One thing to be careful of is that never cross the line. Keep it professional if it is an official event. When you know your attendees, you know what kind of subject can keep the conversation lively and engaging. 

8. Observe Before You Speak

What will you do when you are sent to a meeting without prior notice or if there is not enough information about someone? Introduce yourself in an effective manner and start speaking on a subject which generally most professionals will love to listen to.  Observe their expressions to learn about them and find the topic that the person will be interested in. 

9. Be Yourself

To impress others, do not forget to show your authentic self. Imagine a situation where a person speaks only to impress the other person but later on, when others learn that you are not who you projected to be on the first day, they will be more disappointed. Speak the truth in a way that creates a good impression on you. Authenticity is what is always celebrated by people around the world. 

10. Sleep Well

The night before a big event always deprives us of sleep. But if you do not sleep well, it will show on your face and eyes. You will be tired the entire event and cannot really focus on socializing but going back home. To be active and get well along with others, you will have to sleep at least 6 to 7 hours. Make sure to plan your schedule accordingly. 

In a Nutshell…

A good impression and working smart as you always do will take you to greater heights and help you achieve your goals in any kind of scenario. Try the tips in an event and let you know what kind of impact it had on others. Creating a good impression that everyone remembers is easy if you put in adequate effort. Check out my Website www.englishwithsutanu.com learn more.