FORMAT (same for Academic and General):
  Listening: 30 min + 10 min transfer, 40 Qs, 4 sections
  Reading:   60 min, 40 Qs, 3 passages (Academic)
  Writing:   60 min: Task 1 (20 min) + Task 2 (40 min)
  Speaking:  11-14 min, 3 parts, face-to-face

BAND SCORES: 1-9 scale
  6.0 → most undergraduate programs
  6.5 → most postgraduate programs
  7.0 → competitive universities
  8.0+ → very high academic/professional requirement

SCORING CRITERIA:
  Listening/Reading: raw score out of 40 → band
  Writing:  Task Achievement/Response, Coherence&Cohesion,
            Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range&Accuracy
  Speaking: Fluency&Coherence, Lexical Resource,
            Grammatical Range&Accuracy, Pronunciation

TIME (60 min for 3 passages):
  Passage 1: 15 min | Passage 2: 20 min | Passage 3: 25 min

SKIM + SCAN APPROACH:
  1. Skim title, headings, first sentences (90 sec)
  2. Read questions carefully
  3. Underline key words in questions
  4. Scan passage for those key words
  5. Read that section carefully to answer

TRICKY QUESTION TYPES:
  True/False/Not Given:
    True  = statement matches
    False = statement contradicts
    NG    = info not in text (neither confirms nor denies)
    NOTE: NG ≠ Probably false. Only use what the TEXT says.

  Matching headings: read first sentence of each para
  Summary completion: look for paraphrasing (NOT same words)

NEVER LEAVE BLANK: wrong = 0, blank = 0. Guess!

BEFORE AUDIO:
  Read questions → underline key words
  Predict answer type: number? name? noun? verb?

DURING AUDIO:
  Answer as you hear — don't look back
  If missed: leave blank, keep moving
  Spelling matters for names/places!
  Listen for: HOWEVER, BUT, ACTUALLY (signals change)

SECTION DIFFICULTY:
  1: Social conversation (easiest)
  2: Non-academic monologue (tour/instructions)
  3: Academic discussion (2-4 people)
  4: Academic lecture (hardest)

AFTER: Use 10 min wisely
  Transfer answers neatly
  Check spelling + singular/plural
  Don't change answers you were confident about

TASK: Describe a graph/chart/map/diagram/process
MIN: 150 words | TIME: 20 min

STRUCTURE:
  Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase the prompt NEVER copy)
  Para 2: OVERVIEW — 2-3 main trends (NO specific data!)
  Para 3: Key details group A
  Para 4: Key details group B

OVERVIEW (most important — often lost marks):
  'Overall, it is clear that... while...'
  'The most notable feature is...'
  Give TRENDS not numbers in overview

DATA LANGUAGE:
  Rise: increased/grew/climbed/rose/surged/jumped
  Fall: decreased/declined/dropped/fell/plummeted
  Stable: remained steady/levelled off/plateaued
  Peak: reached a peak of... / hit a high of...
  Approximation: approximately/roughly/just over/nearly

USEFUL PHRASES:
  In [year], X stood at [figure].
  This figure rose sharply to [figure] by [year].
  By contrast, Y experienced a steady decline.

TASK: Academic essay on opinion, discussion, or problem
MIN: 250 words | TIME: 40 min

COMMON TYPES:
  Agree/Disagree: state your clear position
  Discussion: present both sides + your view
  Problem/Solution: problems then solutions
  Advantages/Disadvantages: both sides, weigh up

4-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE:
  Intro:    Paraphrase topic + thesis (position) 2-3 sentences
  Body 1:   Main argument + explanation + example
  Body 2:   Second point (or counter-argument) + example
  Conclusion: Restate thesis in different words + summary

BAND 7 REQUIRES:
  Clear consistent position throughout
  Developed ideas with specific examples
  Coherence: discourse markers, logical flow
  Vocabulary: range, accuracy, collocations
  Grammar: variety of complex structures, few errors

DISCOURSE MARKERS:
  Add:     Furthermore, Moreover, In addition, Not only... but also
  Contrast: However, Nevertheless, On the other hand, Despite
  Result:  Therefore, Consequently, As a result, Thus
  Example: For instance, For example, Such as, Namely

PART 1 (4-5 min): Familiar topics
  Home, study/work, hobbies, family, sport, travel
  Answer in 2-4 sentences — extend your answers!
  'What do you enjoy about your hometown?'
  → 'I really enjoy the food scene in my city. There are
     a wide variety of restaurants, and I love trying new
     cuisines. I particularly enjoy visiting the local market
     on weekends where fresh produce is sold.'

PART 2 (3-4 min): Cue card talk
  1 min to prepare (write 3-4 bullet notes)
  Speak for 1-2 minutes — keep going!
  Structure: introduce → develop → conclude

PART 3 (4-5 min): Abstract discussion
  Related to Part 2 but more abstract/general
  'In your country, do people generally prefer...?'
  Extend answers: agree + example + exception

BAND 7 SPEAKING:
  Speak without long hesitation
  Use collocations and less common vocabulary
  Complex grammar structures
  Clear pronunciation (not accent — clarity)

CONDITIONALS:
  1st: If cities reduce car use, pollution will fall.
  2nd: If governments invested more, outcomes would improve.
  3rd: If the policy had been implemented, results would have improved.

PASSIVE VOICE (essential for Task 1):
  Sales were recorded at... / The figure was estimated at...
  Oil is transported through pipelines.

RELATIVE CLAUSES:
  The technology, which was developed in the 1990s, is now widely used.
  Countries where inequality is high tend to have lower mobility.

NOMINALISATION (academic style):
  Not: 'The economy grew' but: 'There was growth in the economy'
  Not: 'People immigrate' but: 'Immigration has increased'

COMPLEX STARTERS:
  'It is widely believed that...'
  'There is no doubt that...'
  'Not only... but also...'
  'Despite the fact that..., ...'
  'Gerund as subject: Reducing emissions is vital.'

WRITING TASK 2:
  Copy question → penalised (paraphrase instead)
  No thesis statement → Band 5 maximum
  Only one body paragraph → underdeveloped
  Under 250 words → automatic penalty
  Informal language: gonna, lots of, kids → avoid
  Memorised/generic phrases → examiners spot them

WRITING TASK 1:
  No overview paragraph → cannot exceed Band 5
  Copying numbers without analysis → too descriptive
  Describing every single number → select significant ones

SPEAKING:
  One-word answers: just say yes/no → extends nothing
  Memorised speeches: sounds unnatural, examiner may stop you
  'How do you say...' → shows vocabulary gap

LISTENING:
  Panicking when you miss an answer → keep going!
  Spending too long on one question → skip and move on
  Not checking spelling on transfer sheet

READING:
  Reading every word → run out of time
  Using background knowledge → answer from text only!
  Changing correct answers under time pressure