👯‍♀️ A/THE NUMBER OF

There is a difference between these usages. They actually mean different things - I hope you don't use these words interchangeably.

1) A number of
This is a quantifier - it means "many". Same as "a lot", because the amount is not specified. Therefore, it requires a plural verb afterwards.
A number of books are available here

2) The number of
This acts as a single number (usually to compare things), because we know the specific amount. Therefore you must use a singular verb after it.
The number of people attending this event has increased

#grammar
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📝 IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING - TASK 1

Did you know that in the graph description (Task 1 Academic) it's crucial to not just describe a graph! The key is to stay analytical - grouping information, looking for differences and similarities, drawing conclusions. Your challenge is to present a full analysis in English. Check how to do it here!

https://youtu.be/cEAtps2nifI

#ielts #academic #writing
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🔥 PHRASES WITH "TO ACCOUNT (FOR)"

1. To account for smth - to be the reason why something exists or happens.

 The number of factors account for the differences between the two scores

2. To take into account - to take into consideration, consider

 You have to take into account that there are some other responsibilities in your life except your education

3. By all accounts - according to what one has heard or read. Be careful using this word, as it is formal and more appropriate to use in writing rather than in speaking.

 By all accounts, the government has been declining in medical aid for its citizens

4. On account of - to introduce the reason or explanation for something.
Synonym: "because of", but "on account of" is more formal.

 The shop was closed on account of the heavy snow

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#grammar

👀 WHERE TO FIND ME

I am sharing my life in Switzerland / Russia, studying in the best European business schools, working on the largest Russian oil and gas company, being an entrepreneur and my YouTube backstage here on my instagram - make sure to say hi to me in an Instagram private message, don't forget to mention that you're from the Telegram channel.
Let's chat! 🙌🏻

www.instagram.com/d_sandmartin

​​👨‍🏫 IS "AS PER" INCORRECT?

"As per" had sometime ago been regarded as very formal language, which is currently overly used in Indian conversations (even informal ones). It is a strange hybrid of English and Latin that sounds both wrong and pretentious. So, using "as per" should be avoided, though right now it is used most widely and you might read and hear it everywhere.

"As per" is largely redundant, because "per", without "as", conveys the same meaning. And in some cases, as on its own would work just as well. The following collocations are more applicable in the modern English and can be used instead:
- in accordance with
- at
- in response to
- as agreed
- as indicated in
- as shown
- as you/your
- according to
- following
- as stated in
- per

According to Bedford/St. Martins in his The Handbook of Technical Writing, "when per is used to mean 'according to,' the expression is jargon and should be avoided."

✖️ As per your convenience

✔️ At your convenience

✖️ As per your request

✔️ Upon your request

However, only in legal speech, a document might contain a phrase such as:

"As per Mr. Patton's wishes, the original art work is bequeathed to his daughter, Anne."

"I will over-rule the plaintiff's request and grant the defendant $500 as per the terms of the lease."

Largely, "as per" is a phrase that has been deprecated as bad writing style for almost a century. Don't ever use it, unless you have a good reason for wanting to come over as a stuffy 19th century businessperson (when writing period fiction, for example) or a legal professional.

#grammar #feel_English
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✍🏻 NEW WORD

Ludicrous
such things are funny, absurd, or nonsensical. If someone says something silly or far-fetched, you could say "That's ludicrous!"

Ludicrous originally meant something that was funny, playful, or joking: a ludicrous comment was just a really funny comment. Over time, ludicrous took on a more negative flavor. Now a ludicrous statement might be funny, but it's also ridiculous, hard to believe, off the wall, or even stupid. When people say "That idea is ludicrous!" it usually means the idea could never happen: the notion is laughable. Saying Neil Armstrong was the third President would be a ludicrous statement.

#vocabulary #feel_English
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​​🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE

Topic: Clothes & Fashion

I think I haven't shared with you my podcast yet 🙊 This is where I discuss recent IELTS Speaking topics, give you sample answers, ideas and vocabulary to reach band score 8+.

The new episode 010 is all about Clothes & Fashion. Listen to is anywhere (iTunes, Google Podcasts, Castbox, etc).

Or click here - https://wse.pinecast.co

#podcast #speaking #ielts
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📝 IELTS WRITING - TASK 2

My step-by-step approach of how to write an essay for the Academic and General IELTS Writing Task 2 - with all top tips, strategies and advice. Download a free pdf transcript of this lesson on YouTube. See how I structure introduction, body paragraphs, link them together, what grammar and vocabulary I use for band score 8+.

Watch the video - https://youtu.be/-cx-4j-lBuc

#video #writing #ielts
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🤸🏼‍♀️ DISCUSSION TOPIC

Fake news

Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation.
• Have you encountered any sort of fake news recently?
• How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not?
• Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?

Join our dicsussion at @wsecommunity 🙌🏻

​​💡 PAST SIMPLE / PAST CONTINUOUS / PAST PERFECT

Do the exercises with me - let's see how well you remember the rules!

#grammar

🖼 IN / ON THE PICTURE

If you are talking about the image, then you say "in the picture".

However, if you take a pen and write your signature on a photo, then you can say your signature is "on the picture" (ie. not part of the original image).

Examples:
▫️I can see a car in the picture.
▫️You might write your name on this picture.

#feel_English #grammar
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🧸 THE FIRST STEP OF IELTS PREPARATION

When you decided to start preparing for IELTS, the first question that pops up in your head is 'So, where do I start?'

You should definitely start from checking your English level (you can easily do it online) and understanding of the IELTS concepts (you can also take a free online mock test). After figuring our what's your current situation and what you want to achieve in the time period that you have – create a planner that will help you track and manage your progress.

You can download 3 free IELTS planners I created for you from the video (check the YouTube description box with links) - there are a daily, weekly and monthly planners available for download and print!

#video #ielts
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https://youtu.be/X-g03n_aSV4

🌟 YOUR VIDEO IDEAS

I am going to work on new IELTS video lessons. Please send me your requests and ideas! 🙌🏻

🤷🏻‍♀️ WHY READING FEELS THE MOST DIFFICULT ON IELTS?

Let's face it - the majority of candidates deem Reading the most difficult module on IELTS. I personally don't think so, because modules where you operate already given information and don't have to improvise (Reading and Listening) are much easier than the other two that require using your knowledge of grammar and structuring.

Here is one reason why you might fail in Reading desperately. You are not used to analyzing everything you read on the daily basis. In the age of information, we consume it insanely fast in large amounts, not having time to stop and think: "What have I just read?"

The logic of IELTS Reading tests our ability to clearly understand what we read, simultaneously answering questions like "what is the main idea", "what was mentioned in the paragraph and what was omitted", "what is the author's point of view", etc. Therefore, spend more time reading your favorite articles and question your understanding every now and then. This will greatly improve your IELTS Reading performance.

#reading #ielts
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#books #grammar
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​​📚 MACMILLAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT - ADVANCED

This grammar book is one of the most profound ones. I will take you from the very beginning of the English grammar and provide very concise rules, examples and context all the way through. Having read this and done all the exercises you will be able to safely say that your knowledge of grammar is solid.

#books #grammar
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Download it here ⬆️

⛔️ WHAT NOT TO DO ON IELTS

1. Don’t memorise answers
Lots of people think that the best way to do well in the speaking test is to remember scripted answers and simply use these in the test. This is a bad idea because memorised answers are very obvious and examiners are trained to spot them. You will not only lose marks, the examiners may also ask you more difficult questions to test your English and establish your real level.

2. Don't worry about the examiner’s opinion
I was surprised when some students told me that you can only do well on the speaking test if the examiner agrees with your opinion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Examiners are not concerned with your opinion; they just want you to demonstrate your speaking ability. Focus on giving a fluent answer that responds to the question and is grammatically correct.

3. Don't insert lots of ‘big’ words
A common misconception is that you must have very long, ‘complicated’ words in every sentence to get a high score on the test. If you listen to how native speakers talk, this just doesn't happen, unless you are at a conference of university professors. You should try to show the examiner that you have a wide-ranging vocabulary, but you should not try to use words you don’t fully understand. If you try to use ‘complicated’ words you don’t fully understand, it is very likely that you will make mistakes and lose marks.

If you are not 1100% sure about the meaning and form of a word, don’t use it.

4. Don't show off your grammar
This point is connected to the previous one. Many candidates feel that they need to show the examiner how amazing their grammar is in order to get a high mark. Again, the danger here is trying to use grammar you are not 100% sure about and then losing control of the sentence. There is no point in using the future perfect continuous tense if it is not appropriate to do so. Think about the tense you need to use when practising, and familiarise yourself with functional language for giving opinions, contrasting views, emphasising, and so on.

5. Don't say nothing
This seems like an obvious piece of advice but you would be surprised by how many students prefer to say nothing rather than attempt to give an answer. It is always better to attempt an answer than simply say nothing. Many students feel this way, perhaps because their old teacher told them to say nothing or criticised them if they didn't know the answer. In the IELTS speaking test, you are not expected to give a perfect response to a question or to be an expert in many different areas. The main thing is to demonstrate your speaking ability. If you don’t know the answer, it is always acceptable to say something like ‘I don’t have much knowledge of this subject, but I think…’ or ‘I'm not really sure, but if I had to say….’, and attempt an answer.

6. Don't be late
Make sure you give yourself lots of time to get to the examination centre and find out where your speaking test will be. By getting there early you will be able to get comfortable in your surroundings and concentrate solely on the exam. Don’t be afraid to ask the staff any questions you might have; they are there to help.

7. Don't rely on the examiner
Some students think the speaking examiner will prompt you if you are talking too much or too little, or not speaking loudly enough, or if you are not sticking to the question asked. In fact, the examiner has no duty to do any of these things and she or he will allow you to make mistakes and not tell you. Take control of your own speaking and don’t look to the examiner for cues or help.

#ielts
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📑 FULL READING TEST SOLVED

Here is my favorite type of learning videos - where I show how to solve IELTS mock tests step-by-step. In this one I will walk you through a full Academic reading test from the authentic Cambridge IELTS book.

Solve it on your own and then tune in for explanations and recommendations!

https://youtu.be/lcaOwLFevIc

#videos #ielts #reading
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🤸🏼‍♀️ DISCUSSION TOPIC

Self-driving cars

The technology will soon transform the way we drive cars - they won't require a human driver anymore. This is a promising market for many companies to profit from. Google is now thinking how they can monetize their software in such cars.
• According to you, what are the best ways to profit from robotic cars for Google?
• Are you exited about such innovation? Will you use the self-driving cars?
• What can be advantages of such technology in your country / city?

Join our dicsussion at @wsecommunity 🙌🏻