Accent Modification – Stress Within a Word (Part Two) In part one of this blog, I mentioned that knowing where to stress and reduce syllables is important for clear pronunciation. In part two, we look at reducing vowel sounds to schwa. The schwa sound /ə/ is a reduced vowel sound that is short in duration. The schwa …

*All definitions have been sourced from the Longman dictionary. Here are some useful verbs to use when speaking or writing. rank (verb):       1. to have a particular position in a list of people or things        Examples:  Seattle ranks as one of the best places to live in the United States. …

In today’s blog, I will explain the technique of showing concession and leave an exercise for you to complete and email to [email protected] for comments and corrections.  This advanced technique is very useful for IELTS Writing Task 2.  The word “concession” comes from the verb “to concede”, which means to admit that something is true, even …

When writing a discussion essay for Task 2 of the IELTS writing test, it is important to use effective vocabulary for expressing other people’s opinions. If you want to get a HIGH SCORE in this kind of essay, get your language ready BEFORE the EXAM. Here is a typical IELTS question: A growing number of people …

What do we mean by stress? Stressed syllables are louder, longer, and pronounced at a slightly higher pitch. English has three main levels of stress: strong stress (primary stress); light stress (secondary stress); unstressed.  The difference between stressed syllables and unstressed syllables is greater in English than in most other languages.  Why Is Word Stress Important? …