Prepare for TOEFL, IELTS, PET, and other language exams

Parents' guide

Get personalized training and feedback. Reach your target score effectively.

1-on-1 lessons start from $5

Helpful guide by certified teachers with years of experience in your target test. 

Experienced professional teachers

Schedule a single lesson or a Lesson Package whenever you're free. 

Flexible scheduling & pay as you go

Why choose italki?

Discuss your target score and specific areas you want to improve with your teacher for personalized training.

TOEFL

Mock speaking tests with former examiners. Get detailed feedback and tips. Take the exam with confidence. 

IELTS

Learn practical English for everyday situations through real-life topics in interactive lessons.

Learn business English and give yourself a competitive edge in the workplace.

Find more teachers who spealize in TOEIC, FCE, CAE, CPE, KET, ILEC, and Duolingo English Test.

Other language exams

Hear from italki learners

testprep2023

We will discuss how I can help you improve your English.  We may also do some conversational practice or grammar/vocabulary exercises.  Trial lessons are only 30 minutes, so it is important that we start and stop on time.  Sometimes I have back-to-back lessons, so please ask questions before the lesson is over.  You may send me a message after class if you have more questions.  Thanks.

We will either use Cambridge's International Legal English, second edition, or I will prepare materials tailored to your interests.  We can work on legal writing (for example, writing a case brief) or speaking (for example, giving an opening statement) or both.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

Legal English

I use books, online material, and personal experience for these classes. You will learn business vocabulary, including idioms, phrasal verbs, and abbreviations. We can discuss accounting, advertising, human resources, information technology, project management, and other business areas. We can do role plays based on case studies. 

I can help you write or review your cover letter, resume, or even your business plan. We can also practice interview questions.

We can also work on anything that interests you. For example, you could watch a video or read an article before class and we can discuss it in class.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

Business English

We will just talk about areas that interest you.  I will help you improve your pronunciation.  I will also help you with grammar and vocabulary.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

Conversational English

I can help you prepare for all sections of the IELTS or the TOEFL, but I mainly help students prepare for the speaking and writing sections of these tests.  

If you want to work on writing, please type an answer to an IELTS or TOEFL essay question, save it as a Google Doc or Microsoft Word document, and send it to me before or during class.  If you create a Google Doc, please be sure to give me edit access.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

IELTS/TOEFL Preparation

We can discuss your English goals and the best way to achieve them.  We can work on conversation (speaking and listening), grammar, and/or vocabulary.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

Informal Tutoring

You will learn conversational skills, vocabulary, and grammar.  If you want, you can also work on writing skills.  We could also discuss videos or articles.  I teach students of all ages and English levels.

I can also help you review college/university writing assignments.  I will not write the assignments for you, but we can review your writing in class and think of ways to improve it.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, use italki's canceling/rescheduling system (24 hours' notice). Please contact italki support if you need help.  Please do not send me messages requesting to cancel or reschedule.  Please use italki's system to cancel or reschedule.

General English

Completed 130 hours of online TEFL training with i-to-i TEFL.  This included a 10 hour Business English TEFL training module.

I am currently an Master of Arts ("M.A.") in Teaching English as a Foreign Language ("TEFL") student at the American University of Armenia ("AUA").

I taught Legal English and Business English.

I taught English to non-native English speakers at the American University of Armenia's Extension Program in Yerevan, Armenia. I mainly taught General English and Business English to Intermediate and Upper Intermediate Level students.

I teach General English, IELTS/TOEFL Preparation, Business English, Legal English, and Conversational English on italki.

I taught English to non-native English speakers in person and via Skype.

I taught English to children in China for Beyond, which is a language school in China.  I taught those classes with non-native English speaking teachers from China.  We used PowerPoint slides, stories, videos, and games during class.

In the trial session we start by identifying your goals, strengths and weakness. I will try to help you decide which type session will suit you and come up with a study plan.

In these sessions we will focus on conversational skills, and I will provide corrections  (verbally and in writing) and suggestions where necessary. We can also use materials such as articles and texts for variety of topics and to introduce new vocabulary.

General Conversation Practice

These sessions are to work on specific grammar structures such as; articles, conditionals, prepositions, verb tenses and word order. Please be sure to send me a message letting me know which structures you would like to work on when scheduling a session. If you think you need to improve your grammar but am not sure which structures you need to work on start off with a 30 minute trial session.

Grammar lessons

These sessions are to prepare for exams such as FCE, CAE, IELTS and TOEFL  (if you'd like to prepare for another type of exam please send a message specifying which exam and I'll let you know if I would feel confident helping you). 
Usually I like to use sample tests to practice with you, while introducing more complex grammar (such as conditionals, various clause types and perfect tenses) as well as advanced vocabulary (like phrasal verbs, idioms and descriptive language). I tend to mostly focus on speaking in these sessions but also use them to review writing tasks.

FCE, CAE, IELTS & TOEFLexam preparation

Are you preparing for a job interview? In these sessions we'll go through some common job interview questions, and I'll provide feedback and suggestions.
Do you need to improve your professional English? In these lessons we can work on skills needed for emails, meetings, presentations and negotiations.

Job Interview Preparation & Business English

These lessons are designed for children and will focus on topics like grammar and vocabulary. The lessons are structured to maximize speaking time, and I will incorporate pictures and games to keep them interactive and engaging. (Please message me with your child's age before the lesson).

Kids

We can work on specific vocabulary such as descriptive language, idioms or phrasal verbs. Additionally, if you think your vocabulary needs work overall we will use the sessions to use alternatives to commonly over-used vocabulary.

Vocabulary

I have completed my 120 hour training in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. 
This includes modules on: Classroom management, Teaching Grammar, Cultural Sensitivity, Giving Feedback and Learning New Language.

I carried out quality assurance on teachers' performance, and provided training to improvement teacher and lesson quality

I have experience teaching yoga to a diverse range of individuals, including groups of 5 to 20 participants

I have experience working in media and film, shooting and editing film and TV productions.

20 Hour Teaching Business English Course includes the following: The Business Arena, The Business English Learner, Business English Teaching Contexts and Opportunities, Assessing Needs, Teaching Business English Speaking Skills, Teaching Business English Writing Skills

A 20-Hour
reading and discussion-based course on
effective, current methodology for
teaching English to adult speakers of
other languages with emphasis given to
teaching in classrooms in countries
where English is not the dominant
language – an English as a foreign
language context.
In this Teaching IELTS course, trainees
gain a comprehensive understanding of
the IELTS exam, including the scoring
criteria and question types.

I taught both group and private lessons, both following a course or giving customized lessons. I managed to teach over 3000 lessons during my time at EF.

vocabulary

quiz

In these classes, I will teach you how to answer the questions found in the speaking and writing sections for either the CELPIP, TOEFL, or IELTS exam. Each section is a total of 5 hours of class time. The classes are personalized in order to address your specific problems and get you the maximum score possible. I have been teaching exam preparation for several years and have helped my students get great results. You will learn a number of strategies and structures to deal with the tasks in these exams.

In the speaking section, you will learn the structure, vocabulary and grammar you need for these exams. You will also get to practice speaking about several topics in activities, such as debates and discussions. These speaking activities are designed to you increase your fluency and prepare you for topics commonly found on these exams. Additionally, I will work with you to correct your specific pronunciation errors with focused exercises.

In the writing section, you will learn the formats that you need to answer the questions found on these exams. Students will have several lessons to improve their grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When doing writing assignments, I show students the mistakes they have made using a series correction symbols. In this way, they are able become aware of their most common errors and improve their writing in a short amount of time.

If you would like additional information or to talk with me, send me a message on italki or book a trial class with me.

Speaking and Writing Preparation for the CELPIP, IELTS, and TOEFL

In these conversation classes, you will get a chance to use your English to talk about a variety of topics. We can talk about current events, business, culture, technology, or whatever interests you. Additionally, I can teach you using articles and videos that will help you learn new vocabulary and phrases. I will also correct your grammar and pronunciation in a positive and friendly manner to ensure that your speaking abilities improve.

If you would like any additional information or to talk with me, send me a message on italki or book a trial class with me.

Conversation Practice with Grammar, Pronunciation, and Vocabulary

The pre-intermediate and intermediate levels are the ones that I have seen students have the most difficulty passing through. I have successfully helped several students get through these difficult levels over the years. I teach English grammar classes using a structured program derived from various textbooks. The classes are focused on grammar topics that are then used in guided conversations.The targeted language points are taught by getting students to figure out how they work for themselves. I ask the students questions and guide them towards the correct answers. By forcing students to think for themselves they gain a better understanding of how the language works and are able to communicate more effectively in English. In these classes, you will learn verb tenses, collocations, prepositions, and much more to ensure that you can reach the more advanced levels.

If you would like any additional information or to talk with me, send me a message on italki or book a trial class with me.

English Grammar (Pre-intermediate and Intermediate)

These classes are designed to help you advance in your career. They consist of:

1. Job Interview Preparation - you will start by preparing for commonly asked questions related to your experience and skills. During this part, I will teach you different strategies in order to help you answer these questions effectively. After that, we will go through a full interview where I will ask you more difficult questions and coach you on how to answer them. Additionally, I am available to help you with your cover letter and resume, if you require any assistance.

2. Business Skills - you will learn to effectively write emails and/or make presentations in English during these lessons. I studied business administration and am able to teach you what I have learned. I can teach you the concepts, techniques, strategies, grammar, and vocabulary to get your message heard.  Furthermore, if you require assistance with a specific email or presentation, I am available to help.

3. Technical English - in these classes, you will learn using ESL textbooks focused on technical topics, such as  processes, measurements, parts, energy, design, and innovation just to name a few. You will learn the vocabulary, grammar, phrases, and much more in order to be able to perform your job in an English environment. These courses are beneficial for tradespeople and engineers alike.

English for Work (Job Interview Preparation/Business Skills/Technical English)

These classes will help you learn idioms and expressions that are commonly used by native speakers. There are conversations that focus on business, travel, celebrations, and daily situations. You can choose which topics interests you the most! These classes will help you understand and communicate better in real situations. The class structure is as follows:

1. Listen - you will be sent an audio track with a one to two minute conversation filled with idioms and expressions that are commonly used by native speakers. You will need to listen to the main points of the conversation by focusing on the context. This will help your listening skills by teaching you to focus on words that you know to understand general meanings and main ideas. During this part, it is recommended that you take notes in order to prepare for the class. 

2. Learn - I will teach you what the idioms and expressions mean by using the context of the conversation as a guide. I will give you examples and explanations of other situations they can be used in as well. 

3, Speak - you will get the chance to use what you have learned in conversations during the class. This will give you practice and ensure that you can use the new expressions and phrases correctly. 

After the class has ended, I will get you to listen to the audio track again. At this point, you will be able to understand the complete conversation. After that, I will ask you to take a quiz based on the lesson for homework. In addition to that, you can send me sentences using the new expressions and idioms to give you some extra practice. It is recommended that you review the lessons at different intervals to help you retain the material that was taught.

Through these classes, you will hear and learn how English is really spoken in business and everyday life!

If you would like any additional information or to talk with me, send me a message on italki or book a trial class with me.

Listen, Learn, Speak!

Dear New Student, 
My 30 minute trial lesson is a chance for you to introduce yourself so I can learn who you are, why you are learning English and what your goals are, and give you a chance to meet me. In the trial lesson I can give you tips, websites and materials, English learning methods and recommended books. I can also do an informal assessment of your speaking level or writing level. 
Over the last 7 years I have helped hundreds of students to reach their goals with exams like the PTE and IELTS. One of my PTE students recently achieved Speaking:90, Writing: 86, Reading:89, Listening 87, and many of my students have achieved band 8 and 8.5, and some band 9 in the IELTS. 
A 30 minute trial lesson goes by very quickly so I recommend that new students planning to do the IELTS or PTE tests, or who are trying to find a teacher for regular lessons, book a full 60 minute lesson so we can get into more detail. 
Best regards, 
Darren

A complete and personalised English course for all students, including students wanting test preparation. All of my students will improve their English in a short time. Lessons are available for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Each lesson covers whichever English skills you want. We can do reading, writing, listening and speaking, or we can focus on any skill that you want help with, or a combination of them. We can also concentrate on any other areas you want to improve, such as conversation, vocabulary or pronunciation. We can also do exam preparation for tests such as the PTE, TOEFL and IELTS. Since 2013 I have helped hundreds of students to reach their goals with the PTE and IELTS exams. One of my PTE students recently achieved Speaking: 90, Writing: 86, Reading:89 and Listening 87. Many of my students have achieved band 8 and 8.5, and some band 9 in the IELTS test.
My lessons are tailored to suit you. Homework is given if you want it.

Complete English: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

This course will help you with English Grammar for speaking and writing and all my students improve very quickly. The lessons are available for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. We can go through a complete course (the course is based on the Cambridge English Grammar syllabus) of Beginner Grammar, Intermediate Grammar, or Advanced Grammar, or we can work on any areas that you have problems with. The lessons are customized for you and for your specific needs. Homework is given if you want it.

English Grammar: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

This course is for people who want to practice conversational English. I have lessons for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Students can practice speaking and listening to the English language in real conversations. Emphasis will be placed on correct pronunciation and grammar. 
Is there any specific topic you’d like to talk about? Do you have questions? We can talk about them here if you want.
The lesson plans are tailored to suit you and your needs. Homework is given if you want it.

Conversational English: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

This course is for students of all levels and from all industries, who want to use English in business for any purpose. If you have a business, need English for your job, or you want a new job that requires English, then this course is for you. If you need help with a job application, writing a résumé or CV, or preparing for job interviews, I can help you with that too. I have taught students in all industries: IT, medical professions, customer service, hospitality, education, government, construction, human resources, management, etc. Topics we can cover include: Business writing, emails, role-playing, customer service, job interviews, giving presentations, public speaking, academic journal articles, proof reading websites, new business vocabulary and much more. The lessons are tailored to suit you and your needs. Homework is given if you want it.

A complete and personalised English tutoring service for all students. Lessons are available for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. These lessons are made for your specific needs, we can do whatever you wish - Conversation, test preparation, checking and correcting your homework or university assignments, checking and correcting your CV or other documents, or giving you tips, tricks and suggestions to improve your English. 
Each lesson covers all English skills if you want: Reading, writing, listening and speaking, or we can focus on any skill that you want help with, or a combination of them. We can concentrate on any other areas you want to improve, such as conversation, vocabulary or pronunciation. We can also do exam preparation for tests such as PTE, TOEFL and IELTS. 
The lessons are tailored to suit you and your needs. Homework is given if you want it.

English Tutoring

I am a professional classroom children's teacher, teaching at a primary school, and I have experience teaching children and teenagers aged between 3 to 19.
This is a complete and personalised English course for all children. Children learn best whilst having fun and I make the lessons enjoyable and fun. Lessons are available for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. 
Each lesson can cover any or all of the English skills: Conversation, writing, listening, grammar  speaking and reading, depending on the needs of your child. We can also concentrate on any areas that your child is having problems with, and I can help with homework tutoring, speech coaching, test preparation, travel & culture, and conversation practice. 
The lessons are tailored to suit your child. Homework is given if you want it.

English for Children and Teenagers: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

his was part of a series of courses, necessary as part of Thailand's teacher development program. Ongoing teacher development is necessary in Thailand for teachers' licensing.

This was part of a series of courses, necessary as part of Thailand's teacher development program. Ongoing teacher development is necessary in Thailand for teachers' licensing.

Responsible for teaching English to primary & secondary school students and adults in classes varying in size from one to ten students. Teaching various English courses including conversation, reading, writing, listening and speaking, from basic through to advanced levels, as well as specialty courses including Exam Preparation (GAT), Business English, Hotel English, Restaurant English, English for Tourism and Public Speaking. Also taught and tutored students from this school online using Skype.

Responsible for teaching 4-5 English classes a day in classes of 30 to 40 students, primarily teaching primary grades 1 and 2 but also teaching kindergarten and upper levels of primary as required. I also taught Thai teachers in an English language education program. Other responsibilities include designing and customising an English language board, preparing and presenting English language assemblies, preparing teaching materials such as flashcards and worksheets and writing lesson plans.

Responsible for teaching 3-5 classes per day of maths, science and English in a specialised English Program. Primarily teaching primary grade 3, but also relief teaching all levels of primary school as required. Also teaching one lesson of "Club" per week, where the emphasis is on creating fun English based learning activities for students. Other responsibilities include preparing teaching materials such as flashcards & worksheets, preparing & marking exams, and writing lesson plans.

Responsible for teaching English to primary & secondary school students and adults in classes varying in size from one to ten students. Teaching various English courses including conversation, reading, writing, listening and speaking, from basic through to advanced levels, as well as specialty courses including Exam Preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE), Business English, Hotel English, Restaurant English, English for Tourism, Public Speaking, Science and Math.

The trial lesson is a great opportunity for you to get to know me, but more importantly it is a chance for me to get to know you and your interests, motivations and abilities. With this information I can then put together the best lessons for you.

Thanks for booking a lesson with me. I look forward to meeting you. Please have a pen and paper or some way of taking notes ready.

Improve all your English language skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing and language in use (grammar).  

Learning should be fun and enjoyable! My teaching approach is always adapted to suit the age, ability, aims and interests of the individual student. I use a variety of resources including games, videos, exercises, flashcards, actions, sounds, conversation.....

Please send me a message for more information.

Beginner General English

Intermediate General English

Advanced grammar, masters level and ability to speak like a native. We can cover all the aspects you need to take your English to the next level.

Advanced General English

These lessons are purely conversation with no formal teaching but corrections are made and suggestions for how to say things better are provided. These are very useful for the students who want to maintain the same level of English or where I proofread a students work without them being there.

This course will improve your speaking, writing, reading, listening and grammar skills, as well as learning tools and techniques for each section that will dramatically increase your score.
You will also receive lots of practice and feedback.

IELTS/ TOEFL/ TOEIC/ Cambridge Exams

General business English learning and also learning that fits your business and professional needs.  Every course is tailored to each student.

Example topics include:
CV checking and advice
Interview preparation
Presentation improvement and practice
Meetings and conference call roleplays
Formal and informal communications

Modules included: Organisational Studies, Marketing, Strategy, HRM, Finance and Research, Innovation, Popular Culture, Enterprise and a Marketing Dissertation

Compulsory modules: Innovation management, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy, High Technology Entrepreneurship, Financial Appraisal and Research Methods. Electives: Eco-Innovation, Developing Entrepreneurial Individuals and Service Innovation.  Dissertation topic: evaluating social enterprise support

- Providing administration and carrying out projects - Editing CVs  to targeted deadlines -Receiving and implementing weekly feedback - Coordinating with department administrators to compile, update and manage extensive Excel spreadsheets for Institute account codes, Institute staff and PDRs - Distributing marketing materials - Organising meetings using Doodle - Typing up weekly meeting minutes - Working with absolute accuracy continuous close attention to detail

Through telephone support, provided customers with best credit solutions that balanced the customers’ needs and circumstances with those of the business. Handled large electronic payments, data protection, as well as customer safeguarding and dissatisfaction.

Supported the International Marketing Services and Imagery Manager for the bi-seasonal clothing company. Linked the other team and company members internally and with stockists and customers externally.  Managed the creation, distribution and application of photography and imagery. Produced swatch books and internal marketing materials. Proof read adverts, brochures and directories. Maintained noticeboards, managed department’s stock and assisted with department’s admin.

Friendly, professional and enthusiastic online English language and business teacher. I teach *All* ages and abilities, children/ adults, beginners/ intermediate/ advanced. The topics I cover include speaking, writing, listening, reading and language-in-use (grammar and vocab), IELTS, Cambridge exams, TOEIC, TOEFL etc. I also help with job, university and visa applications, as well as business English.

Teaching English over Skype to South Korean students of all ages and abilities. • IELTS coaching for all sections • Business English tutoring

Intrinsically involved in setting up and running British courses, accredited by NCC Education, in a state-run college (18-24 year olds). Taught English Language Framework, Mathematical Techniques, Introduction to Business and Culture Studies. Lectured Introduction to Management, Organisational and Business Structures, Marketing and Business Communication. Covered foundation year Economics lectures.

This is your opportunity to check me out. Learn about my teaching style and ask any questions you want. We can discuss your learning needs and work on a plan to help you improve.

IELTS - speaking practice, I can offer constructive feedback and practice sessions to help you pass the IELTS speaking task. Also can check and edit your writing tasks.

IELTS Lesson = single or package of 10 classes.

You can ask me about grammar, and we can practise basic conversation. I will help you with pronunciation and fluency in this class.

General English Lesson = Single or package of 10 classes

In this course, I will provide some interesting articles to read with high-level vocabulary words for you to learn.

General English lesson - Single or package of 5 classes

Need help with your IELTS speaking score? tips and guidance to getting you your desired band score. please book this class for an introduction to IELTS speaking test.

IELTS Lesson = Single or package of 5 lessons.

Please book this for an assessment and prediction of your Oral test score.  I will start the lesson as a mock test. We will do parts 1,2 and 3 with comprehensive feedback and a prediction of your band score.  The 30 min lesson will be 1 mock test, the 60 min lesson will be 2 mock tests.

IELTS Mock speaking test = Single lesson.

This service is available to grade and offer offline corrections/improvements for tasks 1 and 2 of the IELTS writing exam, so you can send your writing to be checked whenever you want.

I will grade your essay and give feedback and suggestions on how to improve.

60 Minute Class=
1)  One task 1 and one task 2 essay OR
2) Two task 2 Essays 

30 Minute Class=
1) One Task 2 Essay

PS: If you can't find time in my schedule, please send me a message, and I'll send you a lesson invitation.

Offline IELTS writing ** Note I will check your writing offline - We won't attend a class. **

120-hour course studied in Chaing Mai, Thailand. Included practical teaching experience in a classroom with real students.

Online teacher for Cambly application. ongoing.

teaching English Language and Literature at Universities all over south-east Asia.

Read carefully before booking! A trial lesson is for people looking to work with a teacher for a number of lessons.  They are not for students looking for one-off exam practice or interview practice (please book an exam preparation or job interview lesson if you want to do that!).  I don't teach children under 15.  Please check my full lesson prices to make sure they are affordable for you, before booking a trial lesson.  In the trial lesson, we will discuss your needs and agree a plan to help you.  If you are studying for an exam, then I will also provide you with some resources that can help you to prepare for the exam (useful websites, details of useful books and Youtube Channels etc)

IELTS/TOEFL or FCE (Cambridge First),  CAE (Cambridge Advanced) or CPE (Cambridge Proficiency) Speaking/Writing  Lessons not suitable for children under 15.


Note: No children under 15!!  If you pick this course and take a ten-lesson package for speaking, then, as a bonus, you will also receive a series of free videos that I have made to show you how to use key vocabulary such as collocations, idioms and phrasal verbs to talk about common topics in your exam.    We will also do a variety of IELTS or TOEFL or Cambridge First/Advanced/Proficiency exercises designed to help you prepare for the spoken part of your test.   During your spoken tests, I will correct any problems with pronunciation, word choice and grammar and suggest more native ways of saying things that can help you to get a higher score.  You can expect to do IELTS/TOEFL/FCE/CAE/CPE written exercises for homework and when we review them I will guide you to help you find and correct some of your own mistakes, since this will help you to improve the most.   10-lesson packages of 90 minute lessons are designed for working on both speaking and writing within the same lesson.

IELTS/TOEFL or FCE (Cambridge First),  CAE (Cambridge Advanced) or CPE (Cambridge Proficiency) Speaking/Writing  Lessons not suitable for children under 15.

What you can achieve: Greater abiiity to speak fluently.  Improved pronunciation.  Improved vocabulary.  Increasing your English level, for example from B1 to B2 or from B2 to C1

Method:  In these lessons we take an approach agreed with you.  I always suggest that conversation plays a big role in these lessons as the development of spoken fluency is very important.  If you only want to do conversation classes, then that is absolutely fine.  But if you want we can also use more specific resources such as online resources from the British Council designed to help improve reading, listening and vocabulary as well as your spoken English.  We may also use articles from the internet etc, to help build your vocabulary.

I do not teach ***children under 15***

Conversation classes. Not for children under 15

In this course, I will play the role of the interviewer and I will make sure to give you a very tough job interview (so that you are very well prepared for real interviews).  I can give you advice on both the English involved in your answer and on the content of your answers. We can also look at professional e-mails, presentations etc, as well as application forms, CVs, motivation letters etc.

Or.. we can follow a general Business English skills course as follows;

a) Follow a programme of instruction based on the Business Partnership courses by Pearson.  These build critical skills in Business English and are available at different levels of English.

b) Help you prepare, specifically, for your business meetings or presentations etc by role-playing these scenarios.  This means you will have to know about a future meeting or presentation that you have to do and give me lots of details so that I can play the role of your audience for your presentation or the people that you are doing businesw with in your meeting!

Job interview & application preparation /Business English skills builder - get that job interview or improve your Business English skills

On this grammar based course, the lessons are conversational but we focus on helping you identify grammatical errors in your speech, which in turn will help you to build your grammatical knowledge in English.  Wheras the ordinary conversation lessons focus mainly on building fluency, in this grammar and conversation class, special attention is paid to grammatical errors.  This means that, at times, the conversation may be stopped to provide some detailed grammatical explanation and some grammatical exercises might either be done in class or provided for homework, based on whatever issues with grammar you show in your speaking.

Grammar and Conversation!!

Are you stuck at a B2 level of English and want to make the leap to C1? Are you at C1 and want to jump up to the heights of C2?  This is the course for you! The classes are conversation based but they are structured in such a way as to introduce - each week - the range of phrasal verbs, collocations and idiomatic ways of speaking that differentiate a native or expert English speaker from somebody who is merely good at English.  By practising using new expressions in natural conversations, this will help you to fix these expressions in your mind (so you can remember them).  Sometimes we will also look at expressions that you know passively (you know what they mean when reading or listening) but you will learn to use them actively (when speaking or writing).

Challenge your English (advanced) - Learn to use new expressions, including phrasal verbs and idiomatic language, ideal for students looking to improve vocabulary for exams like IELTS, CAE OR CPE

If you need to prepare quickly for the written sections of one of these exams, this new course is the course for you!

Warning:  You will need to work HARD.  The course is a ten-lesson package and you should aim to write two essays for each lesson - so you will do 20 pieces of writing in total.  I will give you the essays.

Method: All essays will be reviewed LIVE in class.  This means that you will be an active participant in making some corrections to your own work (with help from me) and in discussing the ideas that you have used in your writing so that we can help develop them.


If you want a trial of this course, then you may book a single one hour lesson to start with.  Otherwise? Please book the package.

IELTS, FCE, CAE CPE  or TOEFL exam writing intensive package course

This is a Master's level course in the teaching of English to foreign people.  It involves a complete understanding of how to help students develop all of the main skills involved in a language (speaking, writing, reading and listening).

This is the official teacher training provided by IDP (who part own the exam and provide assessment centres) for teaching the spoken IELTS exam.

IDP IELTS teacher training certificate (IDP part own the exam and provide assessment centres).  This is the teacher training for the written part of the exam.

This is a practical teaching qualification in which you have to teach two different classes over a period of time, whilst being assessed by expert teachers.

A Master's Degree in teaching English to foreign people.  It involved demonstrating both a practical and theoratical understanding of how best to support students to develop the ability to speak, write, read and listen in a foreign language.  I was given a merit for my performance on the course.

This is a Certificate in English Teaching to Adults (CELTA).  It is a practical teaching qualification in which one has to demonstrate practical ability teaching using the Cambridge language teaching techniques.

Teaching students from all over the world.

Teaching English - mainly IELTS -  to a variety of Russian clients, including older teenagers and business people.

Taught English to a group of around 25 Czech business people at a week long camp in the Czech Republic.

Taught some English to a couple of business clients as a fill-in whilst other staff were on holiday.

Running my own teaching business - have taught upwards of 1000 lessons to students from all around the world.

Teaching Business English and exam preparation to groups of employees from a global IT company.

This job involved the drafting and submission of funding bids in order to win contracts to enable the provision of services for young people with learning disabilities.  So I am an experienced professional bid writer.

Yisen, Teacher Services Manager, said that "TEFL exam prep," would suffice as a certificate for these categories.  To be honest, they will have to as there are no official certificates for teaching these exams.

Yisen, Teacher Services Manager said that "business TEFL," or "Exam prep TEFL," would suffice as certificates (to be honest, there are no other certificates available so they will have to!) - this is a Business TEFL

Teaching a variety of lessons - exam preparation, business English, grammar, vocabulary etc

Teaching a variety of lessons - IELTS, FCE etc, as well as Business English, general conversation etc

Teaching English - mainly IELTS - to a variety of Russian clients, including older teenagers and business people.

During the trial lesson, I will show you how I teach as well as making a study plan especially for you. Hope to see you soon.

Whatever exam you are going to take, if it’s IELTS, CAE, FCE, or CPE, we start with a full mock test to find your strengths and weaknesses, then progress to a more detailed analysis of each part. 

Taking IELTS as an example:

1 lesson - Tips
If your test is soon and you only want one class, I can give you tips that will help your speaking on the day of the test.

5 lessons - you improve what you can already do
If you want to practice with a native speaker for several lessons, then I suggest the package of 5 lessons. During those lessons, we can go through each part step by step, so you know exactly what you should do. If you know what to do, you are more confident. If you are more confident, you are more relaxed. If you are more relaxed, you speak better.
In all 3 parts, you will practice ways to get the best out of what you can do, including - how to easily speak for 2 minutes, what to do if you don’t know the answer, and what to do if you have no idea about the question.

10 lessons or more - you learn proven strategies to get the score you need for each part.
If you really need a higher score, then we can practice strategies for each part of the exam.
Part 1 - You practice specific methods to answer any Part 1 question like a native speaker
Part 2 - You practice a specific strategy so that you are prepared to answer any Part 2 topic well. This strategy is supported by topic vocabulary quizzes on a mobile app. You must also do the extra work required to make this strategy succeed. If you do that, you will have no difficulties when you have your test.
Part 3 - You will practice the best ways for you to organise your Part 3 answers and be easily understood. We will also practice what to do if you don’t understand the question or if you can’t think of any ideas. 

Hope to see you soon!

Speaking practice for IELTS, FCE, CAE, & CPE

Conversation English with grammar, pronunciation and fluency

If you would like to improve your conversation skills and have your fluency and pronunciation corrected while you doing it, these are the classes for you.

If you would like to choose a topic before class, I can send you a quiz to help you practice relevant vocabulary before we start.

You can choose from the following options:

English to solve specific English problems in your life, and using everyday situations as role plays for free speaking.

Choose a topic and discuss it with me. I will push you to say as much as you can.

Discuss topics from the newspaper, such as politics, economics, finance, or sport. (please remember these are English lessons, so English is more important than opinions)

Accent, pronunciation and fluency improvement

Conversation English with grammar, pronunciation and fluency

Exam Writing for IELTS, FCE, & CAE

Whatever exam you are going to take, if it’s IELTS, CAE, FCE, or CPE, I will send you a writing question for you to complete before the first class, so I know what your writing is like. 

1 lesson - Tips
If your test is soon and you only want one class, I can give you tips that will help your writing on the day of the test.

5 lessons - you improve what you can already do
We will go through the different types of writing questions you could get in your test, and write answers together, or you can watch me.

10 lessons - you learn how to complete your writing tasks in the time allocated
You will practice planning, paraphrasing, developing body paragraphs, and conclusions as well as learning where more advanced grammar fits into the essay. To practice more efficiently, you can write timed essays, then email them to me. That costs less. Check the lesson description for “BY EMAIL ONLY Writing correction and feedback”. You will also get reading homework, so you can understand how other writers write.

Exam Writing for IELTS, FCE, & CAE

BY EMAIL ONLY! NO SKYPE LESSONS, EVERYTHING IS DONE BY EMAIL.

Writing by email  - Essays, Personal Statements, Applications

=“Alan has helped me to improve my writing skills very quickly, He is patient but strict, and it has been perfect to me!” - Carolina Gomez, Cali, Colombia=

You email me your essays, personal statements, or applications for feedback and correction.

$15 is for 1 hour, which is usually enough for two IELTS essays, or one personal statement. 

EVERYTHING IS DONE BY EMAIL, THERE IS NO SKYPE CLASS (That's why it's so cheap)

BY EMAIL ONLY Writing correction and feedback

These classes are for informal tutoring only. The student is expected to have material to discuss during the class.

~Yuri Semenov 
English|Dec 14, 2018
Great to see Alan again after so long. He is the only teacher that has really helped me with real life situations. What I should say to my boss, what I should say at meetings and so on. We did some great conversation role plays in class today, which really helped to identify the problems I was having. He also makes them great fun and pushes you in different ways. Great guy and excellent teacher! ~

In each class, we will role play a short case study of a company with a problem. When solving the problems, we may need to discuss recruit, negotiate, cooperate, and so on.

If you would prefer, we could talk about your real-life problems at work and how to solve them. These could include: how to do a presentation, how to interrupt at a meeting, how to talk to your boss, and so on.

Another option is to have mock job interviews in English. These have been really successful in the past. I have many authentic questions with suggestions on how they should be answered. If you have applied for a specific job, let me know, and I’ll find more relevant questions specifically for you.

Thank you

Business English - free speaking role plays

CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Teaching English, pronunciation, fluency and methodology to Chinese English Teachers from Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan.

Teaching English to kids using fun and games to teach them basic English phrases and vocabulary.

Teaching Business English one-on-one and classes in and around Chengdu. Companies include PetroChina, BMW, IBM, Maersk, RCA, TE Measurement and more. Also Hotel English to various hotels in Chengdu.

In a trial lesson we can establish a plan for your improvement in using the English language. I will also demonstrate my teaching methods and you can ask any questions about my lessons.

Are you lacking confidence when it comes to grammar? Then this is a great course for you!

In this course we follow a curriculum together that helps improve all aspects of the English language, with a specific focus on grammar. Lessons will be adjusted to suit your needs and interests. Subject material includes tenses, grammar rules, prepositions, articles and much more! Materials will be provided and homework can be assigned.

Practical Grammar Lessons

One of the most effective ways to improve understanding of a language is to practice speaking it. In my conversation classes you can do exactly that. 

I always aim to have a relaxed atmosphere in conversation classes, to allow you to express yourself freely. At the same time I will correct the mistakes you make. 

What will we talk about?! It's up to you! If you prefer, I can send articles/audio files before a class that can be the basis for conversations, or you can choose a topic that you would like to discuss. 

 In conversation classes we can work to improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and confidence to have conversations in English.

English Conversation

- I can help you prepare for any interview or presentation you have to make. I am an experienced public speaker, having given presentations to crowds of over 1000 people. 
- I can also help you to prepare/edit your CV or other work related documents.
- We can also study together specific business vocabulary related to networking/business meetings/emails/telephone calls/marketing etc.
- My background is in the construction industry but my knowledge from this industry is also beneficial to other areas.

Business English - Interviews - Presentation Preparation

Does your child need some help to improve their English? Maybe to improve his or her performance at school? I will be happy to help. I have a 5-year-old daughter and I also taught children in schools in Taiwan so I have lots of experience in teaching children and making classes interesting for them. 

Lessons can be tailored to your child's specific needs and ability. Please contact me if you have questions or specific goals for your child that you would like to discuss.

Lessons for Children

I have a lot of experience in helping people prepare for IELTS. My lessons primarily focus on the Speaking and Writing parts of the test but I can also help you prepare for Listening and Reading if required. The material I use in this course is made up of a slideshow based lesson plan which has been specifically designed to help you prepare for the IELTS test. 

 Throughout the course we will also practice many current IELTS speaking questions to aid your development of the necessary skills and confidence to excel in the exam.

 Homework would be assigned after each lesson allowing you to complete a current IELTS writing test question which would be marked before the next class.

I have helped over 100 students prepare for the IELTS test, all of whom have made improvements in their English, many have improved their overall scores by 0.5-1.0, some have reached an overall score of 8.5.

IELTS Speaking/Writing/Listening/Reading Preparation

Do you need to take PTE or TOEFL or TOEIC  exams? I have a lot of experience and success in helping students and professionals do that.

In this course I will help you prepare for all parts of the exam you plan to take, resources and materials will be provided and the lessons will be tailored to you individual needs.

 After each class, homework for the writing part of the test will be assigned. I will check and correct the homework and we will discuss your written work in each following class.

TOEFL/TOEIC Exam Preparation

I have taught over 1800 IELTS classes and over 450 TOEFL and TOEIC here on Italki. The majority of which were to students who have become regular students due to enjoying my classes. I believe this experience qualifies me to continue helping individuals to prepare for exams such as IELTS here on Italki. Thank you for your consideration!

In 2014 I taught English to children in a cram school in Hsinchu, Taiwan for 1 year. In addition I have taught over 750 classes to children here on Italki. The majority of whom have become regular students due to enjoying my classes. I believe this experience qualifies me to continue teaching English to children here on Italki. Thank you for your consideration!

We will briefly get to know one another.

Next, we'll discuss your language goals and create a tailored learning plan that aligns with your objectives.

Then, there will be a short lesson focused on an important language area like vocabulary or a key skill, such as speaking.

Finally, we'll wrap up with a practical conversation where you can apply what you've learned.

Build confidence and become a fluent speaker.

Focus on any language area, for example: writing or pronunciation.

Examples of topics: describing people, talking about holidays and discussing the environment.

Of course, there is a lot of speaking practice about the topics.

Be a more resourceful student and score higher.

This is a series of exam preparation courses for IELTS, IGCSE, PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic), Cambridge English: Key (KET), Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET), Cambridge English: First (FCE), Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) and Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE).

Learn new vocabulary and grammar for the tests, and practice using the language appropriately. Focus on any or all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

You practice for the exams, and I guide you.

Test Practice

Master formal English and become an eloquent, diplomatic speaker.

Learn jargon (specialist vocabulary) and etiquette through exploring various work-related themes.

Topics include: using the telephone, writing emails and giving presentations.

Role plays are used a lot.

Become a skilled reader by tackling challenging texts.

Bring a book to class, and I will help you read and discuss it. We will explore the themes, characters, and key ideas together.

Focus on improving comprehension, expanding vocabulary and mastering textual analysis.

Reading Workshop

We were require to teach for just under five hours, attend a number of theoretical and demo classes. We also had to write a number of essays and asses other teachers teaching.

It helped me to understand teaching practice and hone my teaching skills

Taught college students English. The class sizes were quite big ranging from 30 to 55 students.

Most of the students who I taught were actually studying to become English teachers themselves.

Taught high school children. Class sizes were rather small ranging from about ten to one. As well as teaching students IGCSE and general English, I taught IELTS preparation classes.

I taught Business English to college students as well as general English and IELTS preparation classes.

I taught foreign factory workers general English for practical use as well as test preparation. I did the work on a contractual basis in Lincolnshire.

I taught foreign warehouse operatives English for both practical use and for test preparation. I did this job on a contractual basis in Lincolnshire.

Let's meet, start practising and improve and work out the plan for your future. Here I can find out your needs and give you the best plan to improve your skills. This will change your life.

Going to university? Need a work visa? If you want to know all the tricks to improve your IELTS score, this is the place to be. As a teacher and examiner, I know all the details you need to improve. Let's make it happen.

Ace your language test!

Why choose italki?

TOEFL

IELTS

PET

BEC

Other language exams

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