This lesson focuses on a great expression for the topic of food when talking about vegetables “eat your greens”. The video tutorial below explains the meaning and how to use it correctly.
Eat Your Greens: Video Tutorial
Comments: This is a flexible use of English for IELTS speaking but not to be used in writing. This expression is always used in the plural “greens” and never used as a singular “green”.
Recommended
Dear IELTS Liz Mam,
I was so happy to see you back on YouTube, but I was deeply saddened to hear about the awful illness you’re going through. Your lessons have helped me and countless others in so many ways, and it’s heartbreaking to know you’re facing such a tough battle.
Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you during this challenging time. I hope you find strength and comfort as you fight this, and I want to express my deepest gratitude for all the knowledge and guidance you’ve shared with us. You are truly an inspiration, and I hope for your swift recovery. May Allah grant you a speedy recovery.
Wishing you all the best and sending positive energy your way.
Warm regards,
Mahfuz
Thank you for your kind message, Mahfuz. I appreciate your support.
Liz i have a dream to speak english as you. Please advise me how can i do it. Thsnks a lot.
I wish I could offer that, but unfortunately I can’t. Sorry.
I recently got to know you. The only thing that comes to mind about you is how cute and positive you are. People around you must not take it for granted. I sincerely appreciate you and the material you’ve provided for us, IELTS candidates.
I still have a long journey to get well prepared for this grueling test but having to know you are like a torch that can enlighten my way to go.
God bless you
Thanks for your kind words. I love what I do. I think enthusiasm for life, learning and developing are essential for a happy, fulfilled life. I’m glad you enjoy my website 🙂 Good luck with your test preparations 🙂
Very recently I have been enjoying your tips on IELTS which I think is very useful for me as a candidate.
Thank you so much for your generous deliveries.
Wishing all the best,
Thanks. I’m glad my website is useful for you 🙂
Thank you for kindness
I really stuck in reading in every kind of question so,Mam please can provide me tips & tricks to solve them easily
I’m preparing for academic so,accordingly.
Click on the RED BAR at the top of the website to access my Reading lessons.
I want to ask that should we use a proper vocabulary words in writing task 1 also or only in task 2, as my tutor gave me a task 1 to write and to pharaphrase the word reduced, I used abated and also subsided somewhere according to the sentence where it fits suitably with the sentence. But my tutor told me not to use such kind of typical vocab in task 1. I should use them only in task 2. For task 1 the basic words like reduced, lessen, decrease, fall, maximum, minimum should only be used.
Please tell me that should I use them or not. And also apart from it I have also used absolute instead of total, is it right or wrong.
Your teacher is correct but didn’t explain it properly. You should choose a word just because it has a similar meaning. You should choose the verb because it matches the noun. Writing task 1 is about data. So, the word “reduced” should be replaced with decrease, drop, fall, decline – these are suitable words for describing a fall in numbers. The words “abate” is not used with numbers. The word “subside” is not usually associated with most graphs. In fact, the word “reduce” can only be used in particular contexts. So, this is about learning collocations. It has nothing to do with “proper vocabulary” is about collocations. Also remember that writing task 1 is a report, not an essay. Reports are written in a very formulaic way with particular language.
Dear liz,
Yesterday, I visited your website and after thorough research, I found the website to be extremely informative and helpful to achieve my desired scores. Even though, I have taken a 3 week IELTS coaching back here in India, I wasn’t able to score well in writing. I am all baffled up because I used the exact same technique which was taught in the class, still wasn’t able to materialize the bands required. L/R/W/S – 8/7/6.5/7
Well, I must admit that I did some real silly mistakes in the reading section and I can certainly improvise my performance in that section. I have booked my exam on 28th of this month with very little time to left for practice.
My question is that would you prefer me taking the advanced classes you offer? I mean, woudn’t it confuse me further with the existing strategy I have grasped in my classes?
I must admit that the existing strategy makes it more difficult for me to put it on a paper because it comprises of writing 5 full paragraphs. In my exam, I wrote almost 400 words and did a lot of erasing at times. Henceforth, the less scores in the result.
I look forward for your keen guidance and immediate attention on the same.
Thanks,
Varun
You should be aiming for between 270 and 290 words, if you are aiming for a high band score. A long essay does NOT help your score – in fact it presents more opportunity for errors in grammar, vocab and relevancy. Your essay should be HIGHLY focused with each sentence being 100% vital to the essay. No words should be used to impress the examiner – all words should be carefully chosen because they are 100% accurate and 100% appropriate. ALL errors will lower your score. My Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons are bought individually – I suggest you get one and watch it: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/
I was always told in school that including proverbs or quotes in an essay creates a better impact to the write-up. Idioms even. But I see that you are advising us test takers to avoid it. So I am a little worried now. I have my test in a week!
This is not a school essay or a university essay. It is an IELTS essay with specific requirements for IELTS band scores. It is also a language test which tests your language and not other people’s language that you have memorised.
Right. Understood!
task 2 views problem
less views and i cannot eloborate it well
Hi Liz, I was under the impression that I can use idioms in informal letters in IELTS writing task 1 – general training. Am I wrong?
Thanks
Be careful using idioms. They are frequently over used and not considered a good sign of your level of English. It’s better to use idiomatic language, such as phrasal verbs which show more flexibility with informal language.
Hi Liz,
Can you please tell me that what do you mean by idiomatic language? Can you please elaborate it with an example?
Idiomatic language is language that does not have a direct translation and is based on symbolism. Idioms are one type of idiomatic language but they are mostly informal and often over used in IELTS – which doesn’t help your score. Phrasal verbs are also idiomatic. They are prefect for IELTS speaking as they are frequently used by native speakers in speaking. However, some are informal so you need to be carefully using them in writing. Just google phrasal verbs online to learn more.
Hi Liz
Tomorrow my speaking test . idioms are used to good score? ,
i don’t know idioms. i want to above 7+ in speaking. Please tell me.
Don’t try to fill your answers will idioms. Be natural, be chatty and remember it’s an informal speaking test.
Hey Ms. Liz,
I am from India and I have two days to go for my IELTS test. I am scared to give my test as I did not find time to go through the books. I have been watching few of your videos and those were very helpful for me.
I am lacking in vocabulary and idioms as far as my knowledge. Please help me with any possible way….
Forget idioms and start preparing ideas for topics.
Hi Mam,
I am following your channel on youtube and found very impressive,
I have a little request please share some notes related to General Test as i am the student of this test.
You can find tips for GT reading and writing task 1 on the main pages of this site. You can follow all writing task 2 tips because they are the same for Gt and academic tests. You can also purchase my advanced writing task 2 lessons which are suitable for GT students: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore
Dear Ma’am,
I’m going to give the test next month,I’m Panic in Writing(both tasks),I need 7 bands in writing but It’s hard to write task 1 and task 2,how do I write them in the proper way !
please help me that I could get the high score!
See my advanced lessons for writing task 2: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore. And see the band score tips on the writing task 1 page. However, to hit band 7, you will need to reduce the number of errors in your English language.
You are really an excellent teacher,i get your every points.I wish i could meet you for personal consultation about my upcoming IELTS test,unfortunately I’m from bangladesh.
Hi,my name is Aman romana.please you can help me for reading because, I am very poor in english language .
https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/
Dear Ma’m,
I ‘d like to know about Idioms ,phrasal verb and proverb through video tutorial.
Could you please help me to find out the above said lesson . It will help me in my preparation for Toefl .
Again, many thanks.
Waiting for a positive reply from your end.
Warm Regards.
Please see this link: https://ieltsliz.com/using-quotes-or-idioms-in-your-ielts-essay/. I do not have a list of idioms for speaking at present.
All the best
Liz