Test Preparation for Writing & Speaking

Improve Your Test Score

Do you want to improve your English Test score for writing and speaking? Whether you’re preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, CELPIP, PTE, OET, or Public Works, these private, one-on-one test preparation classes can help.

Customized Test Preparation Program

This test preparation program is perfect for you if you:

• have received your results and haven’t achieved your desired score
• have a looming deadline for your application for citizenship, permanent residency, or a professional licensing body
• want to improve your test score quickly
• have specific areas of weakness
• need maximum flexibility scheduling each of your classes
• need to target writing, speaking, or a combination of writing and speaking
• are a busy professional with a hectic schedule that leaves little time for study.

How we do it

The test preparation program looks at your language skills against the basic rubric that examiners use to score your writing and/or speaking. From there, we assess which sections of the scoring rubric to focus on so that we can bring your score up quickly.

How it works

It works because, just as in your own language, there are certain things that tell you a speaker or writer is at a certain level.

For example, if you recognize basic mistakes when someone speaks your language, you know immediately that their level is lower than yours. Maybe it’s the way they use their tenses or pronounce words; however, it could be that their plurals don’t show up in the right place, or the words they choose that don’t quite fit with what they’re saying. Maybe it’s just really hard to listen to them because they don’t speak clearly!

On the other hand, if you’re reading something by someone who has stronger writing skills than you do, you can usually recognize that immediately too. Maybe they’re super-skilled at providing vivid descriptions by giving you lots of details. However, it could be that they’re combinations of sentences create a really comfortable rhythm that makes the things they write really easy to read. Maybe their words just flow really smoothly. You may not be able to say exactly what that person does that makes you recognize them as a highly skilled writer, but language researchers do.

Language researchers have analyzed what the specific differences are between someone who speaks or writes more fluently and someone who speaks and writes less fluently. With that knowledge, they’ve developed a basic standard that examiners and teachers follow when they grade your writing or score your speaking.

In other words, based on that score, most teachers should have a fairly good idea of the specific things they need to show you in order for your score to increase.

Test Preparation Process

Typically, the test preparation process follows this path:

1. you send us a sample essay and/or speaking task. If you’re ready to send one now, just attach it to an email and send it to angela@ottawa-english.com
2. then, we analyze your submission and identify the ‘factors’ or areas where you can increase your score quickly. There’s no charge for this assessment; however, before we start the next step of preparing your lessons, you’ll need to choose and pay for your package. Please check the prices and packages below.
3. next, we customize classes to tackle the identified factors. In other words, we figure out what’s missing in your writing and speaking that the examiner needs to see to give you your desired score.
4. we meet online for the classes and then work through the identified factors. During your classes, we’ll familiarize you with the requirements, practice with worksheets and exercises, and ensure you feel confident about including that factor in your writing and/or speaking
5. you complete another writing and/or speaking submission showing us that you have mastered the new factor.

Test Preparation course length

The number of classes you need to take will depend on how many factors we need to address and how quickly you gain mastery over them. Typically, if you’re only one level away from the score you need to achieve in one skill, it takes 6 classes.

However, if you take longer to gain mastery, are more than one level away from your desired score, or need to work on different factors in both speaking and writing, you should expect to need more than 6 classes.

When we’ve assessed your submission and how many factors you need to work on, we’ll give you a rough idea of how many classes you need.

Test Preparation Packages and Pricing:

Writing correction is not included in class packages.

Writing Correction for Test Preparation:

More Writing Practice

You can improve your writing without taking classes by submitting written responses to our writing correction service. I’ll provide you with my comments, corrections, and concerns along with suggestions for improvements and practice materials for your weakest area.

This is a 24-hour service on business days.

You can use any writing prompts from any English language test, but please remember to send me the question you’ve responded to.

More Speaking Practice

You can also get more free practice speaking English in our free English conversation classes. Each week a small group of four students with a similar language level chat about a specified topic.

During these conversation classes, you’ll learn lots of vocabulary and get plenty of practice speaking English and, as we all know, every little bit helps.

Just choose your topic and send me an email explaining why you would like to join this conversation group and why this topic in particular interests you. From that email, I’ll gauge your level and slot you into a group that has a similar standard of English.

Please call, text or email me to talk about your test preparation requirements, package preference, and payment options. 613-614-6464 angela@ottawa-english.com

Speaking Test Practice

Are you feeling nervous about the speaking portion of your upcoming test? Are you dwelling on things that may not affect your score?

Speaking test practice is all about building your confidence before your test. We’ll tackle those barriers and put them in perspective so that they don’t stop you from doing your very best in the test.

Typically, these practice sessions only include a minimum amount of review.

Some students book these practice sessions right before they go into their test so that everything is fresh in their minds when they start speaking to the examiner.

Please email me, angela@ottawa-english.com, to set up your speaking practice class.

COST: $25

Limit of 1 hour/week