Hi, Last-minute Charlie here.

Hi, Last-minute Charlie here.

I have uploaded a cover <https://drive.google.com/open?id=13hcWLvwu5SRy7bjbE_ZqggprvJDIZOUs> and a minuscule sample of my writing <https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iU4C2DFMSCh7XmORmAHVDqkMgEbeIQ9q>. Look forward to your comments. I'll keep writing all week.

I have also created a .mobi file (Kindle) if you want to download it <https://itdi.pro/itdihome/IELTS-tips/IELTS-tips4.mobi>. Thanks.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13hcWLvwu5SRy7bjbE_ZqggprvJDIZOUs

Comments

  1. Dorothy ZemachSeptember 22, 2018 at 6:09 PM

    I don't really know much about the IELTS itself, so I'll let others comment on the insides.

    For the cover, I like this a lot. It looks both accessible and serious. I'd make these suggestions--you can try them (or not) if you like, and then decide. Sometimes you have to see things before you can judge.

    I'd make SPEAKING TEST a lot larger. Not quite as big as IELTS, but still larger. You could make your red band larger, and still keep them positioned the way you have them.

    I'd lose the "Can you keep her friendly?."

    Move your name and compiled by lower.

    I do like the subtitle, but I bet you know I'm going to say it should be larger. Which is hard because it's long. How about:
    IELTS examiners offer essential (or inside?) information to maximise your speaking score? (still in all caps like you have).

    Then... I like the woman, but it would be great if she were wearing something red, to match your color band. I looked around a bit for a woman in a red suit, but didn't find one that seemed suitable. It's beyond my capability to make that woman's suit red, although my designer could do it, if you like...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dorothy ZemachSeptember 22, 2018 at 6:14 PM

    You could also try putting the subtitle and your name in red.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kate Cory-WrightSeptember 22, 2018 at 6:23 PM

    Very chic, Charlie ;) I like it a lot, although I’d also lose the bit about making a woman friendly (it sounds a touch, erm, you know!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michael FreeSeptember 22, 2018 at 6:33 PM

    I agree with the above — the general design concept is appropriate. As an IELTS examiner, I (think I) know what you're going for with 'keep [the examiner] friendly.' Could it be 'keep them friendly'? Or is that just grammatically awkward (with the single person in the image), and does it really change anything with regards to the observation made above? I'm not sure I'd put her in a red suit, though (given that we're told to dress professionally, but also 'neutrally'). In general, though, I like it. I'm also glad someone else is more last-minute than I am!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kate Cory-WrightSeptember 22, 2018 at 6:53 PM

    Michael Free Hang on, I’m lost.... What does “keep her friendly” refer to?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dorothy ZemachSeptember 22, 2018 at 7:15 PM

    How about this, then?

    hahahahaha. Sorry.
    https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KM1i3XHSKsxw97LTaj6YULxnwZ3V8LVXZce4mTWyQt1xTd81qqQE5KczJkzrPv2vepx35_wU5BqKLw=s0

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gareth KnightSeptember 22, 2018 at 7:16 PM

    Thank you. All valuable. I'll make the changes and put her in a red dress. I'll drop the 'friendly' thing. Trying to get across that the tips are related to the procedure of the test and getting the examiner on your side, rather than pure linguistic advice, but I added that question with tongue in cheek.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gareth KnightSeptember 22, 2018 at 7:20 PM

    Dorothy Zemach lol

    ReplyDelete
  9. Steven HerderSeptember 22, 2018 at 7:27 PM

    I wanna say something like

    Staying connected with the examiner
    Succeed by keeping the conversation going
    Friendly + Engaged = Success

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gemma ArcherSeptember 24, 2018 at 7:54 AM

    I love this concept - I'm an IELTS examiner too and i think it's so useful to have a compilation of examiner's tips! I can only echo the comments above re: 'keep her friendly' but i like everything else!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Michael FreeSeptember 25, 2018 at 4:01 PM

    Kate Cory-Wright To me, what Gareth is trying to get students to think about here is keeping the general vibe of the exam relatively convivial, and realising that when the examiner is relaxed and engaged with the conversation that's a good indication that things are going well. Sort of like a litmus test for whether or not the test is proceeding well - because if the examiner has trouble being friendly it's (likely) because there's (serious) problems understanding / interacting with the examinee. (I'm not sure how well I explained that, as I've not had any coffee yet!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dorothy ZemachSeptember 25, 2018 at 4:30 PM

    Wouldn't the easiest way to do that to get your examiner a bit tipsy? Are you allowed to show up with a bottle of wine?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dorothy ZemachSeptember 25, 2018 at 4:30 PM

    Wouldn't the easiest way to do that to get your examiner a bit tipsy? Are you allowed to show up with a bottle of wine?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Miss AlexOctober 12, 2018 at 7:16 AM

    Michael Free I totally agree with you

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hello everyone

Hello everyone, Almost everything has been finalised in my story. Only the info about the creators (Author and illustrator) is missing and I need to have a professional picture taken of me and my daughter, Evita (the illustrator), but I won't have the pic until mid November :(. Re the font type - I used Arial. Should I change to Times New Roman? I hope you can find a few minutes to write a comment on this almost-final draft of my story. I have a question: as you know Evita has done the illustrations, but the background was a bit greyish. I asked a graphic designer friend of mine to whiten the background for me and to do a few minor tweaks. I would like to ask her in the future to help me with the next books in the series, too. I like giving credit where the credit is due - where could I mention Stella's name? https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i1oWSFC_8YNVQq0o9OyIj0wYQMGjDlh1
Read more

Hi all! I'm happy to report that my health is much improved. Thank goodness! Ain't nobody got time for being ill.

Hi all! I'm happy to report that my health is much improved. Thank goodness! Ain't nobody got time for being ill. So ... where is everybody? I know I extended the deadlines out to the end of October for people on the accomplishment track and the end of November for those working towards the distinction certificate... let's see some finished projects! :) Could the distinction people email me theirs separately? Either a .mobi or an .epub is fine. zemach@comcast.net is probably best. For the others, why not post here, and we can all give some congratulations and feedback? (Distinction people welcome to post theirs here as well, of course!)
Read more

It´s me again! I got enthusiastic and did almost the whole book. There are two or three pictures missing.

It´s me again! I got enthusiastic and did almost the whole book. There are two or three pictures missing. I'd love to know your opinion about: *the whole thing, of course! *the two covers- do you like them? Which one most? *the font- is it clear? big enough? *the last page- is it clear that lights are off? *the line in the middle of some pages to separate different situations- any other idea? *the dialogues- is it clear enough who is talking? If Fluffy or his Mum? *any language mistake? Eager to read you all, especially Dorothy Zemach!!! https://www.canva.com/design/DADFcVJg0dg/OHGA7qnG3hQA_uO99vRWsw/view?utm_content=DADFcVJg0dg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton https://www.canva.com/design/DADFcVJg0dg/OHGA7qnG3hQA_uO99vRWsw/view?utm_content=DADFcVJg0dg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton
Read more