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UK VISA Officer: Behaviour, Questions, and Answers

A few months ago I received an email from one of my viewers asking this simple request: “Could you please upload a video on how to behave with the visa officer during the interview questions and provide answers, tips and tricks, please?” My viewer and reader didn’t clarify if he was interested in a UK or US visa so I thought I might as well upload videos for both. Lots of you were interested, so I thought I should write a blog post about them, too. This article is related to a UK Visa and it is for you only if you plan to study in the UK (not if you plan to work there).

First of all, I’d like to tell you that the visa officer who is going to interview you is an experienced officer who really knows his job: so, tricks don’t work here. What I can give you is some general advice on what s/he expects to hear in order to give you that visa. I believe that the majority of UK Visas that have to do with studying are usually granted.

Well, the good news is that things are pretty easy. If you have all your required documents with you—these documents depend on your country of origin and your unique situation, so you should ask the embassy in your country for what is needed—and you can communicate well in English providing reasons why you’d like to study in the UK, then you will most probably get the student visa! However, note that you must have been already accepted by a university there: this is a requirement.

Appearance

Overall, beware of how you look: you should be decently dressed. See it like a job interview. You are not going to go to a job interview with your pyjamas and messy hair, are you? (If you are, stop reading this article immediately: you have more important issues to solve first).

During the Interview

It will greatly help if you are calm and organised in your answers. During the interview if you don’t hear a question feel free to ask: “Could you repeat the question, please?”. If you don’t understand a question or its meaning, you can also say: “Could you rephrase the question, please?”. In the rare case that you can’t follow because s/he might talk too fast, you can ask him/her: “Could you talk more slowly, please?”

Questions and Answers

They will probably ask you first:

– What’s your name and date of birth?

So you will answer for example,

– My name is Umiko Tanaka and my date of birth is the 3rd of January 1995

The next question will probably be:

– Where will you be studying?

– I will be studying at City University; a BA programme on Economics

– When does the course start?

– The course starts on the 15th of October OR

– The course start date is the 15th of October

Obviously then, they are going to ask you some details regarding the course of your choice, for example:

– What is the course of your choice and why did you choose this course?

As you can understand, the answers here depend on the programme of your choice, so you should be able to talk about it a little bit and be ready to give reasons why you chose it. I would advise you not to memorise ready made answers. Experienced interviewers can understand that. You should practice your answers many times by yourself until you know what you’ re talking about, ok? An example answer would be:

– I will be studying Economics at City University and I chose this course because having a degree in Economics will help me find a job in the future as a degree like that will give me the skills and expertise to pursue a career as an economist in the future

They will most certainly ask you:

– Why did you choose this particular university to study?

And you should be clear about that, too:

– Upon research, I came to the conclusion that this university is one of the best in the field of the studies I’m interested in and as I found out it has a very good reputation.

Of course you can change that according to your own specific situation, right? If you know more information and want to add more advantages about the specific institution of your choice in terms of something else it offers or its location etc. by all means do so.

They may also ask you a more general question:

– Why did you choose the UK for your studies?

Again, you may have your own personal reasons but an example answer could be:

– UK has a very good reputation in higher education worldwide and more specifically, the programme of my choice is thought to be one of the best in the world.

They are not going to ask you all the questions that I give you here, just some of them but it is wise to be very well prepared for all of them. An important issue for them is your residence. So, they will probably ask you:

– Where will you be staying during your studies?

– I intend to rent a room along with fellow students from my country of origin, India. OR

I intend to stay with friends and relatives that already live here OR

I intend to stay in the accommodation provided by the university

– What are your future plans after completing your studies?

– I intend to pursue a Master’s Degree and further develop my skills OR

I intend to apply for jobs in the field of Economics and start putting my knowledge into practice

– Is this the first time that you apply for a visa?

In this case, well, you answer the truth. They also might ask you some information about the town you are going to live in, so be prepared to know some things about it too, by saying why you like it there. For example,

– I like it very much because it is a big international city full of opportunities and people are helpful and friendly.

They may ask you different questions but more or less they will be around the same topics. They may also ask you about your IELTS score so remember to say your overall bandscore and if they ask you if you were weak in one of the sections-for example, writing- provide solutions of how you intend to solve that, maybe by attending some extra classes.

Overall, remember to provide clear and concise answers. Be confident and show that you know what you are talking about. Good level of English in terms of speaking, reading, and writing is essential. Be prepared, calm, and if you’re already accepted by a university in the UK you have nothing to fear! I wish you the very best of luck!

Here’s the video if you prefer that instead:

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IELTS: Can I Use All Capital Letters In Listening?

“Can I use all capital letters in Listening?” This is a question I get asked a lot, so I thought I might as well write a blog post about it since so many of you are interested in this. The short answer to this question is: “Yes, you can,” but let’s look at it a little bit further.

First of all, this is the official answer taken from the British Council IELTS website:

“As you listen, write your answer on the question paper. At the end of the test you will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet in pencil. You may write your answers in lower case or capital letters.”

So, you can write your answer in all capitals if you wish, no problem. If you choose to write in lower case letters you can still write everything in lower case for example, “europe,” “london”, or “john”. However, if you use them in Writing you should follow the spelling and grammar rules. For example, if you have to write the name of a person or the name of a place the first letter should be capitalised: “John”, “Europe”. So, you still need to know the rules.

More specifically, let’s have a look at some rules that will be helpful not only regarding Writing but also with your studies afterwards!

When do we have to use a capital letter?

1.) Never use a lower case with the personal pronoun “I”. “I” is always in capitals no matter where it is located in the sentence. For example,

“How can I help you?”

2.) We use a capital letter in the beginning of a sentence; after a full stop; or to imitate oral speech. For example,

He achieved the IELTS band he needed. Therefore, he’s really happy. He said loudly: “This is great!”

3.) We use capital letters for abbreviations. For example,

U.S.A. – U.A.E. – IELTS – TOEFL – TOEIC etc.

4.) We use a capital letter for holidays and for months and days of the weeks. For example,

Christmas, Sunday, Saturday, May, July.

5.) We use a capital letter for countries of cities, towns, regions, and landmarks. For example,

France, Milan, Europe, the Thames, the Eiffel Tower etc.

6.) We use a capital letter for people’s names. For example,

John Smith

7.) We use capital letters for nationalities. For example

Japanese, Irish, Canadian

8.) We use capital letters for religions. For examples,

Christianity, Buddhism etc.

9.) We use capital letters when we refer to famous companies. For example,

Apple, Microsoft, Hyundai, Amazon etc.

10.) We use capital letters for titles or professions. For example,

Sir Harold Pinter, Dr. John Smith, Professor Williams

11.) Last but not least, we also use capital letters for titles or headings. For example:

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyefski

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

Yellow Submarine by Beatles

So, that’s pretty much all you need to know regarding the use of capital letters. You can also watch the video lesson if you like:

I really hope it helps!
What do you find difficult concerning capital letters? Let me know in the comments below!

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Top 10 Tips for IELTS Speaking

Hey there! The other day I talked to you about the most important thing for your preparation which is beyond any kind of tips and strategies and you can read this post here. Today, however, I will focus on Speaking Tips. All the things you can do to help you along with your preparation and language learning: The Top 10 tips you will ever need to improve yourself in the speaking section! If you follow them consistently, you will definitely see your score raised. So, are you ready? Here we go!

1.) Pronunciation

Pronunciation is important. They do not expect you to talk like a native speaker–of course not–but you have to be clearly understood and you should pronounce the words correctly. Mispronouncing of words counts against you. If you can also talk like a native speaker by all means do it; that’s an extra bonus, but not a requirement.

2.) Be prepared

You are going to be nervous more or less. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you are going to be. Keep in mind that the examiners see lots of people everyday: they are tired, too. They are on your side not your enemy. Go in there and have a friendly conversation with confidence. If you make them forget that they examine you (which is the ideal), you will score higher.

3.) Communication

There are no right or wrong questions. You just have to be able to understand what you are asked and talk about it giving your own opinion and/or arguments. They just want to see that you can communicate well and effectively in English and that you can justify and stand up for what you believe.

4.) Practice makes perfect

Answer questions on your own and practice a lot. Do NOT memorise answers by heart; they can understand that and it will count against you. Just practice answering the questions lots of times.

5.) Focus on what you know NOT on what you don’t

Gradually, the questions are going to be a little bit more challenging, especially in the last part. Earn some time to think by asking: “Could you repeat the question, please?” Most times, apart from a difficult word or phrase, the question is pretty simple so don’t get too overwhelmed. Even if they ask you: “What do you think about nuclear energy?” and you know nothing about it, you still know that nuclear energy is dangerous, right? So, base your answer on that. They do not expect you to be a scientist–just to talk in English.

6.) Think in English

I know it is not so easy but try to talk in English as much as possible. The worst thing you can do is to try to translate in your mind what you would say in your mother language. Avoid that at all costs! Be simple, but think in English. If you think in a language with a different syntax and more advanced vocabulary you will get stuck eventually and then you will forget what you started to say in the first place.

7.) Speak as you write

When you write there is introduction, main body, and conclusion. Keep that in mind in Speaking, too. Start with an opening phrase; state your opinion; and complete your thoughts with an ending phrase.

8.) Standard phrases

Learn standard connecting phrases to help you during your speaking, especially when you get stuck and you don’t know what else to say. You can find some of these useful phrases in the Speaking lessons here.

9.) You can lie

Examiners know nothing about you: nothing about your life or beliefs. And you know what? They don’t even care. All they care about is your English. So, it doesn’t matter if you lie just because it seems easier at some point or another. You can lie as much as you like, as long as your English is good; you are on topic; and you answer the question.

10.) Speak up!

You will be nervous but that doesn’t mean that you should be shy or make it difficult for the examiner to hear you. Your English may be excellent but what difference does it make if only dolphins can hear you? If the examiner can’t hear you, he will be annoyed because his job becomes harder. We don’t want that. Open your mouth; talk clearly; and speak up with confidence!

You can find speaking questions to practice for PART 1 in the e-books section here for free! What do you find difficult in Speaking? Tell me in the comments below!

Top 10 Tips For IELTS Academic Writing

Hey there! The other day I talked to you about the most important thing for your preparation which is beyond any kind of tips and strategies and you can read this post here. Today, however, I will focus on Writing Tips. All the things you can do to help you along with your preparation and language learning: The Top 10 tips you will ever need to improve yourself in the writing section! If you follow them consistently, you will definitely see your score raised. So, are you ready? Here we go!

1.) Avoid Contractions of Verbs

Do NOT use “isn’t, aren’t, don’t, doesn’t, can’t, won’t, haven’t, hasn’t” etc. Instead USE “is not, are not, do not, does not, cannot, will not, have not, has not” etc.

2.) Be clear!

Be careful! The reader is not in your mind. You have to be clear about each and every thing you argue and explain yourself. In Academic Writing, you are asked to discuss a variety of complex ideas. So, ask yourself: “If someone else reads my essay, will he understand what I’m saying?”

3.) Avoid complex and long sentences…

… unless you are 100% sure! I know that you think that if you write complex sentences with “longer” words your essay is going to be more academic but this is where most mistakes take place in grammar and syntax. What you need to use is not difficult words, but APPROPRIATE words that best describe what you want to say.

There are so many cases that students think they used a very “good” academic word but actually it was the wrong choice for this specific idea. So, learn your new vocabulary in context with examples. Don’t memorise it!

4.) Guide your reader!

Tell your reader what you are going to write about! In your introduction, state what you are going to discuss precisely. In this way, the reader knows what to expect and you are organised.

5.) Structure your essay!

Never forget to structure your essay in paragraphs! This is very important! Use an introduction, 2 – 3 paragraphs for the main body, a conclusion and make sure they are clearly separated.

6.) Punctuation!

Punctuation is very important and most students tend to forget that. Don’t make the same mistake!

What is punctuation? Well, simply put, don’t forget your commas!!

When do we have to use punctuation?

To separate words in a list: for example,

“She went shopping and bought a blouse, a dress, a lipstick, and a pair of shoes.”

To separate parts of a sentence: for example,

“Firstly, I would like to discuss the advantages of implementing this method into the project. Secondly, this method can be introduced to the rest of our projects as well.”

To separate two parts of the same sentence: for example,

“Although he had drunk a lot of water, he was still thirsty.”

“He had drunk a lot of water. However, he was still thirsty.”

With conditionals and clarifications: for example,

“If they do that, more animals will be in danger of extinction.”

“I work too much, especially on Fridays.”

With linking phrases: for example,

“For example, for instance, finally, on the one hand, on the other hand, also, in my opinion, in conclusion, to sum – up, etc.” –> ALWAYS use commas after these phrases!

7.) Avoid casual words

When we say casual words we mean casual phrasal verbs and informal phrases such as “okay, of course, really, alright etc.”

8.) Prefer Passive Voice

Use Passive Voice whenever you can. It is considered more academic. For instance,

“I implemented the method” can become “The method was implemented.”

9.) Stay on topic!

Never forget the question and be specific in your answer: underline the most important points. Then, ask yourself what you know about the topic and be precise in your plan.

10) But – And

Avoid using “but” and “and” at the beginning of a sentence. Instead of “but” use “however” and instead of “and” use “also, in addition, additionally, etc.”

Don’t forget their commas!

Tell me what has helped with your writing preparation the most or what you find difficult in the comments below!!

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Top 10 Tips for IELTS Listening

Hey there! The other day I talked to you about the most important thing for your preparation which is beyond any kind of tips and strategies and you can read this post here. Today, however, I will focus on Listening Tips. All the things you can do to help you along with your preparation and language learning: The Top 10 tips you will ever need to improve yourself in the listening section! If you follow them consistently, you will definitely see your score raised. So, are you ready? Here we go!

1.) ALWAYS check out the word limit in the instructions

If you don’t stick to the word limit given to you in the instructions you will lose marks even if your answer is correct.

2.) Underlining is your friend!

Time management: Take advantage of the pauses in the recording in order to skim through the questions. Underline key-words before the Listening starts, especially words that cannot be paraphrased. These key words are going to be your guide during the recording and they will help you find the answer.

3.) Try to predict!

Try to predict what is missing in each gap before the recording starts. Are you waiting to listen to a number? A noun? A date? If you know what you expect to hear, you will stay focused and chances are you will find the correct answer.

4.) Don’t lose concentration!

You are going to hear everything only ONCE, so be focused. Try to keep up with the recording as much as you can. Never lose focus: they may talk endlessly for some time without giving an answer and you may think that you missed the correct answer and you stop listening but this is exactly when they give you the correct answer! So, work on your concentration skills. Do not insist on questions you had already missed. If you do, you will most probably miss the next question, too.

5.) Beware of paraphrasing!

The questions will not be phrased in your paper in the same way you will hear them. So, train yourself to recognise same words instead of same meanings.

6.) Spelling!

Be careful of your spelling! Correct spelling is absolutely vital in IELTS. If your spelling is wrong, you are going to lose marks even if your answer is the correct one.

7.) Write down what you hear!

In your answers, always write down the exact words you hear. Do not practice paraphrasing yourself in listening, just try to recognise it.

8.) Multiple Choice

Read the instructions carefully because sometimes you may have to choose two correct answers instead of only one answer. Also, the questions of multiple choice tasks will follow the order of the recording but the options may not.

9.) Order and Questions

Usually in all tasks the numbered questions follow the order of the listening. However,, don’t get confused with diagram labelling tasks and similar ones with the letters. (eg. A – G). The recording always follows the order of the numbered questions (eg. 1 – 10) not the order of the letters in the picture.

10.) More Than Just Practice

Do not restrict yourself to IELTS practice tests. Listen to the language in real life situations: movies and series without subtitles, songs, videos on things that you love; it can be anything! Get used to listening to the English language on everyday basis.

Tell me what has helped with your listening preparation the most in the comments below!