ScoreFluentMost advice on a speaking or writing task is too broad to use. "Speak more fluently" does not tell you what to practise on Monday. A task is a small set of skills, and each one can be trained.
Every task guide now ends with a short section called "How to improve". It names the skills behind that task. It also names the beliefs that hold students back.
What the section shows
Each task has three parts.
- Skills to build. An ordered list of three to five skills, each with a lesson in the app.
- Common misconceptions. A belief many students hold, quoted, then the reality.
- What you can practise in the app. The kinds of practice that exist for the task.
The skills use plain names. You will see "Linking one idea to the next", not a grammar label. You can tell at a glance what you are working on.
Why a named misconception helps
Generic advice is easy to agree with and easy to ignore. A named belief is different. You read it and know if it is yours.
Say a student thinks a longer answer always scores higher. The guide quotes that belief. Then it says what the task rewards instead. You can now change one habit, not "try harder".
How skills link to practice
A skill is not only a label. Each one has a lesson in the app. Many also link to other practice:
- Practice drills train one technique at a time.
- Extra practice gives you more questions on a weak area.
- Flashcards help you remember the words and sounds that belong to a skill.
The guide lists the kinds that exist for your task.
Where to find it
Open the task guide for your exam. The section sits at the end of the guide. Start with the index for your exam:
Questions students ask
What does the how to improve section show?
It shows an ordered list of skills to build for the task, the common misconceptions about it, and the kinds of practice you can do in the app. It sits at the end of the task guide.
What is a misconception in a task guide?
It is a belief many students hold about a task that is not true. The guide quotes the belief, then gives the reality, so you can check your own habits against it.
Do the skills link to real practice?
Yes. Each skill has a lesson in the app. Many also have practice drills, extra practice or flashcards. The guide lists which kinds exist for that task.
Which exams have task guides?
ScoreFluent has task guides for seven exam families: PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, IELTS, MET, LanguageCert Academic, CELPIP-General and Cambridge C1 Advanced.