In this episode, Kev talks honestly about the common mistakes IELTS candidates make — especially when it comes to speaking. Drawing on a busy week of lessons with Chinese IELTS students, Kev explains why so many people are stuck at Band 6 and how small changes can make a big difference.

He covers:
✅ Why short answers kill your score
✅ How to expand naturally (without sounding weird)
✅ Why repeating words like "chocolate, chocolate, chocolate" won't help
✅ The danger of memorised answers
✅ How to sound more natural and fluent

Plus updates on The English Native, Kev's YouTube, and plans to help students in China get better access to materials.

For transcripts and more free resources, visit: theenglishnative.com

Follow on Instagram: @thee.nglishnative

Kev's English Podcast

IELTS Speaking: Why Chinese Students Keep Scoring 6 — Common Mistakes and Solutions

他专心地看着，随后又说：“我不要，这只羊已经病得很重了。给我重新画一只。”
He looked at it carefully, then he said:“No. This sheep is already very sickly. Make me another.”

我又画了起来。
So I made another drawing.
我的这位朋友天真可爱地笑了，并且客气地拒绝道：
My friend smiled gently and indulgently.

你看，你画的不是小羊，是头公羊，还有犄角呢。
“You see yourself,” he said, “that this is not a sheep. This is a ram. It has horns.”
于是我又重新画了一张。
So then I did my drawing over once more.

这副画同前几副一样又被拒绝了。
But it was rejected too, just like the others.
这一只太老了。我想要一只能活得很长的羊。
This one is too old. I want a sheep that will live a long time.

我不耐烦了。因为我急于要检修发动机，
By this time my patience was exhausted, because I was in a hurry to start taking my engine apart.
于是就草草画了这张画，并且匆匆地对他说道：
So I tossed off this drawing. And I threw out an explanation with it.
这是一只箱子，你要的羊就在里面。
This is only his box. The sheep you asked for is inside.


这时我十分惊奇地看到我的这位小评判员喜笑颜开。他说：
I was very surprised to see a light break over the face of my young judge:


这正是我想要的，你说这只羊需要很多草吗？
That is exactly the way I wanted it! Do you think that this sheep will have to have a great deal of grass?
为什么问这个呢？
Why?
因为我那里地方非常小
Because where I live everything is very small.
我给你画的是一只很小的小羊，地方小也够喂养它的。
“There will surely be enough grass for him,” I said. “It is a very small sheep that I have given you.”
他把脑袋靠近这张画。“并不像你说的那么小。瞧！它睡着了”
He bent his head over the drawing:“Not so small that– Look! He has gone to sleep.


就这样，我认识了小王子。
And that is how I made the acquaintance of the little prince.

小王子-The Little Prince-Read in Chinese

小王子第五章：结识小王子

我的第一号、第二号作品的不成功，使我泄了气。
I had been disheartened by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two.
这些大人们，靠他们自己什么也弄不懂，还得老是不断地给他们作解释。这真叫孩子们腻味。
Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

后来，我只好选择了另外一个职业，我学会了开飞机，
So then I chose another profession, and learned to pilot airplanes.


世界各地差不多都飞到过。的确，地理学帮了我很大的忙。
I have flown a little over all parts of the world; and it is true that geography has been very useful to me.
我一眼就能分辨出中国和亚里桑那。
At a glance I can distinguish China from Arizona.
要是夜里迷失了航向，这是很有用的。
If one gets lost in the night, such knowledge is valuable.


这样，在我的生活中，我跟许多严肃的人有过很多的接触。
In the course of this life I have had a great many encounters with a great many people who have been concerned with matters of consequence.

我在大人们中间生活过很长时间。
I have lived a great deal among grown-ups.
我仔细地观察过他们，但这并没有使我对他们的看法有多大的改变。
I have seen them intimately, close at hand.And that hasn’t much improved my opinion of them.
当我遇到一个头脑看来稍微清楚的大人时，
Whenever I met one of them who seemed to me at all clear-sighted,


我就拿出一直保存着的我那第一号作品来测试测试他。
I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept.


我想知道他是否真的有理解能力。
I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding.
可是，得到的回答总是：“这是顶帽子。”
But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say: “That is a hat.”
我就不和他谈巨蟒呀，原始森林呀，或者星星之类的事。
Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars.

我只得迁就他们的水平，和他们谈些桥牌呀，高尔夫球呀，政治呀，领带呀这些。
I would bring myself down to his level. I would talk to him about bridge,and golf, and politics, and neckties.
于是大人们就十分高兴能认识我这样一个通情达理的人。
And the grown-up would be greatly pleased to have met such a sensible man.

小王子第二章：通情达理之人

This is the third part in a multiple part episode series. I will teach you the most common business idioms that you can use at the office, in class, or with friends today! Check back soon for the next part of this series! 

👉 Book class with me! https://italki.com/teacher/8476284 

👉If you don't see an opening on my calendar that is ok for you, send me a message!

Stairway to English: Short easy to understand episodes to improve your English grammar and fluency

Business (and everyday!) common idioms series: Episode 3

Hey guys welcome back to another Chillchat podcast episode. This week we are chatting about Chinese myths and legends about the sun! 


Karen & 柏威

Chillchat (Learn Chinese and Chill)

Chinese Myths and Legends About the Sun 

가끔은, 우리가 세운 ‘큰 목표’들이 영감을 주기보단 오히려 지치게 만들 때가 있죠.
이번 에피소드에서는 그런 순간에 대해 이야기합니다.
좋은 목표를 세웠는데 이상하게 동기부여는 금세 사라지고, 계획 세우는 나와 실행하는 내가 따로 노는 느낌. 
다들 느껴 보신 적 있으시죠?

You know that moment when your goals feel so big,
they stop inspiring you and start exhausting you instead?
This episode is about that.

The Jung Studio

Korean Podcast | Why your "big goals" are actually making you miserable | 왜 ‘큰 목표’가 당신을 더 지치게 만드는가

En este segundo episodio, vamos a hablar sobre el otros usos comunes del verbo “acabar”. ¿Conoces este verbo? ¿en qué situaciones de la vida diaria puedes usarlo? Bueno, estás a punto de descubrirlo. Acompáñanos mientras exploramos las múltiples formas en que usamos este verbo en nuestras conversaciones.

Cápsula Fluida

Verbo ACABAR (parte 2)

a variety of contexts, meanings and clearing up any doubts about this very common phrasal verb