Fully-immerse yourself in IELTS exam preparation with 34 hours of your time per week (29 hours with a teacher). This English course is for very serious students only! All candidates must dedicate themselves totally to IELTS exam success as you will have little time to do anything else.
Students will study from 9.15 to 12.15pm, 12.30 to 3.30 Monday to Friday and Monday and Wednesday Evenings from 6.30 to 8.30pm.
For more information, email tim@letslearnenglish.org
Prepare intensively for your IELTS exam and achieve the score you need with 30 hours of your time (25 hours with a teacher) per week. Classes run from 9.15am to 12.15pm then 12.30 to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. This is a very substantial English course and is suitable only for students prepared to study for whole days at school with additional homework. With 30 lessons per week, you can expect faster progress and we estimate 3 weeks per 0.5% increase in your IELTS score. Email enrol@letslearnenglsh.org for more information.
For a full information, you can download ICE Work Placement Guideline.
You can also download the Work Placement application form.
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
It is an International exam, recognised around the world, which assesses language ability of students who would like to study or work where English is the language of communication. IELTS is also recognised immigration authorities and can help students with their visa applications.
There are four parts the exam: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Students can choose to take the exam in two formats; Academic and General. The Academic exam tests whether you are able to study or work using English whereas the General exam tests the students’ skills in social English and how effective their communication is. The Academic paper is essential for Universities/Companies and the General paper is acceptable for immigration use.
You cannot fail the IELTS exam, which is good news!! Instead you are given a band score from 1 to 9 for each part of the exam which then calculates an overall score. Most universities ask between 6 and 7.5 depending on the course. You just need to phone the University of your choice and ask what the requirement is.
Exams usually take place every Saturday but you should book 5 weeks in advance to get the date you want. Results usually take two weeks.
Phillipe : “I wanted to go to University here in the UK to study economics so I needed to take the IELTS academic exam. After speaking to the University I found out that I needed to get a band score of 7 in order to be accepted.“
Maria: “I completed my masters in medicine last year in Spain but I have come to the UK to work. I have found the perfect job at a hospital here in London but for the interview I must take the academic exam and achieve an IELTS score of 8.”
Chung Li: “I would like to extend my visa. By law I must be able to show immigration authorities that I have a B1 level of English. I have chosen to take the General IELTS exam to assess my overall language skills and to be able to demonstrate my communicative skills in English.”
For the listening test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.
| Band Score | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Score / 40 | 39-40 | 37-38 | 35-36 | 32-34 | 30-31 | 26-29 | 23-25 | 18-22 | 16-17 | 13-15 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 6-7 | 4-5 |
For the general reading test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.
| Band Score | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Score / 40 | 40 | 39 | 37-38 | 36 | 34-35 | 32-33 | 30-31 | 27-29 | 23-26 | 19-22 | 15-18 | 12-14 | 9-11 | 6-8 |
For the academic reading test, which also contains 40 questions, but is more difficult, the approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.
| Band Score | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Score / 40 | 39-40 | 37-38 | 35-36 | 33-34 | 30-32 | 27-29 | 23-26 | 19-22 | 15-18 | 13-14 | 10-12 | 8-9 | 6-7 | 4-5 |
The two writing questions are marked out of 9 according to the following criteria:
• Task Achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
The speaking test is also marked out of 9 according to the following criteria:
• Fluency and coherence
• Lexical resource
• Grammatical range and accuracy
• Pronunciation
The IELTS – International English Language Testing System – is a Cambridge exam designed to assess language ability of those candidates who need to work/study where English is the language of communication.
IELTS is managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia. It is recognised by universities and employers in many countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA and by professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies.
The IELTS consists of four modules: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Students must sit all four modules. While all students take the same Listening and Speaking tests, they sit different Reading and Writing tests, depending on whether they have selected the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test.
IELTS Listening test lasts for approximately 30 minutes. It consists of four sections and each section might be a dialogue or a monologue. The test is played once only, and the questions for each section must be answered while listening. Ten minutes are given at the end of the test for students to transfer their answers onto the answer sheet.
IELTS Reading test lasts for approximately 60 minutes. Students are given an Academic Reading test, or a General Training Reading test. In the Academic Reading test texts are taken from articles, books, journals and newspaper. The topics covered are accessible and of interest to candidates entering undergraduate/postgraduate university courses. The General Training Reading test instead, consists of texts taken from official documents, booklets, instruction manuals, leaflets, books and magazines. They are aimed at candidates who are not specifically focused on entering university courses. Both tests consist of three sections, and in both tests the sections are in order of increasing difficulty.
IELTS Writing test lasts for 60 minutes. As for The IELTS Reading, students take either an Academic test, or a General Training test. In the Academic test students are required to describe graphic data or a diagram whereas in the General Training Test students will be assessed on their ability to write personal/formal letter, ask/provide factual information, express needs and complaints. Candidate will perform two writing tasks, which require different styles of writing. There is no choice of question topics.
IELTS Speaking test lasts about 11-14 minutes. It consists of a one-to-one interview with a Cambridge-trained examiner. The examiner will lead the candidate through the three parts of the test:
An introduction and interview, an individual long turn where the candidate discusses for one or two minutes a particular and a two-way discussion thematically linked to the individual long turn.
Hi guys!
Today I’m going to explain some rules to you about some words/phrases that are often confused. Hopefully you will begin to understand these bits of English better, and then tomorrow, of course, you can practise to see if you can tell the difference between them.
These phrases are often confused by English students- At the end, in the end, finally, at last and after all.
Here is an explanation:
At the end- We use this phrase to talk about the end of something- that means something that can be measured in time (or distance). For example, the end of the day, the week, the party, the road, e.t.c.
In the end-This common English phrase emphasises the result or final outcome, often after a long period of difficulty or waiting.For example, they said they were going to come, but in the end they didn’t have time.
Finally- This has 2 meanings.
1. referring to the last stage of a process. For example, first we bought the wood, then chopped it up, and finally we burnt it.
2. referring to an expected event that has taken a long time. For example, they didn’t come for ages, but finally they arrived at the inn.
At last-This has the same meaning as the second meaning of finally. For example, She said yes. At last I had a wife.
After all-This is very often used badly by English students and is different to the other phrases because it has nothing to do with time. It has a similar meaning to ‘remember this’ or, ‘this is the important thing to consider’.For example, horses are quicker than people. After all 4 legs are better than 2. Or You have to speak to him. After all, he’s your boss.
I hope that all helps.
Click here to enrol for English courses in London.
| Minimum language level required | Upper-Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 48 weeks |
| Lessons | 15 per week (12 hours 30 minutes) |
| Group size | 15 students maximum |
| Times | 12.30 to 3.30pm Monday to Friday |
As well as two evenings per week and every morning, ICE currently runs a Cambridge First Certificate course from 12.30 to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. Afternoon courses are cheaper than mornings and you will often find that there are fewer students in a class. It might also fit well around your morning job or you might just like to wake up late!
Whatever your reasons for taking afternoon courses, if you come from outside the UK, the Cambridge First Certificate is the best way of proving to a potential employer that you speak, read, write and can understand English to a sufficient level to work in a English-speaking company. We believe it is the essential addition to your CV if you have recently arrived in the country and are looking for work.
The First Certificate is not just a test. It is a General English exam and the preparation course is the perfect choice to combine General English with a motivating, specific objective to drive you on to improve your language. Classes are exam-focused with a maximum class size of 15 students. With an experienced teacher, you will learn the grammar, the vocabulary and the exam skills to succeed in the exam. Exercises are often timed to get you used to working within exam conditions.
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 24 | 36 | 48 | ||
| 15 lessons | £ | 121 | 180 | 302 | 559 | 773 | 1034 | 1465 | 1836 | 2095 |
Here’s a video of a few of our nervous students about to take their exam:
En ICE, hay disponible una amplia variedad de cursos que comienzan todos los lunes:
- Inglés General
- Preparación IELTS
- Exámenes de preparación Cambridge (FCE y CAE)
- Inglés de negocios
- Inglés legal
- Talleres de habilidades (escritura, vocabulario, conversación, pronunciación y gramática)
Para obtener más información, por favor, se puede consultar en nuestros folletos, descargar nuestra lista de precios o ver nuestros precios de alojamiento.
No dude en ponerse en contacto con nosotros en el 00 44 207 278 5553 o enrol@letslearnenglish.org
Make super-fast progress in English a short space of time. Be prepared to completely focus on perfecting your English language skills on these intensive English courses.
Islington Centre for English is now offering 25, 30 & 34 lessons per week English courses so you can concentrate purely on improving your level. There are many hours of intensive study per week, so students must be prepared to work really hard and have little time for touristic activities.
Students will focus on achieving confident and effective spoken English for everyday social, study or work needs. The courses mainly consist of General English developing your everyday English, pronunciation and grammar, together with reading and writing skills for work, travel and social situations. However, we can also organise an Intensive English course that includes IELTS Exam preparation, Legal English for the ILEC exam preparation or Business English course components. Just ask us and we can arrange the course that suits you!
Times: 9.15am to 6.30pm or 8.30pm
Days of the week: Monday to Friday
Total English lessons per week: 25 (Intensive), 30 (Super-intensive) or 34 (Full-immersion).
Length of lessons: 50 minutes (NB lessons are normally taught in 3 hour blocks including 30 minute’s break)
Levels accepted: Pre-Intermediate and above
Possible number of weeks: 1,2,3 & 4.
On enrolment, students take a test to find which class is best for them and will consult with a member of staff as to which course is most suitable.
Monday to Friday: 9.15am to 12.15pm
Monday to Wednesday: 12.30 to 3.30pm
Monday & Tuesday: 3.45 to 4.15pm
Monday to Friday: 9.15pm to 12.15pm, 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Monday to Friday: 9.15pm to 12.15pm, 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Tuesday & Thursday Evenings: 6.30 to 8.30pm
| Minimum language level required | Upper Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Tuesday |
| Maximum length of course | 24 weeks |
| Lessons | 4 per week |
| Group size | 8 students maximum |
| Times | 6.30 to 8.30pm Tuesday & Thursday |
This course is aimed at:
Perfect your Business English with experienced, specialist tutors in Islington, zone 1, central London. Students practice Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening in a wide variety of simulated business situations such as:
Students will also increase their UK & US cultural awareness developing their understanding of cross-cultural business environments.
The course runs all year-round & enrolment takes place every week:
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 24 | ||||||
| 4 lessons | £ | 197 | 295 | 425 | 545 | 795 | ||||
1. Take it after work. Courses run from 6.30 to 8.30pm Tuesday and Thursdays.
2. Suitable for students wishing to take the BEC Higher exam, though not exclusively. All students will improve their high level business English on this course.
3. Maximum class size is 8 students only, for maximum, focused time with a tutor.
4. Costs less than the vast majority of Business English Evening courses in London.
5. Taught by native-speaking tutors who are University graduates, CELTA (or equivalent) qualified and additionally CERT ibet (Specific Business English qualification) qualified.
Here is Tim Shoben, our Director with a summary:
Have you visited our new Business English in London webs site?
| Minimum language level required | Upper Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 12 weeks |
| Lessons | 24 per week (20 hours 20 minutes) |
| Group size | 8 students maximum |
| Times | 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday + 6.30 to 8.30pm Tuesday & Thursday Business English Evening Courses + 2 to 3pm Monday to Friday Business Skills Workshops |
This course is aimed at:
Perfect your Business English with experienced, specialist tutors in Islington, zone 1, central London. Students practice Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening in a wide variety of simulated business situations such as:
Students will also increase their UK & US cultural awareness developing their understanding of cross-cultural business environments.
The course runs all year-round & enrolment takes place every 4 weeks. It is based on 3 x 4 week units which can be completed in any sequence.
PLUS! courses include additional, specific, Business English Skills classes for one hour per day as follows:
Monday: Business Writing
Tuesday: Business Vocabulary
Wednesday: Business Conversation
Thursday: Pronunciation
Friday: Cultural Awareness
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 12 | ||||||||
| 24 lessons | £ | 795 | 1095 | 1595 | ||||||
Have you visited our new Business English in London webs site?
| Minimum language level required | Upper Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 12 weeks |
| Lessons | 20 per week (16 hours 40 minutes) |
| Group size | 8 students maximum |
| Times | 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday + 2 to 3pm Monday to Friday Business Skills Workshops |
This course is aimed at:
Perfect your Business English with experienced, specialist tutors in Islington, zone 1, central London. Students practice Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening in a wide variety of simulated business situations such as:
Students will also increase their UK & US cultural awareness developing their understanding of cross-cultural business environments.
The course runs all year-round & enrolment takes place every 4 weeks. It is based on 3 x 4 week units which can be completed in any sequence.
PLUS! courses include additional, specific, Business English Skills classes for one hour per day as follows:
Monday: Business Writing
Tuesday: Business Vocabulary
Wednesday: Business Conversation
Thursday: Pronunciation
Friday: Cultural Awareness
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 12 | ||||||||
| 20 lessons | £ | 656 | 935 | 1344 | ||||||
Have you visited our new Business English in London webs site?
| Minimum language level required | Upper Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 12 weeks |
| Lessons | 15 per week (12 hours 30 minutes) |
| Group size | 8 students maximum |
| Times | 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday |
This course is aimed at:
Perfect your Business English with experienced, specialist tutors in Islington, zone 1, central London. Students practice Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening in a wide variety of simulated business situations such as:
Tara Laing, Business English trainer at ICE:“The course is divided into three modules each of 4 week’s duration. Over the course, we cover various topics such as marketing, finance, customer care, human resources and understanding corporate structures. Within these business topics, we focus business skills including presentations, networking and negotiations, communicative skills such as telephoning and emailing and, of course, those all-important interview techniques. Students will also increase their UK & US cultural awareness developing their understanding of cross-cultural business environments.”
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 12 | ||||||||
| 15 lessons | £ | 395 | 733 | 995 | ||||||
Have you visited our new Business English in London webs site?
| Minimum language level required | Advanced (C1) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 48 weeks |
| Lessons | 15 per week (12 hours 30 minutes) |
| Group size | 15 students maximum |
| Times | 12.30 to 3.30pm Monday to Friday |
The internationally recognized CAE exam can be taken in December, March, June and August of each year. The course also runs 2 evenings per week (Tuesday & Thursdays).
‘The Certificate in Advanced English’ on your CV or your university application will give you a clear advantage over other overseas candidates. It is a more in-depth version of the First Certificate Exam (FCE) and a successful applicant is rated as C1 on the CEFR scale of language assessment. Additionally, students always benefit from a clear objective. It provides the motivation you need to achieve greater things within a time limit and a competitive environment. The Advanced Exam is also accepted by the UKBA as suitable for Tier 4 General Student Visas (as well as by Australian immigration) and the majority of UK Universities now accept it in place of an IELTS exam. According to Cambridge ESOL, successful candidates are able to operate at managerial level, express themselves with a high degree of fluency and react appropriately in different cultural and social situations.
As for each exam course at ICE, you are encouraged to attend a free consultation in which a qualified & experience native-speaking teacher will advise you on an appropriate course length based on your objectives and your speaking and grammar level test results.
As with the Cambridge First Certificate, the CAE is a General English exam. So, it is a great opportunity to improve your English language in a wide variety of situations.
In each class, you study the grammar, the language skills & exam techniques required to be a successful candidate. The exam consists of 5 papers: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening and ‘Use of English’ paper which are extensively rehearsed in each lesson. Our teachers are highly experienced in taking students through the Cambridge exams and will discuss your progress with you throughout the course.
You can start the course at any time, but the teacher will advise you on when and whether you should take the exam. Students are required to pay the current Cambridge exam registration fee of £110. There is also an ICE exam enrolment fee of £10.
strong>Which institutions accept the CAE? Have a look at this helpful institution list.
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 24 | 36 | 48 | ||
| 15 lessons | £ | 121 | 180 | 302 | 559 | 773 | 1034 | 1465 | 1836 | 2095 |
If you feel that your grammar needs work, then this is the workshop for you.
…and so much more of course!
Please note: Skills workshops have a maximum class size of 20 students & all other English classes, 15.
| Minimum language level required | Upper Intermediate (B2) |
|---|---|
| Start date | Any Monday |
| Maximum length of course | 12 weeks |
| Lessons | 24 per week (18 hours) |
| Group size | 15 students maximum |
| Times | 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday 6.30 to 8.30pm Monday and Wednesday 5 workshops: 12.30 to 1pm, 1 to 1.30pm or 3 to 3.30pm |
| Exam fee | £115 |
This INTENSIVE course includes 15 lessons study during the day, 4 lessons evenings and an additional 5 lessons per week Specific Language Skills Workshops.
| Lessons per week | Weeks of study | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 24 | 36 | 48 | ||
| IELTS 24 lessons | £ | 225 | 351 | 657 | 1175 | 1763 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
‘We pride ourselves in providing the best value English language programmes with the highest educational standards. At the heart of a good school is the teaching staff, who are passionate about enabling each student to fulfill their potential.’
Welcome to ICE! London's best value English school.
We are the English language specialists and our popular courses will help you achieve exam success in IELTS, Cambridge First Certificate (FCE), Cambridge Advanced Exam (CAE) & ILEC or simply give you the tools to speak, write, listen and read better in General English. We have many years experience in English language teaching and we know that communication is everything, so, we will get you talking! In each class, we give you the tools to succeed in English in the real world. This includes building your vocabulary, increasing your spoken fluency, improving your reading & writing skills and giving you the grammatical knowledge that is essential for you to take ownership of the language and be able to use it effectively outside the classroom.
For some, the aim is to find success in a better job either in the UK or back home. For others, the goal is to achieve personal fulfillment through mastering a new language. In all cases, we teach the real English that real English speakers use and, for this reason, all our teachers are native speakers; English is their first language.
Why ICE? Well, we believe we have the best combination of the following: flexible, low-priced courses, high quality, great location, maximum class size of 15 in most classes, ALL native speaking teachers and an amazing social program that runs an incredible 6 days-a-week!
Flexibility and Low Prices
If you are in London, on a budget and want to work around your studies (or the other way round, of course) you can enrol part-time and study as little as 5 lessons per week any weekdays you choose. If your job at a funky local Islington cafe is every day except Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons, then ICE is your perfect choice - study when you want, for as long as you want. If you want qualified, native speaking teachers with a maximum class size of 15 students right opposite Angel station in the coolest part of London AND you want to spend only £224 on a course, take 5 lessons per week for 8 weeks in the afternoon. We are popular because we are able to offer great value for money. Many of our courses work out to cost less than an incredible £4 per hour. See price table for full details. We are confident you will not be able to find a school in London both cheaper and nearly as good as the Islington Centre for English.
Location: Islington, Central London (but not the boring, cliched part)
Opposite Angel underground station, we are situated only 12 minute's walk, or just one stop on London Transport, from Kings Cross St Pancras International station, or just 10 minutes by tube to London's West end. Only 12 minute's walk from some great student accommodation in St John's Street such as Liberty House or Nido in King's Cross, ICE is not only right in the heart of a really fashionable part of London, but it is convenient to travel here from abroad and live near your English school. If you love music, we recommend a visit to see the O2 music venue, the famous rock pub the Hope & Anchor or the Scala for a gig. For gastronomes on all budgets, Upper Street's pavement cafes and restaurants of every conceivable nationality cuisine. For the older student, antiques in Camden passage or maybe the picturesque canal that runs beneath Upper Street and appears as if by magic behind the York pub. If it is a part-time job you are looking for, Islington has so many shops that the conscientious English student can easily find employment to support his or her studies.
Class sizes
For most classes, including General English, First Certificate Exam preparation, Cambridge Advanced Preparation & IELTS exam preparation, 15 is the maximum number of students. The majority of your timetable will probably consist of classes like this. Additional Skills Workshops in which students practice 30 minutes of specific Reading, Writing, Listening, Grammar & Conversation skills, then 20 is the maximum size, though a typical class has around 12 students. For Legal English, the maximum is 6 students only and for Business English Evening & Day courses, 8 students.
All Native-speaking English Teachers
You leave Madrid, full of excitement to study English in London. You arrive at your English school ready to spend a few hundred pounds of your hard-earned savings on some lessons. You enrol and eagerly run early into your class ready to really learn that English accent in sharp contrast to your lessons back home... Your disappointment on discovering that your teacher is from Madrid is bitter. Never mind! You can still go to Islington! We believe that students come to the UK to learn English from teachers who heard the language from their parents the day they entered the world.
Social program, 6 days a week
The London English school experience is not just about studying in a classroom. At ICE, we believe that making life-long friends and having an amazing time is not an optional extra! Whether it be a London pub quiz, an Islington treasure hunt to find famous Islington residents like Tony Blair or Charlie Chaplin, A Jack the Ripper tour of the East End, a huge club night at Pacha or a cultural program tour on a Sunday to Oxford, ICE has your social calendar all ready to go. By the way, we don't force you to go 
A Quick Word or Two about our Origins
ICE was started in 2004 by Tim Shoben (English teacher and musician) as a small, family English language school in Islington with one lovely student called Hiroko. Today, although we have grown considerably, we retain the same heart of a small school in which every student is known by our administration staff and our teachers. Though he doesn't teach much these days, Tim can generally be found walking around talking to students when they are supposed to be in class and occasionally can be heard playing his guitar in his office when he should really be working.
Come and study with US!! Come and study with ICE!! We hope to see you soon.
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