Original BandLadder material
Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, word cards with meanings and examples (of, to, have / has and study → studied), a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.
Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.
The first 3 of 9 cards
one missing sound, one missing word
Meaning is not the score. Each word is marked on its own, so a lost -s or -ed is a lost point.
You hear: The managers have reported some delays. You type: Managers reportedthe, have: gone some delay.delays: no -s
Meaning kept. Three words lost.
five things to listen for
| Listen for | You hear | Type |
|---|---|---|
| plural -s | a soft s or z | roads |
| past -ed | a quick t or d | asked |
| he/she/it | an s or z on the verb | she finds |
| a or an | a vowel sound | an hour |
| weak words | half-swallowed | of, to, the |
One mark per correct word: an ending is worth as much as a long word.
quiet, quick, easy to lose
A number of students left early.
Staff were asked to wait outside.
The team has already left.
Card 4 of 9 onwards
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The other 6 cards open in the reader with a free account.
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Read the full Dictation: small words and endings free
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Free practice
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Questions
Yes, to read online. Create a free BandLadder account and the full lesson opens in the study reader. No card details are needed.
The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.
The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.
Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.
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