How to Prepare for Your IELTS
IELTS, short for International English Language Testing System, is an internationally recognized test to assess your proficiency of the English language. This is for non native English speakers to prove that you are capable of speaking and understand the language thoroughly, and is usually required when applying to universities or work abroad, or a visa.
There are two types of IELTS, IELTS academic and IELTS general training. During the exam, you will be assessed on listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The listening and speaking tests are the same in both types, the difference is in the topics in the reading and writing sections, whereas in the academic test the topics are more educational and in the general training, the topics revolve more around general interests. If you are applying for the IELTS to go to a university or for a work opportunity abroad you should go for the academic IELTS, however if your motive is to migrate to an english speaking country then the general training test is best for you.
Sections:-
In this section you will have two tasks; first, you will be given a graph/chart/diagram with certain data that you will need to define and explain in your own words. In the second task, you will need to write an essay about your conclusion from the previous graph, and give supporting data and evidence to the information presented. Make sure that your essays are written formally.
Duration: 60 minutes
The writing section in the general training test is also divided into two parts; in the first task, you will have to write a letter, the information on who the letter is addressed to or the contents of the letter are variable and the level of formality in the letter also varies depending on the topic you are writing in regards of. In the second task, you will be asked to write an essay regarding the same topic you were writing about in your letter, your essay should be argumentative and you can include personal stances, the writing style does not have to be formal.
Duration: 60 minutes
In this section, you will have 3 long paragraphs presented and around 40 questions overall, this is the same in both, the IELTS academic and IELTS general training, the only difference is the passages presented, whereas the academic exam will present factual and educational pieces, and the general training will present easier, everyday topics taken from advertisements, brochures, etc.
Duration: 30 minutes
Listening is the same in both exam types as well, in this section, you will listen to a total of four recordings, the first two recordings will be conversations about regular social issues, and the last two will be mainly educational and academic topics. Each recording will only be played once, so make sure you focus and listen carefully to the recordings. This section will have 40 questions.
Duration: 30 minutes
Lastly, in the speaking part of the assessment, you will be interviewed by the examiner, this part is usually divided into three sections. This should take no more than 15 minutes, in the first five minutes you will be asked to introduce yourself, talk about your family and background, etc. In the second 5 minutes, you will be handed a card with a topic written on it, and then you will be given around two minutes to make up a speech regarding this topic in the next few minutes. In the remaining time of the test, you will be asked by the examiner deeper questions about the topic and your understanding of it, do not be afraid of having an opinion and diving deeply into the conversation with the examiner.
Where to start?
Make sure to book your test at least two months early. When you book your IELTS exam, you should give yourself around 6 to 8 weeks to start preparing, this way you will have enough time to cover everything and get familiar with the test format.
Once you book the exam, read more about the IELTS exam and what type of questions there will be in each section. Try to educate yourself with everything regarding the test so when you start practicing you know exactly what you are doing.
If you are not fluent in English, you might want to take classes to prepare you for the exam, this way you will be surrounded by a group of people where you can all practice together and talk more often to get used to speaking the language, as well as an instructor that can assist you with anything you might need help with.
Practice. One of the most important tips when it comes to any exam, not just IELTS, is to practice. Buy practice books and download practice sheets and test yourself, sit in your room quietly and pretend you are in the exam room, and most importantly, time yourself to make sure that you are not spending too much time looking over the questions, this is one of the most common mistakes to make during an exam.
Learn more vocabulary. It is important that you have a wide vocabulary, so try to learn at least 5 new words everyday.
Further tips
Do not procrastinate and cram a week before your exam. Even if you are a fluent English speaker, you still need to practice the exam format and familiarize yourself with the types of questions and their timings.
Take study breaks. Do not pressure and overwork yourself, study breaks are important for your mental health, just give yourself enough time and you will be able to cover everything.
Try to speak in English more often to get used to speaking the language and fix any pronunciation mistakes you might be making.
Point out your weak points when you are practicing and focus more on them. For example, if you have trouble interpreting data from charts and graphs, try to work more on this area rather than another section that you always do well in.
Practice tests
Here are some practice tests to start on, you can find more on the official IELTS and British Council websites
Videos
Here are some videos to help you prepare for your exam.
How to Prepare for Your IELTS
How to Prepare for Your IELTS
Whether you are taking your IELTS for educational reasons or governmental reasons, here is a step-by-step guide to acing your IELTS, click here for more.
How to Prepare for Your IELTS IELTS, short for International English Language Testing System, is an internationally recognized test to assess your proficiency of the English language. This is for non native English speakers to prove that you are capable of speaking and understand the language thoroughly, and is usually required when applying to universities or work abroad, or a visa. There are two types of IELTS, IELTS academic and IELTS general training. During the exam, you will be assessed on listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The listening and speaking tests are the same in both types, the difference is in the topics in the reading and writing sections, whereas in the academic test the topics are more educational and in the general training, the topics revolve more around general interests. If you are applying for the IELTS to go to a university or for a work opportunity abroad you should go for the academic IELTS, however if your motive is to migrate to an english speaking country then the general training test is best for you. Sections:- Writing (Academic) In this section you will have two tasks; first, you will be given a graph/chart/diagram with certain data that you will need to define and explain in your own words. In the second task, you will need to write an essay about your conclusion from the previous graph, and give supporting data and evidence to the information presented. Make sure that your essays are written formally. Duration: 60 minutes Writing (General Training) The writing section in the general training test is also divided into two parts; in the first task, you will have to write a letter, the information on who the letter is addressed to or the contents of the letter are variable and the level of formality in the letter also varies depending on the topic you are writing in regards of. In the second task, you will be asked to write an essay regarding the same topic you were writing about in your letter, your essay should be argumentative and you can include personal stances, the writing style does not have to be formal. Duration: 60 minutes Reading In this section, you will have 3 long paragraphs presented and around 40 questions overall, this is the same in both, the IELTS academic and IELTS general training, the only difference is the passages presented, whereas the academic exam will present factual and educational pieces, and the general training will present easier, everyday topics taken from advertisements, brochures, etc. Duration: 30 minutes Listening Listening is the same in both exam types as well, in this section, you will listen to a total of four recordings, the first two recordings will be conversations about regular social issues, and the last two will be mainly educational and academic topics. Each recording will only be played once, so make sure you focus and listen carefully to the recordings. This section will have 40 questions. Duration: 30 minutes Speaking Lastly, in the speaking part of the assessment, you will be interviewed by the examiner, this part is usually divided into three sections. This should take no more than 15 minutes, in the first five minutes you will be asked to introduce yourself, talk about your family and background, etc. In the second 5 minutes, you will be handed a card with a topic written on it, and then you will be given around two minutes to make up a speech regarding this topic in the next few minutes. In the remaining time of the test, you will be asked by the examiner deeper questions about the topic and your understanding of it, do not be afraid of having an opinion and diving deeply into the conversation with the examiner. Where to start?Make sure to book your test at least two months early. When you book your IELTS exam, you should give yourself around 6 to 8 weeks to start preparing, this way you will have enough time to cover everything and get familiar with the test format. Once you book the exam, read more about the IELTS exam and what type of questions there will be in each section. Try to educate yourself with everything regarding the test so when you start practicing you know exactly what you are doing. If you are not fluent in English, you might want to take classes to prepare you for the exam, this way you will be surrounded by a group of people where you can all practice together and talk more often to get used to speaking the language, as well as an instructor that can assist you with anything you might need help with. Practice. One of the most important tips when it comes to any exam, not just IELTS, is to practice. Buy practice books and download practice sheets and test yourself, sit in your room quietly and pretend you are in the exam room, and most importantly, time yourself to make sure that you are not spending too much time looking over the questions, this is one of the most common mistakes to make during an exam. Learn more vocabulary. It is important that you have a wide vocabulary, so try to learn at least 5 new words everyday. Further tipsDo not procrastinate and cram a week before your exam. Even if you are a fluent English speaker, you still need to practice the exam format and familiarize yourself with the types of questions and their timings. Take study breaks. Do not pressure and overwork yourself, study breaks are important for your mental health, just give yourself enough time and you will be able to cover everything. Try to speak in English more often to get used to speaking the language and fix any pronunciation mistakes you might be making. Point out your weak points when you are practicing and focus more on them. For example, if you have trouble interpreting data from charts and graphs, try to work more on this area rather than another section that you always do well in. Practice testsHere are some practice tests to start on, you can find more on the official IELTS and British Council websites https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-practice-testshttps://www.ielts.org/usa/ielts-for-test-takers/ielts-practice-testhttps://www.ielts-exam.net/practice_tests/https://www.idpielts.me/free-ielts-practice-test/VideosHere are some videos to help you prepare for your exam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivssa_HJjtAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLz8mpHmtPkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l25V2tEepQUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRFEKvsw-vs
