Boost Your IELTS Score: A Useful Guide to Effective IELTS Exam Preparation!

The International English Language Testing System
(IELTS) has become the world’s most popular English language test for study, work and immigration. If you are preparing to do the IELTS testtest, you will join the more than 2 million IELTS test takers  worldwide. In today’s article you will find all the relevant information for your IELTS preparation in London.

Learning methods and preparation strategies depend largely on the version of the IELTS test you have to take:

• IELTS General Training
  
• IELTS Academic
• IELTS Skills for life
  

Why is it important to prepare for the IELTS test?

IELTS is the most famous test of language proficiency in many countries. As we know, the command of the English language is a mandatory aspect for any study or work. IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment and IDP Education Australia.

IELTS is the only English language test accepted for immigration purposes in more than 140 countries. It is the most relevant exam in India, as it allows you to fly to the country of your dreams. Its main advantages are:

• Proof of knowledge of the most famous English language proficiency test.
• It is recognized worldwide.
• It is accepted by more than 10,000 educational institutions.
• IELTS scholarships are available.
• Possibility of working in international companies.
• You will get an objective evaluation of your knowledge.
• You will improve your English skills.
• You will be motivated and will want to prepare for more exams.

When to start preparing for the IELTS test

Whether you are looking for IELTS preparation books or IELTS preparation courses in English, you will need to find the right time to do it. Preparing to take this exam is very important as it is not an easy exam to take.

IELTS is designed to test the language ability of people who want to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels where English is used as the language of communication.The 4 main modules of the test are:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Evaluating and testing your knowledge is very important, it is an indispensable step both for people looking to prepare IELTS on their own and for those studying in academic institutions.

How and when to prepare for the IELTS test

Preparation for any exam begins with an understanding of the exam pattern. There is a lot of IELTS preparation material available, students can refer to the IELTS Preparation Guide which contains IELTS sample tests and strategies to help you prepare for the test.

These resources should be the basis for your preparation:

• Official website to understand the pattern and solve the questions.
• The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS. This book should form the basis of your preparation and everything else should build on it.
• Cambridge IELTS Books 1 to 16These books contain actual exam questions. Be sure to practice all the questions.

With all the material and resources in your hand, here are some guidelines and tips to help you prepare for the exam. As mentioned earlier, the exam is divided into four sections, each of which requires a unique approach to achieve a decent score.

IELTS Listening

Listening is supposed to be the easiest of the four sections. The candidate will listen to 4 different recordings and answer 40 questions in 30 minutes. The tricky part is that you will have to listen and write the answers at the same time.

Concentration is key, listen to every detail of the conversation as it unfolds. Most of the time, losing concentration for a few seconds will cause you to fail to answer one or two questions, hence your score will drop. Please note that the recordings will be played only once. Keep your concentration intact and don’t get carried away by your thoughts.

If you can, try to master the different accents of English. When you’re not taking mock exams, listen to podcasts and follow British news channels such as the BBC. In addition, you can watch programs in English. But don’t watch these programs for entertainment, but to learn how to master accents. This will help you improvise your listening skills and better understand the accent of native English speakers.

IELTS Reading

The reading part contains 3 sections with 40 questions, and must be answered in 60 minutes. If listening comprehension is a matter of practice, reading is a matter of time management.

It is important that you time your mock exams while practicing the reading sections. It is highly recommended to have a look at the questions before reading the text. Note down the key words while reading as this will help you identify the important parts of the questionnaire.

IELTS Writing

The script includes 2 sections, the task 1 and the task 2. In IELTS General, the task 1 comprises an informal/semi formal/formal letter. In the task 2, you will have to write a long essay on a given topic.

Writing tests your language skills in a real sense. Mentally plan your composition and think about the structure of the essay before putting it on paper.

IELTS Speaking

The IELTS speaking test takes place a few days before or after the other three sections. This test requires you to have a lot of self-confidence. The complete test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes and consists of three sections: the introduction, the long individual test and the two-way conversation between the examiner and the examinee.

Don’t focus on regurgitating memorized words. You must speak what fits the context. Remember that IELTS is not a test of vocabulary, but of your general English. The examiner should not feel that you have memorized what you are saying.

As you have seen, IELTS preparation is not an easy task. It is true that many people decide to prepare for IELTS on their own or take an intensive IELTS course. If so, you can turn to academic institutions such as Nacel which specializes in the subject.