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The objective of IELTS preparation is to achieve fluency in English for the IELTS test which makes you ready to take admissions in international universities where programmes are taught in English. Universities will expect that you should be equally good in writing, speaking, listening, reading skills of the English language. So you need to work hard and learn the tips and tricks to gain a high band in IELTS Exam. Here we have mentioned some important IELTS preparation tips to get 9 bands.
Skills required for IELTS
You need to develop or learn a few skills to crack the IELTS exam well. Here we have mentioned those skills you require:
- Review techniques and strategies for each and every type of question
- Developing skimming and scanning skills for reading
- Skills to identify keywords and errors
- Learn to focus on identifying answers while listening
- Skills to manage time
- Skills to write fast and correct
- Skills to pronounce words properly
- Skills to use appropriate vocabulary according to sentences
You are in need of this: Time management of 2 hours and 45 minutes in the IELTS
Important IELTS preparation tips to get 9 bands:
- Start your preparation as soon as you decide to give IELTS, be consistent, and also monitor your progress.
- Become an expert in standard English grammar in a systematic way.
- Don’t miss a chance to communicate in English, orally and in writing.
- Practise using your English skills in all the 4 ways, listening, speaking, reading and writing.
- Enhance your vocabulary. This can’t be done overnight, so aim to learn at least 10 new words from different subject areas every day.
- Read longer texts specialised in different subject areas such as culture, management, sciences, finance, history, etc.
- You should keep talking with other English speakers about yourself like your everyday life, hobbies, interests, family, dreams, job and professional aspirations.
- Listen to English news and watch documentaries on different topics in English.
- Take a diagnostic test if you are not sure whether you are ready to start preparing for the IELTS exam. Get feedback from a professional instructor on your English level and next steps.
- Before the few weeks of IELTS exam start practicing with full-length tests under realistic conditions.
IELTS tips for each section achieve a high score.
Listening section of IELTS
- Listen to news, radio programmes, watch films and online videos in English.
- Follow the instructions given properly before you start your exam.
- Read the questions before you start listening to the recordings.
- Underline the keywords in the question. However, listen to the synonyms and paraphrases too.
- Pay special attention to negatives such as not, no one, never, none, barely, scarcely, hardly, etc.
- Ensure that you have transferred all answers in the answer sheet at the end. Do not leave empty spaces even if you don’t know the answer try to guess it out.
- Ensure you have used correct spelling of the word(s) in your answer and also correct grammatical form.
Reading section of IELTS
- Read English magazines, newspapers, journals, and books. While reading, underline or highlight words which are less common.
- While preparing try to guess the meaning of an unknown word from the context. If you still do not understand the meaning of the word then check it in a dictionary.
- Keep the knowledge of current affairs as the topics of the reading passages often deal with them.
- Practise reading within a time limit. You should be able to read fast so that you can complete this section on time.
- Practise reading techniques such as scanning, skimming, and intensive reading.
- Read the instructions carefully during the test as they may slightly differ from the ones you got familiar with while practising the test.
- Divide your time wisely. if you spend more than a minute answering a question and still do not have an answer, leave it and move on to the next question and come back to it later on.
Writing section of IELTS
- For the writing section look for the practice of graph/diagram/chart descriptions online and practise.
- Find sample IELTS essays online and analyse them in terms of task response, essay structure, vocabulary, coherence and sentence variety.
- Analyse each task carefully and underline the keywords.
- Do not use the words given in the question. Write the answer in your own words.
- Ensure that you have understood the ‘essay question’. Are you asked to give an opinion, to compare or contrast, to discuss its causes and/or effects or to give solutions to problems? Then answer accordingly.
- Try to limit your essay to 350 words. You should focus more on quality and not on quantity.
- Take care of time management. Approximately take about 3 minutes for revising Writing Task 1 and at least 5 minutes for revising your task 2.
Speaking section of IELTS
- Practise speaking as much as possible.
- Read books, watch movies and TV, listen to the radio in English.
- Speak in English with other students before entering the exam room. It will help you to switch to English more easily.
- Keep calm. If you are relaxed, you will be able to give better performance.
- Say as much as you can when speaking; give extended responses.
- Correct yourself immediately if you make a mistake while speaking.
- Ask the examiner to clarify or repeat the question if there is anything you do not understand.
- Pay attention to your body language; do not overuse gestures.
- Keep to the topic.
- As the exam is a formal situation, so don’t use informal language.
Preparation for any exam is a continuous process that requires time and effort. Every practice test you do, every listening, reading and writing activity you complete and every speaking practice you undertake improves your language skills and adds to your confidence during the exam. If you give your best then surely you will achieve a high IELTS score.
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