The Most Important Steps For IELTS Success.
Whether IELTS is for school, university, work or emigration, once you have decided to take the IELTS test, the most effective thing that you can do is produce a study plan that is both effective and achievable.
How to approach IELTS
Much like a course book that’s designed logically in terms of structure and use of time, doing IELTS preparation the correct way will save you time and money and help you get that test score you need.
Therefore, I am going to give you the information you need to think about when preparing and the best preparation tips, as well as looking closely at the IELTS test and considering an action plan, using freely available materials you can find online.
But first of all, I have a question for you.
Why do you think IELTS is so hard?
Why don’t so many students get the score they want, and get it first time?
Let’s look at your General level of English first.
What about Native Speakers?
Let’s now look at the skills you need.
Student mistakes
Finally, let’s consider understanding the task and the requirements of the task.
The greatest way you can improve your test score is understanding what the examiners are trained to do as they are experts in their field.
Once you have done that, you should learn to give the examiner what they want on the test day and learn how.
Native Students
For examples of an expert user, take a look at
How the Reading and Listening Bands are scored and IELTS Band Equivalents?
Conclusion
In conclusion, in order to get the highest BAND score, ability, preparation and strategy are the keys to success.
I am going to talk your through the most effective things you can do for that BAND score you need.
The Realists Approach to Effective Preparation
1. Decide whether you are taking Academic or General IELTS Training
If you are looking to train or study at below degree level, work or undertake work-related training in an English-speaking country or are emigrating to an English-speaking country, such as Australia or New Zealand, and need a visa to work, you are likely to need the General IELTS Training unless you are told otherwise. You should refer to the individual embassy of the country of emigration.
For the list of embassies in the UK
If you are looking to study at university at undergraduate or postgraduate level or join a professional organisation in an English-speaking country you need Academic IELTS Training.
For Masters, Bachelor degree and Pre-sessional university courses entrance, Academic IELTS Training is the requirement.
For more information on university entrance
UCAS United Kingdom – International Students
IELTS also applies to work visas for professional organisations such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
For example,
Nurses and midwives taking the IELTS test must achieve:
- at least 7.0 in the listening and reading sections
- at least 7.0 in the writing and speaking sections, and
- at least 7.0 (out of a possible 9) overall.
2. Understand the IELTS Test Format and what to expect
Be absolutely clear about what to expect in the exam. If you know what to expect,you can be more effective in your planning. I have made a poster that simply explains the IELTS Test format. Click below. It’s free to keep.
3. Be Realistic and Set Realistic Goals
“I set myself clear, realistic goals…and I work hard to achieve them”
- What do you hope to achieve in life?
- Realistic daily, monthly and yearly goals are important. Write them down and believe in them. You can always change your goals in the future but you can’t if you haven’t made any.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. People are different. Focus on your own path and individual aims.
- “If you have a goal write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal, you have a wish” (Steve Maraboli) and if you have no goal, then you cannot make a plan.
I’ve prepared some notes about goal setting and using your time wisely here click below.
If you would like the full text.
4. Understand the Marking criteria in all parts
It can be quite confusing to understand how IELTS is scored, especially if you look at the public marking criteria, but my explanation will help you.
The Official Public IELTS Marking Criteria
5. Understand that there are different types of questions
As IELTS is a language test, it is therefore designed to mimic the language tasks you might reasonably expect to meet in your working or university life.
For example, in IELTS Speaking there are 3 parts and the questions asked by the examiner basically have three functions but become progressively more challenging.
Similarly, there are more than 10 question types in Writing, Reading and Listening.
Having an understanding of each type of questions will help you approach the task more effectively and with a strategy.
Understanding the Speaking Test
6. Understand your weaknesses, then plan and perfect your IELTS Skills
Without understanding your weaknesses, there is no opportunity for improvement and there is no strategy that can completely overcome a weakness.
More often than not, students consistently get the score they don’t want, because they don’t recognise their weakness (and there is no feedback after the exam).
Ask yourself some basic questions, what is the most effective way to write an introduction and can you do it, are you able to write at length, can you read and summarise significant features, do you know when to skim or scan read.
If you have a current teacher, quiz them. If they are professional, they should respond positively to your questions, but you then need to react to their response.
If you don’t have a teacher, you can use my Correction Service to give you the valuable feedback you need.
7. Improve your vocabulary
As you saw from the posters above, the vocabulary you use accounts for 25 % of your individual band in both Speaking and Writing.
Naturally, the Listening and Reading sections test your vocabulary too.
To memorise a piece of vocabulary, research has shown that the vocabulary needs to be used at least three times for any chance of it being retained.
However, there is a big difference between knowing a word (passive knowledge) and being able to use it effectively (active knowledge).
Simply memorising words is not an effective strategy for IELTS.
I have a free guide for effective vocabulary improvement here. Vocabulary Improvement
8. Create a good habit and practice English everyday
Practice makes perfect is a well-used expression in English but it is often not the most effective method for learning a language.
Imagine revising for an exam and how painful that can be or reading a vocabulary list when you are focused on something completely different.
Ok, that might work for some, but as a language specialist, I understand that to make learning effective it needs to be pleasurable.
In my opinion, ‘little and often‘ is a much more effective method and certainly leads to more positive results. This also applies to test skills and test knowledge.
There are many ways that you can practice English at home, without a teacher and for free.
I have made a couple of booklets that feature my personal favourite resources and there is further advice inside. You can look at them in my article here.
IELTS Resources to use outside of class
If you want to focus on core exam topics in IELTS, then it is relatively easy to use a wide range of free resources to get a good background knowledge of core topics that commonly feature in IELTS, such as technology, education and social issues.
IELTS Popular topics in the IELTS Test.
Methods and links
9. Practice makes Perfect. Use the freely available Practice Tests (within reason)
There are two very good reasons for using the free IELTS practice tests that are available online. If you feel comfortable in completing the task, then you should get some feedback so you can estimate your IELTS score. And the more practice you do, the more you will have a better understanding of the test, and the better you will be able to cope under real exam conditions.
However, like many things online, there are plenty of unofficial test papers that are written poorly, contain errors and don’t reflect the nature or purpose of official IELTS tests.
Therefore, I have made an up-to-date list of the best sources of past papers available online.
| Click here for Vol. 1 Official IELTS Practice Materials CD |
| Click here for Vol. 2 Official IELTS Practice Materials DVD |
But remember the ‘little and often’ mantra in point 8 above, and remember that a strategy focussed in one area only is unlikely to be effective.
Far better is a global strategy of General Language, IELTS Skills and Task Understanding in general.
10. Use feedback to your advantage
The main reason that you should consider feedback is that reports consistently state that having an understanding of feedback and being able to reflect on comments of your performance is an essential component of understanding how to improve your performance in assessments.
This indicates that spending time understanding feedback will lead to a higher standard of work and understanding overall.
Finally, you can go over to my Facebook page and join thousands of other students who are working towards the test.
Join my IELTS WRITING TASK 1 group here, for free practice and on this page I have archived all my posts and pages in one useful list.
All the best,
Enjoy!
Jonathan
I’m Jonathan
I’ve taught IELTS and University English in more than a dozen universities and schools around the world.
I’m a parent, traveller and passionate about language teaching and helping students achieve their dreams.
Whilst living in Austria or working in Asia, I run IELTS courses to help students get to where they want to be.
If you are serious about IELTS, connect with me to see how I can help you.
I’m Jonathan
I’ve taught IELTS and University English in more than a dozen universities and schools around the world.
I’m a parent, traveller and passionate about language teaching and helping students achieve their dreams.
Whilst living in Austria or working in Asia, I run IELTS courses to help students get to where they want to be.
If you are serious about IELTS, connect with me to see how I can help you.
