Exams, exams, exams.
No need to fret! It takes practice and patience. You can do it!!
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is used and required by many universities and employers in English speaking countries like Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but also in many European countries as well. It is usually a prerequisite of potential students and employees from non-English speaking countries when applying for courses and jobs.
The best site I've found to assist candidates with preparing themselves for the IELTS is http://www.ielts-exam.net/
It has examples from every part, with model answers, although I must admit that some model answers aren't the greatest!
Use with caution (which goes for any on-line source of information) and mostly for practice.
My Tips for Exams Success:
1. Listening.
It goes without saying, that it is crucial to read through the questions and gaps carefully before the listening begins in order to familiarize yourself with the content. The exam gives you time for this. Use it wisely!
Then, listen carefully and focus on what is being said to obtain the correct answers. It is possible that there are more ways than one to complete a gap space, so if you are focused on the task it is quite easy.
2. Reading.
My No.1 piece of advice is the you should skim through the text quickly -reading the first sentences of each paragraph- and reading through all the questions before reading the text normally. Sometimes you'll see that it isn't necessary to actually read every single word in the text to be able to answer the questions correctly.
But remember: There are 3 texts and you've got 1 hour, so don't waste time.
NB. Pay attention to the task -TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN or YES/NO/NOT GIVEN. This is tricky! Try to eliminate the reasons why it isn't true or false or not given before you move on to the next question/statement.
3. Writing.
Most students dread the writing most, and with good reason. You need to write 2 separate writings in 1 hour.
BUT with practice you'll see that it is not an impossible task. Remember to answer the question of the task presented and to use appropriate language.
In the beginning, don't time yourself. Allow yourself to work normally. After having done several writings and seeing that you answer the question and complete the task well, THEN start timing yourself and work to fit your completed work in the 1-hour time-frame.
4. Speaking.
Don't panic! The Speaking part of this test is merely that. Speaking. All the practice needed here, in my opinion, is the format in which the questions are asked and the required extent of discussion (how long and how much information).
Familiarize yourself with a wide range of subjects that are contemporary, but also personal. The site mentioned above has many examples of these.
I hope these tips help!
If there's anything that you think I've left out or need to analyze further, please comment below and let me know.
Good Luck and Happy Exam Practicing! :) :)
No need to fret! It takes practice and patience. You can do it!!
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is used and required by many universities and employers in English speaking countries like Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but also in many European countries as well. It is usually a prerequisite of potential students and employees from non-English speaking countries when applying for courses and jobs.
The best site I've found to assist candidates with preparing themselves for the IELTS is http://www.ielts-exam.net/
It has examples from every part, with model answers, although I must admit that some model answers aren't the greatest!
Use with caution (which goes for any on-line source of information) and mostly for practice.
My Tips for Exams Success:
1. Listening.
It goes without saying, that it is crucial to read through the questions and gaps carefully before the listening begins in order to familiarize yourself with the content. The exam gives you time for this. Use it wisely!
Then, listen carefully and focus on what is being said to obtain the correct answers. It is possible that there are more ways than one to complete a gap space, so if you are focused on the task it is quite easy.
2. Reading.
My No.1 piece of advice is the you should skim through the text quickly -reading the first sentences of each paragraph- and reading through all the questions before reading the text normally. Sometimes you'll see that it isn't necessary to actually read every single word in the text to be able to answer the questions correctly.
But remember: There are 3 texts and you've got 1 hour, so don't waste time.
NB. Pay attention to the task -TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN or YES/NO/NOT GIVEN. This is tricky! Try to eliminate the reasons why it isn't true or false or not given before you move on to the next question/statement.
3. Writing.
Most students dread the writing most, and with good reason. You need to write 2 separate writings in 1 hour.
BUT with practice you'll see that it is not an impossible task. Remember to answer the question of the task presented and to use appropriate language.
In the beginning, don't time yourself. Allow yourself to work normally. After having done several writings and seeing that you answer the question and complete the task well, THEN start timing yourself and work to fit your completed work in the 1-hour time-frame.
4. Speaking.
Don't panic! The Speaking part of this test is merely that. Speaking. All the practice needed here, in my opinion, is the format in which the questions are asked and the required extent of discussion (how long and how much information).
Familiarize yourself with a wide range of subjects that are contemporary, but also personal. The site mentioned above has many examples of these.
I hope these tips help!
If there's anything that you think I've left out or need to analyze further, please comment below and let me know.
Good Luck and Happy Exam Practicing! :) :)
