The International English Language Testing System commonly known as ‘IELTS’ is a globally recognized English proficiency test that is needed to pursue education or immigrate to English-speaking countries.
Being one of the most recognized English proficiency tests it opens the door to multiple opportunities for Pakistanis who are aspiring to study, work, or move abroad.
It is commonly assumed that preparing for IELTS test requires months of sitting and reading and exhausting yourself, but on the contrary, it involves following and applying certain tips and IELTS techniques, that will assist you on this journey, and save your precious time by studying and practicing smartly.
In this guide, we will provide you with IELTS training tips and techniques that will help Pakistanis navigate the IELTS test with success and confidence.
IELTS Test and its Components
IELTS refers to the International English Learning Testing Service. It is a test requiring scores for around 12,000 international universities globally. It assists students in working, studying, or immigrating abroad to any English-speaking Country.
If you are planning to enroll in a foreign university or college that is based in an English-speaking state, then IELTS is the perfect option. These international educational institutions require the scores to assess the language proficiency of students.
It is a mechanism that grades your English language skills based on four key domains: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. The IELTS test band score is between 0 and 9, a score of 7 is considered an average score and is mostly accepted by universities worldwide, while a score lower than 7 is considered a low score, and is not widely accepted.
Effective IELTS Training Techniques
It is commonly assumed that preparing for IELTS requires months of sitting and reading and exhausting yourself, but on the contrary, it involves following and applying certain tips and IELTS techniques that will assist you on this journey, and save you precious time by studying and practicing smartly.
We have compiled a list of effective tips and IELTS training strategies that will help you fetch good marks in each section of the IELTS test, and boost your overall test band.
Make an Effective Study Plan: Success in IELTS comes from following a robust study plan. The first step in developing a study plan is understanding the IELTS test format. It is important to know all the IELTS test sections such as reading, speaking, writing, and listening. Familiarize yourself with the types of questions, time, and other information. Moreover, set and determine your target score and the minimum score you need to achieve to stay focused throughout preparation.
Focus on the Core Skills:
- Practice Reading Daily: The IELTS reading test demands you to read extracts from different sources, i.e. books, magazines, newspapers, and handbooks. The reading test constitutes 3 parts. IELTS is the kind of test that requires quick decision-making and a quick understanding of what the test demands. To fetch good marks on the reading test, practice reading daily to help you comprehend and analyze topics quickly.
- Speak clearly: Try not to stutter while answering questions, as it leaves a bad impact on your overall IELTS test score. Try to clear your head, relax, and practice speaking in front of the mirror before the actual speaking test.
- Improve your listening skills: The listening test is based on 40 questions, and students are required to complete it within 30 minutes. The listening test is a major stage of the test that is based on 2 steps. It showcases your listening ability and how attentive you are. Hence, practicing listening beforehand is very crucial, try listening to different useful podcasts that might help you during the actual test.
- Enhancing your writing skills: The IELTS writing test consists of two stages, to be completed in 90 minutes. Therefore, Practice writing rigorously before the actual test. This would help you in answering the questions within the required timeframe without any problem.
Study the Format of the test: To get good scores on the test, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the basics of the test. It includes the format of the different sections of the IELTS test such as listening, speaking or reading. Watch videos and take recommendations from people who have already passed this exam, to guide you better.
Enhance your vocabulary: IELTS is an international testing service, where thousands of people apply daily, to boost your marks enhancing your vocabulary is the key. Convince the IELTS test conductor that your English speaking and writing skills are not elementary. Avoid repeating the same words, instead try to use different synonyms and antonyms of words.
Read the Instructions carefully: Most candidates miss out on the important instructions of the test and end up doing the opposite of what was demanded. Therefore, before proceeding with the test, read the instructions for the test thoroughly, and then attempt the test according to those instructions. Most candidates fail to fully comprehend what the test demands and end up scoring low on the test.
Practice with Mock Tests: Before appearing for the official exam, try to solve at least one mock exam that covers all the sections. This will help you to understand the test dynamics and get familiar with the test day environment. These tests will help you prepare to tackle any topic that comes your way on the original test.
Leaving ample time to review your answers: At the end, try to manage your time and leave some time to review your answers to make sure you have not made any major errors. Cross-checking is a significant part of submitting the test.
Working on your Time management skills: managing time during the test is a crucial determining factor of whether you will score good or bad. For this reason it is important to practice before appearing in the test. Work on your time and try to solve the sections within the provided time. This can only happen if you practice multiple times before the test.
Stay Focused and Determined: In order to get accepted in your dream schools you need to be focused and set a goal of getting maximum scores in the test. As every school has different requirements and test scores you should be prepared enough to get scores that are accepted by many schools.
Conclusion
In short, IELTS is an important test that is accepted by thousands of schools in English-speaking countries worldwide. To attain good scores in this IELTS test it is crucial to practice and follow some effective tips.
Along with rigorous practice, this test also requires dedication and the right approach to achieve a high score.
Pakistani candidates should allocate their time effectively to practice for each section of the test and get their desired grades for IELTS.