Top 5 Tricks to Ace Your IELTS Exam

Refined higher education from universities such a Harvard, Princeton, NYU or Stanford is a dream for many. Some also go ahead to attain the various academic and extra-curricular skills required to be admitted into a top college in the United States. Every college in the United States requires international students to take the IELTS, the International English Language Testing System. It is essentially a means to test a candidate’s speaking, reading, writing and listening skills.

1. Practice under pressure

IELTS is 2 hours and 45 minutes’ exam that is inclusive of reading (60 minutes), listening (30 minutes), writing (60 minutes) and speaking (11-14 minutes). To prepare well, we advise you to practice each day like you’re taking the actual exam. Devote time to each section as stated in the paper; this shall help you manage time better. In fact, you should try to finish Reading and Writing 5-10 minutes ahead of the total time so that you may have enough time for revision.

1. Write smartly

Remember that the Writing section is not only to assess your writing skills and grammar but as well your critical thinking and analyzing skills. Therefore, focus more on the content of your writing rather than its length. No doubt that you should avoid writing less than the word limit, but also keep in mind not to exceed the same. Be precise, come to the point and elaborate when necessary. In Task 1, describe the information and not the diagram. To practice, you can make use of the charts or graphs given in the newspaper. In Task 2, a smart way to proceed is to make a brief paragraph before you write; this shall ensure that all points are duly covered.

1. Develop fluency and adopt correct pronunciation

The Speaking part comprises of three parts that include an interview, a short talk, and a free interview. Topics usually revolve around current affairs and general knowledge, so it’s highly advisable for you to be updated, read newspapers and if that’s a little boring for you, then just watch the news daily. You should practice daily by talking aloud in English, listen to English songs or watch Hollywood movies to understand the use of phrases and to adopt due modulation in your speech. You can even record your own speech to listen later, or better time yourself as you speak on different topics.

1. Improve listening

Listening is the most difficult section for a majority of students. Even in their IELTS general training , students tend to focus more on this aspect, and it’s good that they do! To improve your score in this section you should use the preparation time to think about the task’s content, read the questions carefully and highlight any points or statements that appear tricky or important. Remember not to pause the CD while practicing!

1. Check the IELTS website regularly

Often in the tension of an exam students fail to stay updated with any changes in the exam schedule or course. The official IELTS website contains all the material and exam papers that one may require. You can even download these sample test questions which are extremely useful. You never know which question may be repeated so its better that you practice as many as you can!

This exam is accepted by over 3,000 institutions of the United States; therefore, students shouldn’t take it lightly. IELTS is not a very difficult exam; all one requires is the adequate practice of each section and proper revision before the exam itself. Just remember these five tricks while you prepare for this English language proficiency test or you can even attend classes that offer IELTS general training.