Those who want to study, do an internship, or get a job in an English-speaking country have an important test to overcome: IELTS. A good IELTS score is one of the conditions to be able to apply to schools or workplaces in English-speaking countries.
In other words, if you have a dream of studying or working in countries like England or the US, you need to get a high score on the IELTS. When you consider the cost and stages of the test, naturally you would like to get a high score on your first attempt. This, of course, is possible only through hard work and you will need tips to be prepared.
So, what are these tips? What do you need to do to get a high score from the IELTS? Let’s look at them together.
How to Get a High IELTS Score
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a four-section test: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Questions in each section are designed to assess and evaluate that specific skill. For this reason, if you want to get a good score, you will need to set up a separate study plan for each section since every section will have different question types:
- In the reading section, you will read three articles and answer questions about them.
- In the listening section, you will have to answer questions about the audio file that you will get to listen to once.
- In the writing section, you will have to write a short piece about the assigned topic, and
- In the speaking section, you will talk and discuss about a given topic.
For those saying, “We’re studying, but we don’t know how to get a high score”, we have some tips for you below!
1. Know the Test You Are Taking
The most important part of test preparation is to learn everything there is to know about that particular test. You need to know the answers to questions such as: “What will happen during the test?”, “How long is the test?”, “What kind of questions will I have to answer?” Once you know the answers to these questions, you will need to set some targets for yourself.
There are two IELTS test modules. The academic module is for education and career purposes and the general training module is for those who are considering immigrating or doing internships. Both modules have the same sections. The difference is that the academic module has more technical terms and phrases, whereas the general training module is more for everyday English. This means that those who take the academic module test should focus more on academic articles and vocabulary and those who take the general training module should learn more daily phrases. So the first order of business is choosing the module: which module suits your purposes better?
2. Get Better at Managing Your Allocated Time
Just like any other test, the IELTS has an allocated duration and if you want to get a high score, you do not have the luxury to say, “I could not finish the test on time.” You will have to manage your time effectively to answer the questions within the time allocated to each section. And this starts during the preparation.
Try to solve a reading test in 30 minutes as that is the allocated time for the reading section on the test. Focus on speaking for 4-5 minutes on various topics to get ready for the IELTS speaking section. You need to get ready for at least a 5-minute-long speaking test. This will help you overcome the time issue for speaking during the actual test. And if you write a short piece in an hour, even good writing skills will not help you get a high score on the IELTS writing section. You need to answer all questions and finish every section, otherwise this will negatively affect your score. Keep this in mind!
3. Read Every English Resource You Can Find
Practicing reading from various sources will help you increase your reading speed and manage your reading time better and will positively affect your understanding. You should read news portals, websites with academic articles, test preparation publications, and even previously asked questions and topics. In short, whenever you get something test-related, analyze it. Find books suitable for your English level and do your spare time reading in English; this will help your skills in every section of the test.
4. Watch TV and Listen to Radio in English
Many people have a hard time getting good scores in the listening section. The main reason is that you get to listen to the listening piece only once. This means that if you miss a critical word, you could miss the answer to a question too. Practicing listening a lot will increase your chances tremendously.
The best sources for practicing your listening skills are shows, movies, songs, news, and radio channels in the English language. If you use these sources effectively, they will help you become a better listener. Watch movies and shows with English subtitles for the general training module and scientific channels for the academic module. If you need a simpler and more comfortable start, English-language news channels can also be helpful.
5. Develop New Methods for Learning New Vocabulary
Every new word or phrase that you learn will be advantageous to you. This could be when you are thinking about a word you encounter during your English reading practice or a word or phrase that you look up when you are practicing your English-writing skills. For this reason, vocabulary knowledge is a bigger factor in IELTS success than you might think. The path to a high IELTS score is through a vast and diverse vocabulary.
6. Focus on English Writing and Speaking Practice
We ought to say, “Find your weaknesses!” Because English writing and speaking sections are the sections that most people struggle with. You need to prioritize practicing these skills and develop them to get better scores. So, practice, practice, practice! Practice really makes perfect!
You can try keeping a diary in English to further develop your writing skills. You can keep a notebook with you and try to write short texts about various topics. One tip here is to learn standard writing phrases and sentences; these will help you form better sentences in your English writing test.
IELTS preparation is different for speaking. Practicing for this section could be problematic for some because you need a speaking partner. You could work on conversations with a friend or take lessons to build confidence while speaking English. And don’t forget to rehearse before the actual test!
7. Try to Get Support from an Expert
You might have already taken the test but failed to get the desired result. Or maybe, you need help from IELTS experts who can guide you through this difficult process. Consider getting professional assistance. Yes, your English might be at a certain level. However, the IELTS tests all your English skills at the same time, and unless you use these tips and get ready for the test, it is highly likely that you will face issues with key sections such as writing and speaking.
To increase your chances of getting a high IELTS score, you can get private lessons, start going to an English language school or use online apps.
IELTS Test Preparation is No Longer a Problem with Cambly!
IELTS preparation is not hard per se; it is rather a process that needs to be managed well. Cambly is ready to help you with addressing your weaknesses, going beyond your existing skills, and giving fast and correct answers to all your questions.
Thanks to its native English-speaking tutors, Cambly is a great resource for those who would like to receive professional help from experts but do not have the time to go to classes: Cambly is a platform that offers one-on-one private online video classes.
You choose your own Cambly tutor and pick your preferred day and time. You could choose to practice for the speaking section with your tutor, ask them to work together on your writing samples or help you study vocabulary or grammar. You could record your session and go over it again whenever you need to.
If you would like to explore Cambly and get ready for your IELTS test, click on practice English, and see for yourself.
