IELTS preparation tips from winners

I always believe in people’s kindness and compassion, and this has almost never let me down. Remember Paramita, who got Band 8.5 in her IELTS exam and won in our results competition last month? She wrote to me this letter where she shares her best tips for scoring high in IELTS, especially in the Speaking section. Since I have her permission to publish it, here it is:

“Hi Simone,

Thank you for the opportunity to give some suggestion to future IELTS aspirants. I would be interested to say a few things on how to get a better score for the speaking test. I got band 9 in Speaking. I agree that living in an English-speaking country is useful, but it is definitely not THE deciding factor for higher band scores.

It would be a great idea to improve speaking by attentively listening to how native speakers articulate different sounds, and string those sounds into perfect-sounding words. Stress on syllables within words and intonation in sentences being language-specific characteristics, it is vital that one understands how these function for the English language.

Secondly, television channels (national channels, wherever possible) are best in terms of feeding us with appropriate and acceptable English, smart vocabulary, phrasal verbs of everyday use and ‘not-too-indecent’ slang. These channels cover plenty of personal interviews, counseling sessions, discussions on topics of interest or abstract ideas or on issues of national/international importance which are typically not very different from what we get for IELTS speaking test, both in terms of question-patterns and subject-matter.

It might be of interest to you to reflect upon what involves in delivering a response in a natural way, just as you would have answered in your mother-tongue, with ease and least digression from the topic. The key is consistency in our efforts, repeating utterances that sound intelligent and sounds that we love to produce flawlessly.

One last word – be confident, we hardly ever see interviewees on the tely nervous or losing their calm! So, go for it, good luck!

Paramita Goswami
New Zealand”

Part 1 of these IELTS Speaking tips was published yesterday, here is the rest. Enjoy!

4. Energize you answers with thrilling content and passionate delivery. The tutor will have sat through numerous responses on the day, many of which may be very similar. Answers that are relevant yet stand out offer them welcome respite, and the scope for higher marks.

For example, the question “why did you like that shop” may be answered in both the following ways :

“The shop holds a wide array of books, which are reasonably priced. The owner is an old friend, and his shop has a certain old-world charm about its musty corridors and shelves. Sometimes, I can even find books that are over a hundred years old”.

I answered “The reason I am in love with the shop is because it is enchanted. There is a vast treasure trove of books, and the musty corridors of the shop drip with the honey of a good age, long gone and alive only in our precious memory. The owner and I are close allies and conspirators, jealously guarding our Alladin’s cave of knowledge from the unsympathetic glare of the modern sophisticated book-buyer. When I visit this shop, I do not go to buy old books at sensible prices, but to experience the transport to a world of magic”.

Further, in the final question (“what are the risks of online shopping”), I included the obvious and main points (online fraud, loss of personal touch leading to a solitary society etc), and I further commented on the three most important aspects affecting our society :

– Cross-border online purchases offer criminals and terrorists a golden key to launder ill-gotten gains, proliferate contraband items like narcotics, and acquire sophisticated arms,

– The effortless ease of unbridled online shopping may lead to a rampant consumerism to now spin out of control,

– Such profligacy in dealing with the earth’s resources will only add to environmental misery.

OVERALL: It is important to be aware of the time. I answered question 1 and 3 just within the prescribed time limit, but stepped in question 2, and the examiner cut me short. I was concerned that this would affect my marks, but the other aspects of my answers appear to have impressed her as she awarded me grade 9.

In a nutshell, the “science” of communication is the conveyance of information in a simple, user-friendly and memorable manner. The “art” of communication, however, is making the listener feel better about himself and the world.

Best of luck in your exams, and I hope you find the tips useful.