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IELTS preparation tips from winners

IELTS high achievers share their secrets

Michael got Band 8 in IELTS – here is how YOU can replicate his success

The tips we have for you today come from a very reliable source. Michael Abosi, a winner of our June IELTS Results competition who scored Band 8 in IELTS, is sharing what he learnt in his exam preparation:Band 9 in IELTS

“IELTS exam is a test of your English language proficiency. In other words you are going to be tested, as you already know, on your grasp of the English language.

Whichever way you approach this exam, your frequent usage and skill will show in one way or another. The best way, in my opinion, to tackle this exam is to expose yourself to a broad base of material that will challenge your knowledge base on the subject matter.

Writing skill

My favorite writing tips can be found here, most notably the 4 C’s of writing. You should read and understand all the tips presented in this website as they are informative. Remember ‘skill’ is the key, and not being verbose. Less is more!

Listening skill

Have a pen in hand to scribble down all important points discussed (these may include dates, addresses, team members, pointers, topics, requirements nuances etc) as you listen to the recording. That will be your only reference while answering the questions later.

Reading skill

The key to acing the reading section is to read books. The more abstract the books are, the better. This will better prepare you for the various content IELTS exam reading section is based on.

I have found that reading the first two lines in a paragraph and the last sentence gives you a good overview of the paragraph information. Skim through all the paragraph this way at first glance. Then head straight and read all the questions and return to read the comprehension thoroughly. With the questions ringing at the back of your mind, as you approach possible answers while reading the text again, you will be better poised to answer quickly and correctly. Feel free to skip hard questions an return to them later on.

Speaking skill

The key is to communicate clearly. I found that speaking is a skill both native and non-native English speakers have to learn. You need to be clear, concise and expressive to make a subjective impact on your examiner.

In summary, all the necessary tips can be found on this website. Wish you all the best in your exams.”

Waleed didn’t crack under pressure and scored Band 7.5 in IELTS, here is how

Some people suffer from exam anxiety more, others less, but everyone will agree that it’s not easy to keep your cool during a test. Waleed was no different – when he started his Listening test, he felt the pressure and consequently lost concentration for a moment, but he managed to recover. He scored IELTS Band 7.5 overall, with an 8.5 in Reading, and won in our IELTS results competition. In his winner’s interview Waleed shared some great tips, so have a read and hopefully do better in your own exam!

Waleed Band 7.5 in IELTSWaleed Tayyab Buttar said:

“My best advice would be to not panic at all. I have taken IELTS twice, 7 years apart, and achieved the exact same score. I believe the reason to this is the standardization of this testing service. You get exactly what you deserve. So, there is no need to be afraid of this test or panic.

I actually felt a bit under pressure and that is natural, but just don’t let it overcome your confidence. Be confident, because you are not going to learn English in one day, one week or even a month. Similarly, the prowess of English language you already possess, is not going to go away in a matter of weeks or so. Don’t go for hundreds of practice tests, it will probably not be very productive. Instead, it may be better to watch an English movie and get entertained at the same time as learning.

What I did was 4 practice tests of each module. It takes roughly one hour to get through one practice test and you should be done. I spent just 2 hours a day practicing, and 8 days were more than enough for me to do well in IELTS.

However, it is important to concentrate and put all your focus into the test when the actual test has been started. If you make a couple of mistakes, forget about them and make sure your focus is there on the next questions. It happened with me when my concentration was not there for a split second, and I lost a statement in the Listening section. I wasn’t happy with myself, I wanted to make up for it. In the Reading section which followed, I believe the reason I got a score of 8.5 was because my focus was on a level which I myself had never experienced before. The result surely reflected that.

Lastly, I would like to say, concentrate when the test in on. But while preparing, enjoy yourself, stay calm, relax, watch movies, talk and think in English and do whatever you feel like. It will all help I guess, on the test day.

Wish all of you the very best of luck,
Waleed Tayyab Buttar”