Today I am happy to share the tips we received from Dona, a Sri-Lankan IELTS candidate, who won our IELTS results competition in July with an amazing Band 8.5 (her Reading and Listening were both Band 9!)
Before we get to the actual tips, just a short reminder – our IELTS Books Giveaway is ending very soon, so enter while you can, get all the details here. Don’t miss your chance to win ‘Target Band 7’ or ‘Ace the IELTS’ – they helped thousands of test takers before you, and can help YOU get the score you need!
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And now back to Dona’s IELTS preparation tips:
“Just a few tips I would like to share.
For reading, I found it very helpful to read practice articles, those in past papers or even from other sources such as newspapers and textbooks. A lot of consistent reading and understanding any given articles goes a long way.
For listening, I think it is helpful to listen to a few recordings to practice and get into the flow and speed of the speaker. Keep an ear out for key words in the questions that would help you identify the answer.
For speaking, the most helpful thing to do is to keep speaking and interacting with people in English. Try to speak in a consistent flow, adding more complex words often. Try not to break your sentences and pause to think or hesitate. Keep speaking.
For writing, try to plan your essay. Allocate a certain number of words to each paragraph you plan on writing and have an idea of what the main idea of each paragraph will be.”
Here’s what Raghu recommends to anyone looking to get a high score in IELTS:
“I am excited to be selected a winner for May 2012. Thank you! My overall score in the IELTS test (General Training) is band 8.5.
Coming from India, I have been a regular user of the English language since childhood. I have been an avid reader of magazines and
newspapers with articles covering diverse topics such as politics, science and the arts. This long association with and love for the
widely-spoken language are really the reasons for me to come out with flying colours in the IELTS test.
Test takers can consider the below practical advice for improving their scores –
1. Usage of idioms: I have always found using idioms very useful in conveying a thought effectively. The number of idioms in use is quite large. But with some amount of practice, you can find yourself using them in a variety of situations in a matter of days. There are several websites that provide guidance on usage of idioms.
2. When in doubt about usage of a phrase or word, avoid it altogether. The reason for avoiding them could be difficulty in right
pronunciation or spelling or proper usage. At the least, this strategy will help preserve what you have already scored in the writing or speaking test.
3. Watch good English language television and radio channels. You can of course include watching the several IELTS-related videos available on video sharing websites such as YouTube. This does a world of good to your preparations for the final test and with minimal effort.
4. I have come across many candidates who find the speaking test the most difficult. More often than not, the reason is that they come from a completely non-English speaking background. The only way to overcome this problem is to speak with good English-speakers. Do this as often as possible – on a daily basis if you have the opportunity to do so.
5. Know the difference between words that are spelt or pronounced similarly with different meanings. They are called homonyms and homophones (you wouldn’t be asked for a definition though).
6. Do all you can to drop your native accent. That said, it is equally unproductive to acquire and use a foreign accent. Just try to follow a neutral accent.
7. I would also suggest using shorter sentences if constructing longer ones aren’t your cup of tea (that’s an idiom, go research the meaning!).
8. Find and install a good dictionary on your computer (I would highly recommend Wordweb). You may choose to use a physical dictionary as well. Whichever way you choose, always keep the dictionary handy. This will help you look up and research words as soon as you encounter an interesting word.
9. There are mainly three versions of English in vogue worldwide – British, American and Australian English. Is any one version preferred over the others ? I posed my doubt to the guide during a British Council preparatory session. He said each one is as good as the other two – no preference. But he insisted that I follow one of the versions consistently in the test, else it could cost you marks !
10. Lastly, try to make use of all the resources available to you. It can be any of the vast array of books available for purchase, the free British Council library access, a friend who speaks good English or the slew of free online resources.
I would urge my IELTS candidate friends to go ahead and use the English language as often as possible and in different situations. To achieve above average scores, it also helps if you love and appreciate the language.
Keep practising and wish all the IELTS-Blog.com fans taking the test good luck and success.”
