Preparing for any exam can feel very daunting, and you can be left overwhelmed pretty soon after you start preparing. And even before that, you could be left wondering about several things like how to begin your preparation, how to proceed, what to study etc. If you are planning to study or work in a country where English is the native language, you would be required to appear for the IELTS exam. If you are unsure about how to start preparing, follow the list of ways given below, which would tell you the best way to prepare for IELTS and ace it.
Best ways to prepare for the IELTS exam
- Choosing the right IELTS test: There are two different kinds of tests offered by the IELTS. If you have plans to do your higher studies or seek professional training in a country where English is the national language, then you would have to test the IELTS Academic Test. However, if you are seeking higher education or vocational training in the UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia, you should take the IELTS General Training. If you take this test, you will also be able to move to the countries mentioned. The IELTS life skills test can be taken if you are exclusively moving to the UK.
- Learn more details about the test: After you have figured out which IELTS test you are going to take, your next step would be to get more details about the format and types of questions. After understanding the format of the test and the question types that you can get, you can start preparing thoroughly by doing practice tests for the IELTS. There are four parts of the IELTS test that test your Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading abilities. Thus, you need to hone all of these skills to ace your IELTS exam.
- Familiarize yourself with the question pattern: Following up on the previous point, each part of the IELTS exam tests different abilities related to your English proficiency. Regardless of which IELTS test you are going to take, the question pattern is basically the same, and you would be tested on your Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening abilities. The test will get much easier for you when you start doing the IELTS practice tests. You can easily access these practice tests on the web itself and can also download them as you please. That way, you would have a good understanding of the question pattern.
- Set goals and have a study schedule: To ace the IELTS exam, or any exam for that matter, you must have a set of goals and study accordingly. Setting goals for yourself would ensure that you are efficient and are working towards cracking the IELTS test every day. To set goals, you must know about band scores or the marking criteria for the IELTS test. Depending on how you will be marked, you can come up with a better study plan for each part of the IELTS.
- Know what to expect on the day of the exam: It is natural to get nervous on the day of your exam, but you can do some things to cool your nerves. Ensure that you arrive early at the test center to register and get seated. Check whether you have everything that you might need. Finally, don’t forget to bring your personal ID, which will be required when you check in. Go through practice tests and question papers so that you know what to expect and can be prepared.
Conclusion
Following the above-mentioned tips would help you immensely to crack your IELTS exam. If you are dedicated enough to your dreams and have the determination and preparation to follow through with them, you would have no problem cracking your IELTS exam.
