Abroad education is so much more than a dream, its a career path that many wish to pursue. Studying abroad for Indian students opens up many doors to opportunities for professional and personal growth. When you choose this career path, you have to cross some steps. One such step is mastering IELTS, The International English Language Testing System, exam. In this test, they assess your proficiency in English language. Read on for IELTS tips.
English is a global language and a medium of communication for many countries. Indian students who want to study abroad must have a strong grasp of this language to communicate, study, and survive in a foreign country.
How to Score Well in IELTS?
To master IELTS, you first have to understand the test format and sections. IELTS has four sections that consist of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking:
Listening | Listen to 4 recordings and answer questions |
Reading | Read the comprehension and answer the questions |
Writing | Write an essay and describe a chart or graph |
Speaking | Face-to-face interview with an examiner |
How to Prepare for Each Section of IELTS?
Once you familiarise yourself with all the sections, you can start practising. Here are some IELTS tips for your practice:
Improve Your Listening Skills
You can improve your listening skills by listening to various English speakers of different accents like British, Australian, Irish and American. It will enhance your listening skills. Take listening tests online and assess your skills based on the results.
Practice Reading a Variety of Texts
Good reading skills are not just about the speed of reading. It is about comprehending what you are reading. There are different types of texts, such as stories, newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and books. It takes great understanding to understand each text with its essence. Practice reading these varieties of texts to develop your reading skills.
As a reader, you must focus on developing a strong vocabulary and learn to skim and scan the text for main points.
Practice Writing Regularly
Start working on your writing skills by writing every day. This practice should not be about randomly writing essays every day. It should cover a variety of topics and formats. Your writing should be clear, concise and coherent with proper grammar.
Take peer reviews of your writings by sharing them with your teachers and peers. It provides you with constructive criticism for improvement. You can also utilize My Mentor’s IELTS preparation courses.
Work on Your Speaking Skills
Speaking skills are very important for mastering IELTS because when you go abroad for education, you’ll have to speak to many foreigners from different backgrounds. To prepare yourself for that, you must engage in conversations with your friends, family and as many foreigners as you can. This way, you’ll understand the right pace and pronunciation.
You can also record yourself and listen to give yourself a constructive criticism. It works well.
Utilize Preparation Resources
You can easily find various preparation resources like tutorials, pdf notes, IELTS Preparation courses, practice papers, audio recordings etc on the official websites of IELTS. Utilize these resources to prepare well for the exam.
IELTS also publish books for preparation every year. You can practice with them and prepare yourself.
Develop Test-Taking Strategies
No matter which entrance test you take, you can ace any exam by developing certain qualities:
Time Management
All exams are timed and you can’t exceed that time limit to complete them. Hence, it is essential to learn time-management as a skill, especially for exams. To do that Indian students must practice on their speed of understanding question and giving accurate answers.
Attempt Every Question
Since IELTS doesn’t have negative markings, you can attempt each and every question even if you are confused about the answer.
Stay Calm and Focused
Staying calm during exams can majorly help in giving proper answers. When your mind is not at rest while taking the exam, it might cause confusion and anxiety. So, stay calm.
Join IELTS Coaching Classes
It is always beneficial if you study among a group of learners either friends or fellows at My Mentor’s IELTS coaching class. Joining a coaching class will help the Indian students understand each and every aspect of the exam and prepare you for it in the best way possible. My Mentor’s IELTS Coaching classes will not only focus on IELTS preparation but also prepare young Indian students for their study abroad experience.
This way you all can help each other clear doubts and give constructive criticism. Moreover, your group of friends will motivate you and help you come out of stress, if you have any. You can also share each other’s resources and save money.
Take Care of Yourself
Don’t forget to take a rest and give yourself some time to relax. Studies are not everything. If you are not at peace mentally, you won’t do well in your studies anyways. So, take scheduled breaks and avoid burnout of your mind body and soul.
Now you know mastering IELTS is so much more than just studying English. It is working on every aspect of learning a language as a habit. It requires you to work on your mind and rewire yourself to think in and live with that language. So, utilize these IELTS tips and take yourself one step closer to your study abroad dream as an Indian student.
Clearing this exam can be a key to your success.