Simple and effective ways to score well IELTS Test
IELTS has always been the favourite test for students who plan for their higher education abroad, be it in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia or any destination. Or even for immigration.
While some test takers score well on their first attempt because of their language proficiency, there are some test takers for whom it is a nightmare. This article talks about the simple, but effective ways to crack the test.
Before getting to the strategies for cracking the test, let’s understand the basics of IELTS.
What is IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System, which is one of the most trusted English language tests with its presence around the world. Compared to other tests, IELTS is the most preferred test by most test takers.
Why IELTS
When thinking of overseas education, we think of IELTS. It has become a custom for every candidate to take IELTS who plans to move abroad for his/her higher education. Since IELTS is one of the standardized tests accepted by over 10000 institutions in more than 130 countries; it has become a widely known test for English language proficiency.
What makes IELTS more popular?
IELTS is more popular among test takers for some of the key features that make it unique from the other tests. To highlight some of those, the type of questions, the format of the test, the global standard, candor, insightful assessing parameters, acceptance by almost all institutions and business houses ease of taking the test, availability of test dates around the year, presence of adequate number of test centers
How IELTS test modules are assessed?
IELTS test modules are scored to ensure fair and genuine assessment for the test takers and also to maintain their global standard. The listening and Reading parts are computer-rated modules. The test taker will be given the scores based on the number of right answers they have made. On the other hand, there is no negative marking for wrong answers. Also, there will be some unscored parts where the test maker will include a lot of experimental questions to test.
How to score well in IELTS listening and reading modules
Listening Module:
The listening module is the first module in the IELTS tests. This module consists of 4 sections with 40 questions which have to be answered in 30 minutes. The four sections are:
- A conversation between 2 people, ex: two students or a lecturer and student.
- A monologue on any social matter. Ex: Family issues, child’s education.
- A discussion between 3 or 4 people in an academic situation. Ex: 4 students, a lecturer and a group of students
- A monologue set in an academic topic. Ex: A university lecture, Welcome address by the principal to the students.
In the listening part, around 11 different types of questions are asked ranging from Multiple choice to Form filling, Note filling, summary, short answers, maps/plans and diagram and more.
The types of questions in the Listening Module are:
- Form / Note / Table / Sentence / Summary / Flow chart Completion questions
- Labelling a diagram, map or plan
- Multiple choice questions
- Classification
- Short answer questions
Steps to answer the Listening part:
- Survey the page for any pictures, graphs or any visual representation.
- Go through the questions for 30 sec. to understand the meaning of the questions by selecting the key words
- Predict the answers you need in two ways:
- by looking at the grammar of the questions.
- by understanding the type of answer.
- Listen to the audio in the order of the questions, since the questions usually follow the order of the information from the audio.
- Look out for paraphrases as the words in the questions will not be the same as it is used in the conversation or the talk. So, it is wise to understand the questions rather than looking at the words plainly.
- A shift in topic indicates that you need to move to the next question.
- Don’t panic if you miss the answer. Just move to the next question.
Each question type has different types of approaches to answer them.
Take a sample test to know your listening level.
Reading Module:
Reading is the second module in the IELTS test. It has 3 sections with 40 questions to be completed in an hour. Each section will have 13 to 14 questions with different types of tasks like multiple choice single answer, multiple choice – multiple answers, summarize, paragraph matching, sentence completion, heading matching and so on.
To answer the questions in the reading module, there are certain reading subskills that need to be practiced. These subskills are.
- Skimming – expecting the type of information given in the passage by reading the headings/sub-heading.
- Scanning – looking for certain specific information in the passage.
- Predicting – predicting the type of answer you need to answer the questions.
- Intense reading – Studying the passage to understand the overall format using headlines, pictures or a topic that prompts your ideas and activates your schematic knowledge.
- Deducing meaning – discovering the writer’s opinions or feelings from the language and the way it has been expressed or presented.
- Distinguishing facts from opinions – reading a text I order to understand the detailed meaning.
- Inferring meaning – reading with a specific purpose to extracting information such as numbers, facts and such.
Steps to answer the reading module.
- Each reading passage has roughly 20 minutes to complete.
- Carefully study the rubrics before looking at the passage and questions.
- Before reading the passage, go through the questions and try predicting the type of words you would need to answer the questions.
- All the questions will follow the order in which the information is given in the passage.
- Skim, scan or predict according to the question type.
- Look out for the word limit for the answers and then use the accurate words as answers.
- Questions and the answer choices will be paraphrased. So, understand the overall meaning of the question rather than considering the words plainly.
- While reading the passage to understand the general meaning or inference questions, look out for the signpost words which give you the direction in which the ideas are presented.
- There will be a set time to answer questions for each passage. Within the time frame, the questions should be answered.
- At the end of each task, transfer the answers and review them. Make sure that all the answers are marked, and they are correct.
- In the event of not knowing the answers, never leave any questions unanswered. Since there are no negative marks for wrong answers, try to logically think and answer the questions without leaving them.
- Of course, you should be practising the above-said strategies before taking the actual test.
Take a sample test and check your reading skills.
To take a sample IELTS test on the Listening and Reading module, Click here. Mention the promo code Blog15 to avail 15% discount on the test prep at the time of Payment.
How to improve your writing and speaking skill in IELTS
Writing Module:
Writing module is the last module in the main test which takes 60 minutes to complete both Task 1 and Task 2 questions. However, for Task 1, the test takers are advised to take 20 minutes and for task 2, 40 minutes.
Parameter of assessment:
- The first parameter differs for both tasks.
- For Task 1: Task achievement – assesses the test takers’ content for completeness of given tasks in the question.
- For Task 2: Task response – assesses the response of the test takers on the given task.
- Cohesion and Coherence – this parameter assesses the quality, relevance, and interrelation of ideas among the number of logical ideas presented.
- Lexical Resource – the range of vocabulary used, appropriately and accurately.
- Grammatical range and accuracy – this includes usage of voice, tense, variety of sentence structures, proper punctuation and capitalization, and appropriate tone as per the task.
IELTS Writing task 1 question.
Task 1 question is a pictorial representation of information in the form of graphs, charts, diagrams, or table. The test taker has to analyze, infer the information, and present it as in the required tasks. The test taker has to write it in at least 150 words. So, the range of word count is between 150 to 180 words.
Approaching Task 1:
The first step is to identify the type of representation given. Study the picture thoroughly and infer the main facts from it. Take notes of all the information that you can extract from it. Now look at the question and check the tasks to be done. It will be mostly to summarize the important facts and also to compare or explain the information given in the picture and such. There might be any tasks given as per the question.
Based on the task, brainstorm the ideas that would be appropriate to mention. Following that, organize the ideas in an order that makes a sensible content. Word count should also be taken into account.
Formatting the content:
Planning the content is important while starting to write the content. A passage with 3 to 4 paragraphs is considered optimum. It should include a proper introduction, distinction in the ideas concluded with a suitable summary.
To start with, the first paragraph should introduce the topic completely, ensuring that no detail is missed about the picture. This can include the type of picture, the main idea, the dimensions of information, periods, numbers, and any other piece of information that seems important. This should not exceed more than 3 sentences.
Following the introduction, the next paragraph should introduce the first idea. This should be explained in detail with the given facts accurately by citing the numbers or periods or any quantity in which it is represented. This should be written in at least 4-5 sentences. Follow the same pattern for the rest of the ideas with separate paragraphs for each idea.
Finally, give a suitable conclusion by summarizing the information given above. No more than 2-3 sentences should be used.
Upon completion, go through the content to make sure:
- All the tasks are achieved.
- No grammatical mistakes are made.
- A variety of sentence structures are formed.
- No spelling mistakes are made.
- Word count is followed.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Question.
Task 2 question is often given as a situational statement and the test taker has to give their response based on their opinions. The questions would be such as
- Do you agree or disagree?
- To what extent do you agree or disagree.
- To what extent do you think it is true.
- Why do you think ….?
- Why do someone…..?
Approaching the task:
Once the question is presented, it is best advised to look at both viewpoints. This gives an aerial view of the situation and information is in store, also which side has more weightage. By analyzing this, the test taker should take a stand.
To respond to the question, the test taker has 3 right ways to do it.
- Agreeing to the topic
- Disagreeing with the topic
- Take a balanced view on both sides and present it.
In all the 3 ways of response, it should be clearly mentioned which side the test taker chooses to argue. This statement is important to gain the minimum score in the IELTS.
Writing the response:
While writing the response, it should be considered in which format the essay should be written. Generally, a typical response would include the following:
- Introduction
- Discussion points
- Suggestions and opinions
- Conclusion
This may have 4 or 5 paragraphs based on the number of ideas presented.
Introducing the climate of the argument:
This introductory part should talk about the given situation of the topic. Here, it can be started with an argument, a statement, or a question. It is up to the test taker’s discretion, and they can use their favourite pick-up line to start. This should give the heads-up of the arguments that are to be followed.
Some most commonly used pick up lines would be
- It can certainly be ….
- It may be true that ….
- Would it be ……?
- Why are ……?
- There are ….
Organizing the ideas:
It is best advised to test takers not to start the second paragraph without knowing the main ideas that are to be presented.
Brainstorm ideas that are relevant, logical, and persuasive. Writing down the ideas that pops-up is the best strategy to make sure enough ideas are collected. At this stage, all ideas should be logically arranged and any supporting ideas that may explain the main ideas should also be noted.
Citing an example would be more appropriate to discuss the issue at hand. It can be real-time examples or hypothetical ideas.
Numbering the ideas would give the content a sequence of events that makes the response more appealing. But it should also be considered that no ideas should contradict your ultimate stand.
Turning ideas to arguments:
After organizing the ideas, the next step would be to present them. While presenting the ideas, it should be put forth as arguments based on the question.
The test taker can present the ideas as their opinions like.
- In my view, …
- Some people will argue that …
- It is generally believed that….
The writer can make concessions while considering the other arguments to be different from their own arguments. This forms a valid justification for their own opinions. For example:
- Although some people think going abroad for their career to be prosperous, others believe that their homeland is still the best to make their career.
The writer can also confute the statements or arguments presented by giving their views on the subject. This gives a straightforward response to the question. For example:
- There is little evidence to show that machines can never take over humans.
It is generally acceptable to give counterarguments to the presented arguments. In this way, the writer can make arguments that are seen as an opposite dimension of the topic. This will present an idea that was not visible earlier.
For Example:
- Running is an excellent form of exercise, though it may lead to serious physical injuries.
Defining and explaining of the ideas are important as it will give a complete view of the writer’s statements. Wherever possible, an example could be given to further strengthen the view.
For example:
- Many amateurs run without proper sports gear such as shoes and kneecaps on surfaces such as concrete surfaces, roads and so on. This will inflict pain resulting in some serious injuries.
Linking the ideas:
Not only presenting the ideas in order is sufficient, but establishing the relationship between the ideas and the transition from one idea to another must be made gracefully.
Suitable transition and signpost words should be used to indicate the direction of the content. It will enable the reader to understand the content, follow it and get the overall idea of the response.
Finally, the conclusion. Here, the ideas that are discussed should be summarized appropriately to give a meaningful outline relevant to the content and the question.
Speaking Task in IELTS
Speaking would be more interesting but at the same time challenging particularly on the topics that are much less familiar. The test taker may get stuck and be lost in thought. Well, it happens to most of the test takers. The good part is, there are ways to improve your content instantly with our strategies.
About Speaking tasks:
The speaking task is an interview-based test that usually lasts for 11 to 14 minutes. It is done through a human examiner. It would be scheduled on any day from 3 days prior to 3 days later from the main test.
Format of Speaking task:
The speaking task has 3 parts.
Part 1:
This will be about the test taker and range about familiar topics such as home, family, school, interests and so on. The test taker has to talk about the topic for atleast 3 to 4 minutes or until the interviewer closes the part.
Some of the example questions are:
- What is your favorite hobby or pastime?
- What is your favourite colour?
- Do you play sports?
- Share your experiences about your school.
Part 2:
This part is for about 3 to 4 minutes. In this part, a cue card is given with the topic to talk about. A preparation time of 2 minutes will be given with a pen and paper. The examiner will ask a couple of questions to finish the part.
Some of the questions would be:
- Your favorite place
- Keeping healthy and fit
- Someone you admire.
- Car or public transport
- Reading or TV
Part 3:
Part 3 is an extension of the part 2 question. The duration of this part is about 4 to 5 minutes. The test taker is given an opportunity to discuss some abstract issues and ideas.
Some of the questions would be like:
We have been talking about your free time. Let’s discuss this further.
- Do you think it is important for everyone to have a hobby?
- A lot of companies encourage their staff to have a good work-life balance. How true is this in your country?
- What free time activities will be popular in the twenty years’ time?
We have been talking about a sport you enjoy. Let’s discuss this further.
- Sport is supposed to be open to people of all classes, races, religions and backgrounds – how true is this in your country?
- Some countries have a bad record in controlling the use of drugs in professional sports. How efficient is the sports authority in your country?
- How will spectator sports (e.g. sports that are televised) change in the future?
How to ace the Speaking module:
Before looking for ways to score high in the speaking module, let’s understand what is expected out of the test taker. The speaking response is evaluated over four parameters.
- Fluency and coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy
- Pronunciation
Fluency and Coherence:
Here, the test takers are evaluated for their fluency in the language and content. The test taker is expected to speak fluently with occasional hesitations and repetitions / self-corrections. The content should be relevant and focused to the question.
Lexical resource:
It denotes the vocabulary range the test taker has used. The words should be accurate and specific and not be repeated often. Also, the examiner will look into the usage of idiomatic language for its precision and accuracy.
Grammatical range and accuracy:
In this parameter, the test taker will be examined for the use of a full range of structures naturally and appropriately, producing consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speaker speech.
Pronunciation:
In pronunciation, the examiner will look into the usage of a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety. Also sustenance of flexible use of features throughout and effortless understanding.
Let’s look into the strategies of cracking the module.
Before the test day:
- Improve your vocabulary
- Learn the pronunciations.
- Know the synonyms.
- Improve Paraphrasing skills
- Keep abreast of current affairs.
- Practice speaking in English with family and friends.
- Read a lot – newspapers, academic magazines and so on.
On the day of the test:
- Understand the topic well.
- Before starting to speak, think about the vocabulary involved in the topic.
- Ask questions about the topic: Why, what, where, when, which and how.
- Organize the ideas.
- Articulate the content.
- Deliver with confidence.
- Improvise the content.
- Use transition words justly.
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Wishing you all the best!!!.