Blog

A Comprehensive Guide: How to Prepare for IELTS...

Blog

Test Preparation

A Comprehensive Guide: How to Prepare for IELTS

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to evaluate the language proficiency of students wishing to study, work, or migrate to an English-speaking country. The test taker’s communication skills are graded on a scale of 1-9 to assess their English language understanding.

Students must take the test seriously to demonstrate their language knowledge and communication abilities, abiding by the test rules. They should also know the minimum IELTS score needed to become eligible to travel or stay abroad.

If you want to study in UK, the US, Australia or other countries where English is the primary native language, your aim should be a band score of 6 or more. Next, look for the right guidance to understand how IELTS is marked, what mistakes to avoid, ways to score better and things like that.

This blog covers every aspect of the IELTS preparation stage to help aspiring test takers like you achieve the best scores.

Understanding the IELTS Exam

IELTS is a widely prevalent English language test for overseas education, work, and global migration. The scores prove that the test taker has the skills for recruitment or admission procedures. You can join the IELTS exam coaching for IELTS preparation.

Apart from this purpose, what is the importance of IELTS? Let’s find out!

IELTS for education: If studying abroad has been your lifelong dream, you’ll be glad to know that 11,000+ employers, universities, institutions, and immigration bodies treat IELTS scores as eligibility criteria to find the right candidate. English is the main mode of instruction, and good scores are an important criterion to apply in your field of choice.

IELTS for work: IELTS scores are an essential prerequisite for job applications abroad. Your score will be recognised and highly valued. However, as a professional, you should accomplish ‘Competent' or 'Vocational' English, not just basic conversational English.

Note that the basic test score requirements vary by country. For instance, you must accomplish at least 6.5 in each section of the test in the UK, while in Australia, scoring 5 is recognised as a 'vocational English' level and 6 as a ‘competent English’ speaker.

On the contrary, the minimum score differs in New Zealand and Canada. A score of 4 or higher in the academic or general module is mandatory in New Zealand, whereas in Canada, the employers set the language requirements. Some lines of work demand a minimum of 6, whereas some educators insist on at least a score of 7. In brief, the minimum score varies.

IELTS for immigration: Government bodies consider the IELTS test scores part of the citizenship application process. The immigration authorities take it as an evaluation medium to determine if the applicant meets the standard language requirements. Again, the requirements differ by country.

The UK government authorised the Secure English Language Test (SELT) for visa applications. The test is recognised as 'IELTS for UKVI' or 'IELTS Life Skills’ to confirm students’ language expertise and listening and speaking skills.

The New Zealand government has set a band score of 6.5 in academic or general training, while the Canadian government has its language benchmark. However, Australia accepts both Competent and Vocational English offered by the Immigration and Citizenship Department.

Different Versions of IELTS: Academic and General Training

Academic and General Training are two versions of IELTS. The IELTS Academic test is for higher education admissions, while the General Training test is for migration.

Now which test to take - IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training? To decide, we first must learn the difference between both.

The primary difference between Academic and General Training is that the prior one is designed for candidates aspiring to continue their studies abroad. Conversely, General Training is more general and focuses on the usual context.

The IELTS Academic test format examines whether your language proficiency meets the required academic environment standard. The text is prepared from different texts such as magazines, journals, newspapers, and textbooks relevant to academics for the officers to determine if they have the skills to write a college-level essay.

Comparatively, IELTS General Training examines your language from the everyday context. You’ll have to refer to guidebooks, notices, advertisements, and magazines to imbibe the regular lingos in your language. Furthermore, your letter-writing or basic essay-writing skills will be tested.

Now you may wonder which test you should take. Well, it entirely depends on what you want to do. For example, take IELTS Academic if you wish to study abroad or register professionally. If migration is on your card, go for IELTS General Training.

Here’s a table indicating goals and preferable test types:

IELTS Academic vs IELTS General Training: SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES

Both test versions have four similar parts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Listening

• The Academic and General Training test formats have listening exercises of 30 minutes.
• Both exams have four recorded sections with 10 questions each.
• Sections 1 and 2 consist of regular context, while sections 3 and 4 focus on education and training.

Speaking

• Academic and General Training have a speaking exercise of 11-14 minutes.
• Both formats require you to sit with the IELTS examiner for a one-to-one interview.
• Both test modules contain short and long questions you must answer.
• You’ll have to participate in a discussion round in both test formats.

Reading

• The reading section of both tests lasts for an hour.
• Both tests consist of three sections.

Writing

• The writing section of both test formats lasts 60 minutes.
• Each test consists of two tasks. The first task is 150 words, whereas the second is 250 words, approximately.

Despite the similarities, you should know the differences in both test formats' reading and writing sections.

• IELTS Academic reading section comprises various reading texts that might be analytical, descriptive, or analytical. But in IELTS General Training, the first section covers two or three short texts. The second section has two shorter texts. Finally, the last section consists of a long text on a general topic.
• IELTS Academic writing section has a write-up that includes a chart, graph or table. Plus, it has essay writing for task 2. However, IELTS General has letter and essay writing for tasks 1 and 2.

Components of the Test

Language assessment experts developed IELTS to evaluate the range of skills necessary to survive in an English-speaking region. The test evaluates four key communication aspects:

• Listening– to evaluate how well you understand different topics, form opinions, and keep up with the latest development in the argument.
• Reading – to analyse your reading skills and determine how well you can analyse the main ideas, related details, and the author's perspective.
• Writing– to evaluate how accurately you write the answers, organise your ideas, and make use of different vocabulary and grammar
• Speaking – to examine how effectively you communicate your opinions on different topics and justify your perspective.

Scoring System and Test Format

IELTS results are calculated on a scale of 9, where band score 1 is the lowest and 9 is the highest. The scoring system is simple and is used for all IELTS formats.

The IELTS Scale

IELTS Band Score

The IELTS band score system calculates the marks of each component: listening, speaking, reading and writing. As a test taker, you will be graded from 1-9, with 9 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. The overall score is the average of the scores of the four components.

For example:

If the average of four scores ends with .25, the overall is rounded to the next half band. Likewise, if the average of four scores ends with .75, the overall is rounded to the next whole band.

Both individual and overall band scores are important for test takers since some university applications require both scores. As an applicant, be aware of the university and course requirements.

IELTS Scoring System

The IELTS band score system becomes easier to understand when you know how an individual component is scored. So here's what to know:

Listening: Contains 40 questions; one mark is awarded for every correct answer (raw score), which is converted to the IELTS nine-band scale.

Below is a table of raw score conversion:

Reading: It also contains 40 questions. One mark is awarded for every correct answer (raw score), which is converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. However, there is a difference in grading between IELTS Academic and General. What is it?

Well, it’s the genre or text type. Unlike General reading, Academic reading tests are more complex and contain hard vocabulary. Moreover, students must answer more General reading questions to get a desired band score.

Here’s a table of raw score conversion:

Writing: The test is divided into two parts, where the examiner evaluates the text and awards a score based on the following:

• Response to tasks 1 and 2
• Lexical resource
• Coherence and cohesion
• Grammatical knowledge and accuracy

Since each section carries equal weight, an average of four is taken to calculate the band score.

Speaking: The same approach is followed for the speaking test. The examiner calculates the IELTS band scores based on one’s fluency and coherence, pronunciation, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

IELTS Test Format

IELTS Academic test can be taken at the test centre (on paper or computer) and online from home or other remote settings with a stable internet connection. And contrary wise, IELTS General Training can only be taken at the test centre (on paper or computer.)

The Listening and Speaking tests are similar for both test formats but not for Reading and Writing tests. You should complete all tests apart from the Speaking test on the same day, without taking breaks. You can schedule the Speaking test a week before or after the other tests.

Note that the Speaking test usually takes place for IELTS Online before the other tests. The total test duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Let’s break up the format.

Test Format: Listening (30 minutes)

You will have to listen to four recordings in English and answer the given questions.

• Recording 1 is a conversation between two people in a regular setting.
• Recording 2 is a monologue in a social context.
• Recording 3 is a conversation between two or three people in an educational environment.
• Recording 4 is a monologue on an academic subject.

Assessors evaluate your ability to comprehend the main ideas, grasp the factual information, analyse the speakers’ opinions and attitudes, and your skills to follow the development of the discussions.

Paper format: It will consist of four parts with ten questions each, designed to answer in the order it appeared in the audio. Moreover, the recordings include a range of accents, from British and Australian to Canadian and American. Be sure to listen carefully, as the recordings will be played once.

Timing: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer time)

No. of questions: 40

Task types: Varied questions, including multiple-choice, sentence completion, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, and form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion.

Answering: Write your answers on the question papers while listening to the recordings. You'll get 10 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to the answer sheets. Be careful with your spelling and grammar to avoid penalties.

Marks: Each question is of 1 mark.

Test Format: Academic Reading (60 minutes)

The Reading section consists of 40 questions to evaluate test takers’ reading skills. You'll be assessed on your ability to read for main ideas and details, skim, and understand logical arguments and the writers' opinions and attitudes.

Paper format: Three long texts that range from descriptive to factual and analytical with multiple related questions

Timing: 60 minutes

No. of questions: 40

Task types: Varied types of questions including multiple choice, matching information, matching sentence endings, summary completion, table completion, identifying information, matching features, sentence completion, note completion, diagram label completion, identifying writer’s claims, flow-chart completion, and short-answer questions. 

Sources: Texts are taken from multiple sources of general interests relevant to test testers of UG and PG levels seeking admission or professional registration.  

Answering: As a test taker, you have to transfer your answers on the answer sheet during the test time. No extra time is allowed. Watch out for spelling and grammar mistakes to avoid penalties.

Marks: 1 mark for each question.

Test format: General Training Reading (60 minutes)

The Reading section consists of 40 questions designed to evaluate your skills for reading for main ideas, details, skimming, understanding logical arguments and writers' attitudes. The extracts are taken from multiple sources you will likely encounter regularly in an English-speaking setting.

Paper format: Three sections where section 1 focuses on two or three short sections or multiple shorter texts. Section 3 focuses on a long text.

Timing: 60 minutes

No. of questions: 40

Task types: Different question types, such as multiple-choice, sentence completion, flow-chart completion, notes completion and short-answer questions, identifying information, matching sentence endings, summary completion, table completion, identifying writer's views, and diagram label completion

Sources: The ‘social survival’ section contains texts from basic linguistics, while the 'Workplace survival' focuses on texts from the workplace context. Finally, the last section, 'General reading', consists of extended prose with complex structure.  

Answering: No transfer time is given. You must transfer your answers from the question paper in that given time without any error.  

Marks: Each question is of 1 mark.

Test format – Academic Writing (60 minutes)

Topics are relevant to the knowledge of students applying for a UG or PG course or professional registration. The test format consists of two tasks:

In task 1, you will be given a table, chart, graph, or diagram, which you have to describe or explain in your own words. Next, in task 2, you will have to write an essay in a formal style, responding to an argument, a problem or a viewpoint.

Paper format: BOTH writing tasks must be completed.

Timing: 60 minutes

No. of questions: 2

Task types: In Task 1, you will have to write 150 words in 20 minutes describing the given information in your own words. For Task 2, you must write 250 words in 40 minutes responding to an argument, a problem, or a viewpoint.

Answering: Complete answers should be written on the answer paper. Notes or bullet points on the question papers are not accepted as answers. All assessments are marked based on task achievement, lexical resource, coherence and cohesion, and grammatical usage and accuracy.  

Test format: General Training Writing (60 minutes)

The format covers two tasks on topics of general interest.

• In task 1, you'll be given a situation in which you will have to write a letter in a personal, semi-personal, or formal style.
• In task 2, you’ll have to write an essay in response to the given context in a fairly personal writing style.

Paper format: Two writing tasks to complete

Timing: 60 minutes

No. of questions: 2

Task types: Task 1 focuses on letter writing, while the second task is essay writing.

Answering: Complete answers should be written in the answer booklet. Answers must be written in full in the answer booklet. Notes or bullet points on the question papers will not be accepted as answers. Assessments are based on task achievement, lexical resource, coherence and cohesion, and grammatical usage and accuracy.  

Test format: Speaking (11–14 minutes)

The Speaking test assesses your ability to speak in English in three parts. Assessors record every test and award scores based on fluency, coherence, lexical resource, pronunciation, grammatical range, and accuracy.  

• In part 1 of the question, the examiner will ask general questions about yourself and other generic topics like your home, studies, work, and interests. This duration is about four to five minutes.
• In part 2, you will get a card with a cue that you have to talk about. You will be given a minute to prepare before speaking on the topic for two minutes. In addition, the examiner may ask you a question or two on the same topic.
• In part 3, the assessor will ask you further questions on the topic you discussed in part 2 to further evaluate your ideas and issues. The final part will last between four and five minutes.

Paper format: An oral interview between the candidate and the examiner. All tests are recorded for further evaluation. 

Timing: 11–14 minutes

Task types: Three tasks, each focusing on the specific purpose of the communication pattern, task input and your output.

Step-by-Step Preparation Guide

As mentioned, IELTS is a widely recognised English language proficiency test trusted by countless global institutions, organisations, and government bodies. Passing the test will increase your college acceptance chances, develop your language skills, improve your employment prospects, motivate you to achieve your goals, and help you communicate better in a foreign country.

However, getting it right the first time is difficult for most students. It could be due to poor preparation. If English isn't your strong pursuit, IELTS can take months of hard work, expensive tuition and test fees. Despite so, don’t get carried away with the pressure and focus on your preparation.

Here are some suggestions for quality preparation:

Step 1: Setting Goals and Planning

No matter what you do, you cannot accomplish the best results without planning and setting goals. Effective preparation depends on realistic planning. Understand the difference between the score you want and the score you can get. Then evaluate your abilities and determine whether you need to improve your language skills.

Once you have identified your weaknesses, sketch a proper plan for a self-guided study. You can start by dividing your time into multiple slots for specific tasks. For instance, set a timeline for reading, listening, writing, and speaking tasks. Don’t cram your plan. Instead, pick one task for the day and give your best. Remember, you have tasks to complete as well.

Step 2: Familiarising Yourself with the Test

You can only nail the IELTS when you are thorough with the fundamentals. It includes understanding the test format, structure, and timing. Whether for study, immigration, or work, it's important to know the test format, structure, and test timings clearly. For instance, IELTS score requirements vary by university and course. Some universities may require a 6.5 overall band score with a minimum of 6.0 in all four skills.

Therefore, familiarise yourself with the structure of the test, the grading system, and the timing for every section. Once you have familiarised yourself with the exam fundamentals, identify what you need to obtain the grades you have wished for. Next, develop the habit of solving IELTS practice tests and taking online mock tests. It's fine if you want extra time to solve the papers on your first attempt, but aim to complete all your tests in real time as you proceed. With continuous practice of completing the tests in real-time, you will build stronger skills for excelling in the test.

If you cannot follow the Band Descriptors and need assistance, you can get an IELTS tutor to understand what you must do and how. A professional's help can go a long way as s/he can guide and review your work and give necessary guidance to make you test-ready.

You can also use IELTS practice materials to understand the test format and the type of questions. You'll find several practice modules or get official IELTS practice materials from the official website. The kit contains a book and DVD covering materials for all four skills and is suitable for both test formats.

Step 3: Developing Listening Skills

The IELTS Listening test consists of four parts which involve conversations between people, a speech, two people talking, and one person giving a presentation. All the audio files will be in different accents, so you need to practice active listening and note-taking to answer the questions.

You will get different questions like multiple choice, form completion, sentence completion, matching questions, and others. In order to help you prepare, here are some tips:

• Listen to English audio clippings, podcasts, TED talks, and shows to improve your listening skills.
• Listen to news of different regions to become comfortable with British, Australian, American, Canadian, and South African accents.
• Follow the change of tone and intonation, and identify the words with more stretch.
• Take notes while listening to increase your focus and build analysing skills.
• Challenge yourself by increasing the audio speed to write and process what you read faster.

Step 4: Enhancing Reading Skills

Reading may seem more manageable than the previous task. But things can get tricky with complex paragraphs and long sentences with words difficult to pronounce. The best way to improve your reading and responding time limit is to get your strategies straight. For instance, learn to skim, scan, and identify keywords. Learn the structure of this task and increase your regular reading limit to expand your vocabulary. Here are some more hacks to nail this test:

• Read different books, blogs, and articles for 30 minutes daily.
• Learn new words and their usage, and use them in your write-ups. Good grammar and vocabulary usage is a must to impress the assessors.
• Try different reading techniques and gradually increase your texting target with the time limit.
• Choose topics relevant to IELTS subjects and familiarise yourself with the type of questions for the reading test.
• Read aloud to identify the mispronounced words and phrases and practice in front of the mirror to improve fluency and build confidence.

Step 5: Mastering Writing Skills

Writing tasks can be challenging even for native speakers if they are not thorough with the fundamentals. That’s why you need to practice writing with extra care. The best way to start is to learn the structure and format of IELTS writing tasks. Refer to several sample papers to grasp the tactics of structuring essays, organising ideas, and managing time for the task. Let's take a closer look at some more expert-suggested strategies:

• Allocate time to track your writing speed. Keep 20 minutes for writing task 1 and 40 minutes for task 2.
• Be clear of the scoring criteria – lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, cohesion and coherence, and task response.
• Practice writing daily and solve sample IELTS Task 2 questions following the standard IELTS writing guidelines.
• Avoid repetition of vocabulary. Brush up your grammar knowledge to enhance your grammatical range.
• Do a self-assessment and rope in a teacher for peer review, or get someone with strong writing skills to evaluate your work. That way, you’ll get more expanded feedback on improving your writing quality.

Step 6: Excelling in Speaking Skills

Fluency, vocabulary, and pronunciation are the key factors to look out for to excel in the speaking task. To polish these aspects of your speech, you’ll need to practice. During the test, you’ll be given a cue card or a task card, with 3-4 questions and some instructions. Then, you’ll be given a minute to think about your answer and prepare to talk about the topic. Finally, you will have to speak continuously for 2 minutes or until the assessor asks you to stop.

Sounds terrifying? Well, it doesn't have to if you practice. Like writing, you can improve your speaking abilities with practice. Regular practice will improve your sentence-making skills, pronunciation, and use of different words and phrases and boost your confidence to tackle any topic. In addition, try these tricks for thorough preparation.

• Don’t memorise answers. Instead, listen to the question and take time to give a carefully thought-out answer.
• Avoid using unfamiliar words and fake accents. Stick to what you know and practice pronouncing the words accurately.
• Use a range of grammatical structures to express what you think. Extended vocabulary can showcase your knowledge of the language and improve your chances of getting better scores.
• Strictly avoid using fillers to extend your answers. Instead, be confident and answer the ‘why’ for the examiner.
• Smile and stay calm. Don’t mumble. Open your mouth wide enough to enunciate clearly.
• Lastly, practice speaking English with native speakers or language exchange partners, if possible. This way, you can get used to their accents and lingos and become confident in using them.

Test-day Strategies and Final Tips

Now that you are done with your preparations, it’s time to revise and recollect. Don't practice until the last day before the test. Instead, devote it to reviewing and evaluating your knowledge. Next, prepare a checklist of everything you need for the test day. Here are a few things to prepare:

• Documents such as your ID that you provided during your application.
• Water and a light snack so keep you hydrated and focused.
• An itinerary with the examination centre location. Make sure you arrive at your destination on time.
• Proper clothes for the test. Wear something comfortable but presentable. Your photo will be taken before the test, so don't wear something shoddy or ultra-casual.

Also, remember:

• Timing is a crucial factor in IELTS. Use it effectively to complete everything within the given time.
• Multitask in the listening section to pass the task. Focus and carefully listen to the recording and mark correct answers simultaneously.
• It’s an important test – we get it. Still, don’t worry. Stress will cloud your thought process and confuse you. Rather, trust your abilities and focus. Practice breathing exercises and meditate to stay calm.

Final Tips for Success

• You cannot do well in IELTS if you don’t practice. Understand everything you need to and be regular and consistent with your practice.
• Expose yourself to the language and develop a habit of conversing in English.
• Read English books, blogs, newspapers, and articles, and make notes of new words and phrases you learn.
• Watch English news, shows, podcasts, and interviews to follow different English accents.
• Practice what you read and learn from listening to the English program. Make sure you know their correct usage before using them in your writing.
• Find sample IELTS cue cards and practice speaking on the topics. Practice in front of the mirror or get someone to listen to you speak.
• Assess your preparation through regular mock tests and review your mistakes. This practice will help you analyse where you stand.

You can try the IELTS official practice test to get an idea of your overall band score. The IELTS Progress Check is an online practice test for students to practice and get an idea of the band score for every task. It also provides feedback so as a test taker, you can improve in the suggested areas. You will also find several verified online forums and study groups for support and discussion. Join them.

Conclusion

Persistence is the key to success in IELTS. Give your best effort and be committed to practising to excel in all tasks. Start by understanding what the test is about, the structure, format, time duration, and other exam-related information. Next, plan and determine if you need a tutor or want to self-prepare. Then, find IELTS preparation materials and start your practice. Finally, keep in mind the importance of self-assessment. Appear for IELTS mock tests, get peer review for constructive feedback, and correct mistakes. Remind yourself of the bigger goal and go at it with confidence and determination.

How Will AbroAdvice.com Help You Prepare For The IELTS Exam?

AbroAdvice is a reputed name in the industry for helping thousands of students achieve their IELTS goals. The platform is backed by a vast team of exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable instructors. They are trained and thorough with the criticalities of all four components and can help you excel in each area.

Choosing AbroAdvice will get your end-to-end solution, from comprehensive study resources to intensive practice sessions and mock tests, for a complete learning experience. Additionally, you'll get:

• Online and offline classes
• Personalised guidance
• Support from certified counsellors and highly experienced tutors
• Ample practice papers and study materials
• Round-the-clock support from the team
• Extensive support for both types of IELTS tests
• Complete assistance, from IELTS registration to visa application
• Regular assessment of preparation and peer review and feedback

Moreover, you get access to the IELTS prep club that ensures a series of benefits, including:

• 12 weeks of online live classes
• Multiple batch facility - morning, afternoon & evening
• Access to archived lectures
• 12 months portal validity
• 250+ practice exercises, 10 mock tests
• 40 sectional tests for Listening, Reading, Writing, & Speaking
• IELTS live curriculum and e-book
• Query-solving sessions with experts
• Registration for Fast track IELTS prep batch

Then why wait to get started? Register now!

• Deepanshu
• September 4,2023