International language tests, such as TOEFL and IELTS, are a common requirement for admission to overseas colleges, schools, universities for undergraduate or graduate programs, as well as for employment abroad abroad and beyond. In this article, you can find tips on how to properly prepare for English tests, as well as how to get a high score.
If you want to be proud of an internationally recognized master's degree or graduate from a world renowned university or maybe get a decent paying job, you need to know English and be able to prove it.
What are these exams for?
Merely understanding English and knowing some phrases is not enough. Students must demonstrate a level of English proficiency sufficient to successfully participate in variousactivities such as classwork, research, presentations, group meetings, teamwork on projects, and interaction with classmates and professors.
For this reason, business schools and other educational institutions have established an English language test as the first entry requirement. In order to fully master the program and become a participant in the educational process, all who are not native speakers of English must prove the fact of proficiency in it.
How to start self-preparation for IELTS? First you need to soberly assess your abilities. Maybe you don’t need this, because then it will be very disappointing if you make every effort, but in the end you still get a low result. However, it is quite possible to prepare for the IELTS exam on your own. Moreover, if you have time, you can prepare from scratch.
What exams should I take?
There are two major internationally recognized English language tests that can be successfully passed to enroll in educational institutions abroad or get a job. This is a TOEFL and IELTS test. Both tests are intended for people who are not native English speakers but wish to receive an international level education. These two tests are the world's most "respected" English proficiency tests, recognized by thousands of colleges, universities and agencies in over 130 countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the US.
Business schools set the level of English language proficiency required to enter educational institutions and get a job for all who are not native speakers of this language. Students from countries where English is recognized as an official language, such as India, Singapore, the Philippines, etc., are not even exempt from them. The only exception is made for students who have received a bachelor's degree or Ph. D. from schools in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or English-speaking parts of Canada.
IELTS test
Test duration 2.5 hours, plus 15 minutes for the oral test. There are two versions of the test: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Both are divided into four parts. These tests have different tasks for testing reading and writing skills. The academic version focuses more on English in the context of higher education, while the general knowledge test focuses more on work and social situations. The IELTS test consists of:
- listenings;
- reading;
- letters;
- oral speech.
Listening
Includes questions based on four recorded conversations and monologues with different themes. Recordings are played twice.
Reading
Includes questions based on three passages from any text, they can include graphics or illustrations, or they can be taken from books, magazines and newspapers. There are several tasks of different formats to test knowledge.
Letter
Includes two tasks: write a short official essay and describe or explain a table, diagram, or philosophical statement. One of the most difficult sections of the exam, requires a large vocabulary.
Spoken language
A personal interview in which test-takers must answer simple questions, speak on a given topic, and participate in a structured discussion. This section may be returned at any other time within 7 days of the other three sections being submitted.
Exam grade
Each of the four sections is scored on a scale of one to nine. Schools set their own targets. There is no limit on the number of attempts to pass the exam. The test is valid for two years. The cost of the test varies by location but is around $200, €190, £115 or RUB 12,500.
Since English is officially recognized as an international language, many people strive to learn it. But the basic level of the language, which is enough to maintain a conversation with a foreigner, is not enough to get an education. Therefore, before applying for the test, you should realistically assess your strengths, knowledge and capabilities. Without preparation, passing the test for a high score will fail in any case.
Preparation Tips
Need to get a high score? Follow these tips to improve yourresult, and show your language skills. It is important to remember that there is no universal IELTS preparation program on its own, but each student needs to remember a few tips:
- Don't leave exam preparation until the last minute.
- Prepare every day. 10 minutes of preparation a day is better than 30 minutes of preparation once a week.
- Do what you like - when preparing for the speaking or writing part of the tests, start by using the words and phrases that you are most familiar with. It is important to use as much vocabulary as possible.
- Criticize yourself, take preparation seriously. Try new words and phrases and new grammar.
- Use the internet / TV / radio. Watch videos, movies and TV shows in English; read newspapers, books and scientific publications; listen to audiobooks; do grammar and vocabulary exercises.
- Try thinking in English - do it during your short daily practice.
- Try to communicate with native English speakers.
- Take time to practice with test papers that are easily available for free online.
- Make sure you know a little more than you need to pass the exam.
- If you see ads on the Internet with the following content: "Help in English, preparing for IELTS on your own", then it is better not to waste time getting acquainted with these paid methods, but continue to follow the presentedadvice.
- And finally, one warning. Keep in mind that self-confidence can let you down. For this reason, you need to prepare for the test regularly, making every effort.
And of course, before taking the English language proficiency exam, be sure to check which tests are accepted by the institution you want to enter. Carefully check the number of credits you need to get to get into, as each university sets its own requirements.
IELTS self-study plan
Be sure to plan your daily activities. In order to better assimilate the material, it is recommended to go through the same lesson at least twice. Only by repeating and practicing the material covered, you can achieve a good result.
- Find out practical details. Where and when will the English test take place? What is and is not allowed to be brought to the assessment center?
- Practice. Most English language tests follow a clear and predictable format, with each paper being a variation of the previous one. To achieve the highest scores, you must be familiar with the format and requirements of the exam.
- Purchase a textbook or test preparation guide. Consider investing in prep material designed specifically for the English test. If you want to keep costs down, look for used copies of official materials sold on sites like eBay or Amazon.
- Learn new words every day. This isa good method to expand your vocabulary while preparing for an English test. You can try to make it easier for yourself by limiting yourself to just a few words a day. Study them using mnemonic devices. If you are an active social media user, then there is one very unusual method for you - create a special account on Tumblr or Instagram and update it with new words every day, as did the Portuguese illustrator Ines Santiago.
- Test your listening skills by listening to podcasts. About a million free online podcasts are hosted on iTunes and the BBC website. Take time to "dive" into an English-language podcast, such as before bed or while traveling.
- Watch TV shows or movies (without sub titles). Everyone knows that many people learn English by watching "Friends" or "Game of Thrones" without sub titles! Write down any words or idioms you didn't understand.
- Read English-language newspapers and magazines. The ability to read news in a foreign language is a very good indicator of your level of language proficiency. Read newspapers and magazines in English and mark any words you don't know.
- Use the app. There are many free language learning apps to help you get ready. With the help of a mobile application, you can expand your vocabulary, learn basic grammar rules. But, unfortunately, the application will not teach you how to write an essay and speak, so you should not limit yourself to thislearning method.
For self-preparation for IELTS, materials are available in the applications: Memrise, Open Language, Duolingo, Rosetta Stone and FluentU. These are just some of the many great language learning apps available to users for free! Each app has a different approach to learning a language, so try working with several to see and evaluate which one works best for you. The process of preparing for the IELTS exam on your own can take several days, weeks or even months. It already depends entirely on your capabilities, level of self-discipline and, of course, knowledge of the language.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that preparing for IELTS completely from scratch takes a lot of time. But it is quite possible to prepare and pass the test, while receiving a high score. You just need to set a specific goal and strive to achieve it. It is never too late to learn, so if your dream is to become an international-class specialist, then you should not be afraid of anything or anyone, but start regularly devoting time to self-education.
