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HOW TO PREPARE FOR IELTS?
There are two ways for you to use these practice tests for your exam preparation. You can either use them to work on your technique and strategy for each IELTS skill, or you can use them to simulate a real exam and make sure you will do well under time pressure.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR IELTS?
There are two options are given below… read it carefully
Option 1:
Use practice tests to work on your IELTS skills (no time limits)
To prepare well for the IELTS exam you need to have a strategy for each sub-test (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). This means knowing what actions to take, and in which order, when you receive a test paper. You need to use the tips and techniques when you are practicing on some of the tests.
If you purchased the practice test in digital format, you will need to print out some pages, for easier learning and to be able to work in the same way as in the real test (on paper). Print the Listening questions and the Reading passages and questions. You can read the Writing and speaking questions from your computer or mobile device, to save paper and ink.
If Listening is one of your weaker skills, use transcripts while Listening to recordings, when you hear words or sentences that you don’t understand. Stop the recordings, rewind, locate in the transcript the sentence you had a problem with, read it, and then listen to the recording again.
If Reading is hard for you, after doing the Reading test use the Reading Answer Help section of the practice tests to understand why the answers in the Answer key are correct. It will show you the exact locations of the answers in the Reading passages.
The practice in Speaking either read to yourself the Speaking test question or get a friend to help with that. Record your answers and then listen to the recording. Note where you make long pauses while searching for the right word, pay attention to your errors and your pronunciation. Compare your own performance to that of the students in sample interviews, and read their Examiner’s reports.
Option 2:
Use practice tests to simulate the real test (strict time limits)
This option will require some prep work before you can start a simulated test. Print out or photocopy the blank Test Answer Sheets for Listening and Reading and prepare some ruled paper on which to write your Writing Task 1 and 2. Also, think of a way to record yourself in the Speaking sub-test. Get a watch, preferably with a timer. Allocate 3 hours of uninterrupted time.
1. Be in a quiet room, put the Listening questions in front of you and start playing the recording. Answer questions as you listen, and write your answers next to the questions in the book.
2. When the recording has finished playing, allocate 10 minutes to transfer all your Listening answers to the Listening Answer Sheet. While you are transferring the answers check for spelling or grammatical errors and if you missed an answer, write your best guess.
3. Put the Reading passages and questions in front of you and set the timer to 60 minutes. Begin reading passages and answering questions. You can write the answers next to the questions or straight on the Answer Sheet. Remember that you don’t get extra time to copy answers to the Answer Sheet, and that when 60 minutes are up all your answers must be written on the Answer Sheet.
4. Put the Writing questions in front of you and set the timer to 60 minutes. Make sure you don’t use more than 20 minutes for Task 1, including proofreading time, and that you don’t use more than 40 minutes for Task 2, with proofreading included.
5. Put the Speaking questions in front of you and begin the interview (remember to record your answer). In section 2 take the whole 1 minute to prepare your speech and make notes, and then try to speak for 2 minutes (set the timer before you start talking).
6. When you have finished the whole test, take some time to rest, as you may be tired and it may be hard for you to concentrate. Then check your answers in the Listening and Reading against the correct ones in the Answer key compare your writing tasks to the Example Writing tasks and your recorded speaking to the example interview. Analyze and learn from any mistakes you may find, and especially notice any problems with time management you may have encountered.
Remember, it is OK to make mistakes while practicing as long as you are learning from them and improving with every test you take.
Good Luck with your Exam Preparation!
