Language/English/Vocabulary/Prepare-IELTS

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How to prepare the IELTS test
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You may be planning to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the most popular and recognized English test in the world.

To achieve a satisfactory result at the IELTS, you must not only have an advanced level in English but also master the techniques necessary to take the test.

In this lesson, we give you important tips.

Preparation time

Before preparing for the IELTS exam, you must be clearly aware of your level in English.

You must understand, and be aware that the process of learning to move from one level to another can take time.

Preparation time may vary depending on your level in English.

Normally, universities require a level between 6.5 and 7 which corresponds to an advanced level.

If you think you are at this level, you can focus on:

  • The structure of the examination that you must know perfectly (the different parts that compose it)
  • The techniques to pass the exam
  • Practicing white exams, or doing simulations, until systematically obtaining the same result

It is preferable that your level is a little higher than what you are asked. This allows you to leave a small margin in case that on the day of the examination, stress and pressure decrease your skills somewhat.

If you think that you do not have the necessary level, we advise you to concentrate at first on your weaknesses, and to work on them.

How to prepare the IELTS exam?

It is VERY important to know the structure of the examination, the different parts that make it up, their durations, as well as the evaluation criteria. Indeed, if you are familiar with the exam and know exactly what the examiners expect from you, then you will be even better able to optimize your review time.

This IELTS page gives you all the information you need about this:

https://www.ielts.org/

preparation before techniques

1- reading : be reader ( you have to read minimum 1 hour per day in order to get ready for reading section .read different books and magazines )

2- listening : listening to English radio and tv ( BBC,CNN, VOA )

3- learn grammar points for writing and speaking

The techniques

For each part of the examination, we suggest the following technique

Part 1 - Listening

Plan

As you read each of the questions (you will have time for that), you can already predict what kind of information you will need for the answer: a date, a number, a name ... This will allow you, Of the dialogue, to more easily recognize the answer you need.

Anticipate

Dialogues (speeches broadcast) usually use a vocabulary different from that used in the context of questions. So try to identify the keywords for each question, and look for synonyms for each of these keywords. Thus, listening to the dialogue, these synonyms will already give you a response track. On the other hand, during the dialogue, certain words will be emphasized: this means that the answer will follow ...

Special Words

In the third part of this test you will hear a professor or an expert develop a specific theme in a speech, at least, formal. In this type of speech, they frequently use special words to introduce their ideas. Words that give order and meaning to their speech such as however, finally, secondly, additional. Use these special words as guides: they warn you that a response element is contained in the following (normally).

Part 2 - Reading

You should limit yourself to 20 minutes for each reading (about 5 minutes for each question). During your exam preparation at home, time. Here are some techniques and tricks for each type of question.

  1. Quickly look at the title of the reading to give you an idea of its contents.
  2. Then, go directly to the questions section. Start with questions that ask for a number, a date, a number ... Elements of answer easy to find in the text.
  3. All questions have keywords that you can highlight. So, afterwards, you can directly search these keywords in the text. Read the information just before and the ones just after: the answer will necessarily be there. If you do not find this keyword, look for a synonym.
  4. In each game, the questions follow the order of playback. In fact, when you find an answer in the text, the answer to the next question should be near, at least, before the end of the paragraph or in the next paragraph.
  5. In the game: True / False / Not given Remember that you have to answer.
    1. False when you can demonstrate the opposite, and therefore the truth, in another answer / question.
    2. Not given when you can not find any related answer in the text
  6. In the part: title - paragraph
    1. Keep this step for the end of the exam. By making the other parts first, this will familiarize you with the elements of each paragraph. This will make it easier for you to identify the main idea of each paragraph and find the corresponding title.
    2. In the instructions it is always said whether you should use a title for each paragraph or if you can use the same title more than once. In the first case, strip the title once used: this will allow you to no longer have to reread it ... or will prevent you from using it again by mistake.

Part 3 - Writing

Task 1

You must allow 20 minutes to write your essay of at least 150 words. The answer should be structured as follows

  • A small introduction: you can paraphrase the information that is given next to the figure to be analyzed (a graph, a diagram, a map ...)
  • The general idea: write a short paragraph that sums up the most important of what you have to analyze. Describe general trends. If you do not take the time to write this paragraph, you will lose points.
  • Specific details: In this paragraph, you will have to highlight and compare the main differences and similarities that emerge from the figure to be analyzed. You can also select and describe the key points, and do not forget to add numbers and numbers that reflect the most significant changes.

Note: As part of a diagram that describes a process, you must go back through each step of this process.

  • Conclusion: write a simple sentence that describes the figure to be analyzed or, more precisely, a sentence that summarizes what you wrote in the "general idea" section.

Task 2

You will need about 40 minutes to write a test of at least 250 words.

Important: Reserve at least 5 minutes to write (to draft) the plan of your essay, identify your position, your arguments and ideas that support your position and your conclusion. If you write too quickly what comes to you (directly on the sheet), your essay will be incoherent and will not answer perfectly all the parts of the question.

Questions relating to this test may be of three types (described below).

You must know each type of question beforehand in order to help you, on the day of the exam, to identify the one that best suits you and to help you know how to answer it.

A. Problem / solution

question about the cause / effects of a situation

  • Introduction: describe the problem and its effects
  • Paragraph 2: the causes of the problem
  • Paragraph 3: possible solutions to this problem
  • Conclusion: the possible results following the application of these solutions
B. Opinion

a question of how much you agree or disagree with the theme

  • Introduction: describe your position in relation to the theme
  • Paragraph 2 and paragraph 3: the arguments that support your position
  • Conclusion: You must always agree with the position taken in the introduction, and do not add any additional arguments in the conclusion
C. Discussion

the advantages and disadvantages of certain situations

  • Introduction: describe your position in relation to the theme
  • Paragraph 2: the arguments that support your position
  • Paragraph 3: the arguments against
  • Conclusion: Again, you must always agree with the position taken in the introduction, and do not add any additional arguments in the conclusion

Getting a good grade in this part of the exam depends on your position in relation to the assessment criteria. I therefore recommend that you read these evaluation criteria carefully.

Note: these structures (plans for your test) are only recommendations.

Part 4 - Speaking

In this part of the exam, the examiners will focus on your ability to communicate and discuss in English.

During the interview, you will be able to be assessed on your abilities to:

  • Give personal information
  • Give impersonal information
  • Express a preference
  • Express an opinion
  • Compare
  • Summarize
  • Explain
  • Correct errors
  • Suggest
  • Justify an opinion
  • Analyse

Videos


Recommended tools

Books

Websites

References

https://www.ielts.org/

https://www.quora.com/Which-book-is-the-best-for-IELTS-self-preparation

https://www.mosalingua.com/blog/2015/07/21/conseils-pour-preparer-examen-ielts/

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