English is spoken by more than 13 billion people worldwide, either natively or as a second language. Did you know that India is the second-largest English-speaking nation in the world? Yes!! With more than 10% of our population speaking English, we stand next to the USA. As Indians consider English an essential passport to white-collar jobs, most opt for English medium in schools and colleges. Even with such a vast population speaking English, India has been placed under the "moderate proficiency" group among non-native English-Speaking countries list. The bitter truth is we need to make even the top 30 countries regarding proficiency. Hence, it has become mandatory for people from countries like India to take the IELTS or any other English proficiency exams when moving to English-speaking countries.
In recent years, students who wish to study abroad often hear the word IELTS exam. It has become a big name in the international immigration market. Those who intend to study, work, or immigrate to a new country where English is the primary language take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In the IELTS exam, you are assessed based on your listening, reading, writing and communication skills. Most people take the IELTS exam to move to countries like Australia, Canada, the USA or the UK. The IELTS test has been recognised by more than 11,000 organisations (which include schools, universities, immigration agencies, etc.) throughout the world.
Could we please be clear? IT IS TRUE!!! There is no pass or fail option included in IELTS Exam. Your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills will evaluate you. You will be given scores ranging from 1 to 9 for each category. Your overall score will be based on the average score of the four components. Candidates who take the IELTS exam are expected to score above 7 to consider themselves eligible for migrating. But most Indian students are stuck at 5 or 6. Even after multiple practices and reattempting exams, they still try to understand why they cannot raise their scores. If you are not getting your desired score in the IELTS exam and wonder why you are on the right page. We will list some of the significant factors affecting your band score.
Being non-native speakers of English, the IELTS exam is hard for Indians. Especially if you have completed your higher education in your native language, you will find it extremely difficult. Many of us face considerable difficulty in leaving the essence of our mother tongue in the speaking test of the IELTS exam. If we limit our boundaries to the usage of our mother tongue, it will create a problem. It may restrict you from attaining high band scores in the IELTS exam.
You can clear the IELTS exam quickly without preparation. You must know the IELTS exam criteria to book your IELTS exam within a month. It will lead you to get lower grades. Let's put it in a more understanding way. Will you take your driving test without taking your driving lessons? Will you take a few classes and go for a driving test? Your answer will be "NO" because you know the risks involved. Similar to this car-crash scenario, you are responsible for your IELTS exam score, which will be reflected only through the efforts you put in for it.
"Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results "- Albert Einstein.
Some of you may think that if you keep taking the IELTS test repeatedly, you will get lucky and get a higher score. By doing this, you are just wasting your time and money. This is the biggest mistake which will either make you stick to the previous score or degrades your score of the prior performance. You will end up more frustrated and stressed. Only take the IELTS exam once you are fully prepared.
"Too much of anything is a beginning of a mess" – Dorothy Draper
In today's internet world, many social media channels are dedicated to the IELTS exam and its preparation. It is a waste if you follow many of them and do not apply those scenarios in your preparation. Following and subscribing to many such channels will overwhelm you. With so much Information gathered by spending so much time, you may get conflicting Information from each channel. Your brain may get overloaded with all those Information. This will confuse you and not let you decide what action to take next.
Getting good scores will be easy if you have a clear goal and aim for the IELTS exam. It will help if you plan your study schedule, organised, committed and consistent. Studying for at least 2 hours daily will help you improve your band score. You may find it hard to spend time working or studying full-time if you are a parent. Even if you spend 30 minutes preparing for the IELTS exam, invest it in the best way. You should give 100% of your concentration. Balancing the time between study and other work speaks of your study ethic.
You may have decided to study independently to appear for the IELTS exam. In such a case, you will need to get excellent feedback, if you don't mind. This is one of the giant blocks stopping you from getting the desired results. You need to choose a qualified mentor with experience in preparing students for English exams such as IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge exams, etc. Choosing one-to-one guidance or IELTS group classes can help you tailor your needs and focus on weak areas.
Writing Task 2 takes twice the mark as Writing Task 1 or any other part of the IELTS exam. It is common for us to concentrate on the amount which carries more marks. That does not mean that other elements should be given less concentration. You may get a good score on the Writing task with all the necessary attention you need. But overall band score may be affected if you do not give importance to the remaining charges. You can focus on every module, as the average of all your skills calculates your final score.
You may be thinking of how to improve or achieve a higher band score before taking your IELTS exam. We have listed some easy and essential tips to magnify your chances of getting good scores.
If you can score high in your IELTS exam, you will get more weightage and will have the opportunity to get better work and study opportunities abroad. Here are some of the essential tips while taking each section of the IELTS exam:
You can improve your vocabulary and know the correct pronunciation.
Understand the question clearly and give precise answers.
To summarise, there is no magic formula to perform well on the IELTS test. There are so many essential things that you need to be aware of. Self-study may help you only at a certain level. Please let me know if you like to crack the IELTS exam with the desired band score. To make your international study dreams come true, we have an experienced team of IELTS trainers to direct you on the right path. Contact us if you are looking for IELTS experts to train you!!
