Studying smart is always better to ace your IELTS preparation for a better result!

IELTS being the most favored and widely recognized testing system across the world requires a presentable score to render you suitable for immigration, educational and employment purposes. Especially in English-speaking countries like the UK. It’s not an easy test hereby you should not take it lightly. IELTS for student visa UK and IELTS for skilled worker visa UK is a crucial part of your application. Along with being able to effectively communicate in English, you’ll need to grasp the technicalities of the test to meet the challenging criteria of the IELTS.

Here are some handy tips for a triumphant IELTS attempt with guaranteed higher scoring!

Take an Insight into the Format

First things first, before diving into the study material and guidelines for the IELTS test, you should develop a profound understanding of the format.

Written IELTS or Virtual IELTS – IELTS can either be taken in a written form or on a computer but both tests are taken in verified IELTS services testing centers as defined by the authorities of the country you’re applying for or in UK’s case the Home Office. There are minor differences between paper-based IELTS and computer-based IELTS. Usually, people find it easier to attempt the IELTS on paper due to their reluctance of trusting the technology, however, others find it easier to take the test electronically.

Academic IELTS or General Training IELTS – IELTS for Student Visa UK is usually referred to as academic IELTS, which is necessary if you want to apply for a course in English-language curricular. If you’re applying for immigration you would have to give IELTS general training. Additionally, if you are looking forward to a Skilled Worker Visa UK even then the general training IELTS is for you since it focuses on everyday English skills.

Want more information on the IELTS pattern? Read our IELTS blog for a comprehensive guideline!

Join a Coaching Centre or Find a Tutor

It might appear to you that you’ll be able to grip the preparation material all by yourself, well it does not always work out. So, it’s a good idea to opt for a teaching center or a personal tutor who offers coaching sessions for IELTS services. Taking lessons from an IELTS expert tutor will definitely make a difference! It saves you a lot of time as well as energy. Go for IELTS preparation with Gorings Overseas and other similar institutes so you would not have to bumble through the study material all alone. IELTS coaching services come in convenience with useful tips and tricks for a sure-shot successful attempt. Using a professional’s advice who has experience tutoring IELTS students is always better than trying to piece everything together yourself.

Register yourself to attain a personalized IELTS preparation service at low costs, now!

Explore Everything About the Grading Criteria

The fortune to nail your IELTS for a student visa in the UK and a skilled worker visa in the UK lies in the secret of knowing what an authentic and precise answer looks like. The benchmark of what the IELTS score should be can be weighed with reference to the official IELTS assessment criteria. You need to understand the assessment criteria thoroughly in order to get the grade you’re aiming for. The IELTS components which include subjective answers require special attention and are judged in accordance with the subjective factors. Hereby, even if you take guidance from online study material or other sources just make sure to cross-check their credibility.

The person who requires a band 8 or above would be given the same test as the person who requires a band 5, then how is the test evaluated? You’re likely to get a lot wrong if you do not understand the scoring criterion. Before you finally go for attempting the test you should know what edge you have over getting the answers wrong. For example, if you want to achieve a band 6 in the academic reading test, you only need to gain 23 correct answers out of 40.

Preparation Material

You’ll certainly come across multiple apps, books, websites, and programs for seekers to learn and prepare for the IELTS test. However, their validity and credibility aren’t often known. Hereby, you should only invest in the tools which are worth your while. The first preference for acquiring the material should always be from the IELTS websites or trustworthy coaching centers such as the GoRings overseas IELTS services.

Take Practice Tests

People keep the practice tests for the last moment when they think they are done with the preparation. However, you should make taking practice tests a mandatory part of your routine study sessions. IELTS tests various sets of skills, and these skills are only polished by repeatedly taking tests. Above all, time management requires some additional effort, you have to cover a lot in the 2-and-a-half hours allotted for the IELTS exam. You would have to learn how to smartly move with each minute ticking on the clock.

For instance the listening section of the IELTS, you would have to multitask to accurately manage time. You would have to carefully listen, interpret and make notes all along for being able to answer questions fast and correctly. Practicing listening tests will help you achieve your goal of multitasking for increased time management.

Regularly and repeatedly practicing distinctive sections of the test will help you set a pace for yourself and learn strategic techniques for attempting the test.

Create a Study Timetable

Time flies, and the test date will arrive sooner than you can think of hereby it's important to be well-prepared and well-equipped to score well. You could dedicate 5-6 hours a day or even 5-6 hours to your preparation in a week, what matters is what qualitative time you’re investing in your study sessions. Make sure to stick to your study plans no matter what, for productive results.

If you’re unsure of how much time you should devote to the study schedule, you should assess how much time you take to solve the quest for each part of the test. It is advisable to give an equal amount of time for the preparation of each component but you’re the one who knows their weak points hereby practice them more.

Broaden Your Vocabulary

Expanding the vocabulary is often the biggest obstacle to overcome when progressing from intermediate to proficient level while being a language worker. Enhancing your vocabulary can help you progress in every skill of the IELTS. Vocabulary makes up a quarter percent of the marks in the speaking and writing sections. It also plays a significant role in your ability to grip the reading and listening sections.

Some students simply stick to certain kinds of vocabulary and focus their efforts on that. Nevertheless, this is a pretty risky strategy. After all, the whole point of a test is to be able to attempt unseen and unknown questions. Some of the topics as defined by guess papers etc, do seem to come up more often than others. There are some useful websites and services that predict what questions might come across the tests, such as IELTS Liz.

The key point is that with all topic predictions, you should still not fully rely on them. The only confident thing is that the vocabulary will be diverse whether you’re taking the IELTS Academic or the IELTS General Training. Depending on which version you’re taking, you should focus on either academic English media (ie. journal articles, textbooks) or English for day-to-day use (ie. newspapers, magazines, and business websites).

The Crux

Try to surround and immerse yourself in English as much as you can, this will help you be a pro in all components of the English language. Conversing in English will keep you a step ahead. It will you speak fluently, develop a thorough understanding, and interpret the meaning in a better way. If you inculcate the above-mentioned tips and tricks in your daily study routine, you’d be able to achieve a preferable score easily and in lesser attempts.