How to pass IELTS with the highest score. Self-preparation for IELTS: how to pass the Ielts exam, is it difficult to pass?

It's worth starting with the fact thatIELTSis a truly fair test that honestly shows the level of English. This is both good and bad news at the same time, that is, you don’t need to worry about failing the test if you are sure that you know the language and at the same time you won’t cheat ( I really want it).

I took the test in December 2015 in Kyiv and my result: L. 6.5, R. 7.0,W. 6.0, S . 7.0. The result is 6.5, that is AT 2. On the whole, I am pleased with the result, since this is my real, unembellished result, although I was hoping for 7.0, but first things first:

TIP 1: Register need a little more than in 1 month(I missed these deadlines and therefore handed it over in December, and not at the end of November as I wanted). There is no need to bring or send photos ( they take pictures there, which is unfortunate).

TIP(S) 2: Get Started prepare as early as possible, but it’s better to start intense training 1-2 months in advance (I mean go through some parts of the practice tests every day), otherwise everything will go out of your head.

So, first you need to buy trial testsIELTS(or download on torrents, or you can rummage through VKontakte documents) and go throughListening And Reading, to understand what the starting point is. It’s just important not to deceive yourself, that is, if the correct word is written in the answer, but there is at least one mistake (for example, instead of e costsi), then this no longer counts! I was cunning because I thought that over time such errors would disappear, but this is not at all true (there will always be words that you don’t remember how to spell correctly). During preparation, I went through almost 3 test books, which was the best preparation.

But after the 1st test, I realized that I read worse than I perceive by ear (which was big news). That's why I started reading books in English. Originals. I did this on the siteLingualeo (it was convenient for me that there was an immediate translation of unfamiliar words, but there were, of course, incorrect translations). At first it was very difficult, since I had only read adapted tests before (besides, I started withJ. Austen “ Pride and Prejudice"), but after that everything began to improve and a month later I can say that I began to read faster.

Listening: I listened TedTalk1 video every day and watched all TV series and films with English subtitles (this also helped improve Reading skills).

Writing: I watched the videoEngvid. There is a video for preparationIELTSand also grammatical rules and an explanation of how to correctly construct complex sentences. At the end of the book with sample tests there are examples of essays, although mostly they present complex texts with a grade of about 8.0 and above. But you can read and highlight interesting sentence structures and auxiliary words (although I’m not much of a help with this, since I only have 6.0 myself).

Speaking: I, probably, like almost everyone else, was more worried about this part, because I spoke ugly. Although I tried to pronounce answers to typical questions from this section, it turned out poorly, with pauses. And what helped me most, again, was reading books and watching TV series. By the way, you can start withFriends. By the end of season 10, their typical turns of phrase remain in my head forever, helping to create the impression of a casual conversation.

VKontakte has another application English language, where it is convenient to practice words. Particularly useful collections not by topic, but with regular titles Verbs, Nouns, etc., since it contains words that can be used both in writing and during conversation (you definitely need to know the words circumstances and consequences, because they are complex and fit everywhere) (joke).

I was also watching YouTube-channel Crash Course. There are videos on various topics: history, biology, economics, etc. Made informative and humorous. And it’s beautiful, which is very important!

TIP 3: My Speakingwas a week before the exam (as I understand, they only give it to those who come from another city on the day of the exam). I was terribly worried, but everything went fine. The examiner was polite, but he quickly read the rules (no big deal, because I knew them) and the questions (which was worse, because I had to grasp the meaning and start answering at the same time without constructing a future thought in my head). That's why it's important to be very careful! By the way, the examiner was simply amazing at making an interested expression on his face and nodding. In part 2 I came across a topic Movie(hurray! it’s not difficult) and talked about the film by Lars von Trier. So while I was telling it, it seemed to me that he also loved this film and knew that it was a Danish director and a film about a small village, gangsters and human nature (although if I were talking about a fictional film without a title, then he would probably think so you should have listened to me). This is a huge plus! It helps because you relax and just talk.

TIP 4: The exam took place in a hotel conference room Cosmopolitan in Kyiv. I came early, which was a big mistake! Although there were those who arrived before me (even many people), registration began only after 20 minutes, my turn reached me after 35 minutes, and in the hall before the start I sat for a very long time and was already tired of waiting. As a result, the exam began 1.5 times later than the stated time. And there were a lot of people ( more than 100 people).

TIP 5: Do not panic! DuringListening I listened to 1 word and was confused (that's why 6.5, not 7.0). I knew this too, but I couldn’t pull myself together. In the end, my best section was the last one (who would have thought?).

TIP 6: Everyone says that you don’t need to read entire texts. It's a waste of time. You need to scan and look for keywords. In my opinion: this is a lie! Because the text and the question never contain the same words (the only thing they have in common is the meaning or idea). In addition, tasks where you need to choose a title for a paragraph or say what the author had in mind (Yes, No, NG), it’s impossible to do without reading, because the first sentence is not always about the main idea of ​​the paragraph (by the end the speech may go in a different direction). That's why need to read quickly! Reading books at home helps with this.

TIP 7: Writing essays should be brought to automaticity, otherwise there won't be enough time. For example, I only had time to figure out whether I had written enough words (so that there would be no fine for this), but did not have time to re-read what I had written. In addition, the timer is very confusing (although you know a bad dancer...).

TIP 8: When you take the result, don't forget your passport or at least right! I didn’t think about it and went 2 times ( and I thought there would be a piece of paper with security stickers with fingerprints or something else, but there’s nothing special there, just a lot of numbers, which is what makes it valuable)

Why take IELTS?

Typically, IELTS is taken to enter a university abroad, obtain a visa or work abroad. I was not interested in all this, I took an exam to confirm my level of language knowledge - not only the points, but also the level of English are written on the issued certificate. Look, the table below shows the correspondence of English levels according to the International European Framework of Reference (CEFR) to IELTS scores (red on the right).

Also, an English teacher who has passed IELTS can prepare students for this exam with a clear conscience. Of course, you can prepare for IELTS without a certificate, but with experience everything is better than without. Having experienced what it’s like first hand, it’s easier to predict difficulties, help plan time during the exam and psychologically prepare the student.

How to prepare for IELTS teacher

Pay attention to the teacher! It is better for a language learner to study in a group or individually. You can, of course, do it yourself - but only with a high level of self-organization and if you have free time, solo preparation will definitely eat up more time than classes with an experienced teacher.

Since I already have knowledge of English at the C1 level after university, I also have international exams, and the exam is already not cheap - 14,000 rubles for candidates taking it in Moscow (this argument, perhaps, should have been indicated first), I decided to prepare myself. Helped me in preparation:

• test collections

• sites with examples of letters and essays (, and here)
• YouTube channels for IELTS preparation (search for yourself, there are many of them!)

I prepared for a month (registered for the exam in early August, the exam took place on September 9, 2017) in a relaxed manner - about three hours a week to familiarize myself with the format and execution strategies and five to six hours a week for practice tests (I only managed to solve the above three benefits). Total, about 30 hours of preparation.

I chose the General Module, which is taken by about a quarter of all IELTS candidates. The rest choose Academic. Why did I take an unpopular module? You probably already learned that the “expiration date” of the certificate is 2 years. Therefore, I decided to try my luck with the General Module, and then, two years later, having gotten better at preparing, I also took the academic module, so that I would definitely deserve it!

To take the exam, I chose the BKC center, where I had already taken it before. And I would advise you to take it in a well-known center, because it’s an unfamiliar company, which - hooray! - offers to take IELTS cheaper, it may well turn out to be a company that takes money from the population in a relatively honest manner.

Registration

After the registration procedure and submission of documents (I scanned all the papers and sent them electronically to BKC - convenient, no need to waste time and money on travel), a letter is sent to your email with confirmation of registration, instructions and a link to the training platform with information about the exam. I looked it over, it’s good for general development.

3 days before the exam, a letter arrives with information about the location of the written and oral parts (they are taken in different places and at different times). When registering, you select the exact date for the IELTS written part - this is the official exam date, and the oral date is announced shortly before the exam itself. Please note that the oral part may take place 3 days before/after the written part. I was lucky - I passed all the parts in one day.

Written part

The written part took place at the Borodino Hotel on Krasnoselskaya. Registration for the exam begins an hour (for me it was from 9.00-10.00) before the start (at 10.00). All your belongings must be left outside the classroom. You are only allowed to take a bottle of water with you without a label. Necessary stationery supplies are provided. I didn’t feel well that day, so I needed pills. They are allowed to be carried, but only in a napkin; tablets in the package are perceived as a potential threat to the fair passing of the exam. A chocolate or energy bar that you want to swallow alive by the end of the action of the exam is not. A watch (even mine, given as a gift 15 years ago, certainly without any fancy technology) – no. But in the classroom, the clocks are projected onto the board, so they are not really needed. Plus, they constantly remind you how much time is left until the end of the section.

The exam procedure takes 3+ hours. You can go to the toilet during the exam, but it’s such a shame to waste time that I advise you to visit this place before entering the classroom.

As you probably already know, the written part consists of:

1. Listening (50 minutes)
2. Readings (60 minutes)
3. Letters (60 minutes)

Sign up for listening, contrary to the sad reviews on the Internet, you can hear it well. It’s so good that neither the rustling of pages, nor the chewing of pencils and nails by the other 80 people near you (yes, there were 80 of them! I specifically counted the number of candidates) disturbs you. And I heard everything except section 3, where my least favorite task was this type:

Only all options A - G were suspiciously similar = (While the recording was playing, I got lost, panicked and decided to write down what I heard on the question form (yes, you can write and even draw on the question form) in the hope of later understanding the correct answer. Alas, after playing recording, I was unable to remember the information missing for the correct answer, so it’s better to mark the options during the listening process. Section 3 went in a blur, the total for Listening was 7.5 points, alas... Although the samplers consistently scored 8.5 for me.

Reading There was always my cup of tea, I finished it in 30 minutes and, pleased with myself, began checking the answers. During the verification process, I found 3 errors and corrected them. Result – 9 points.

Chapter Writing it was also light. Task 1– letter of complaint, where you had to complain that the online store sent the wrong product. I learned the phrases for writing slander, so all that remained was to transform them to suit my needs, and I easily completed the task in 20 minutes.

Task 2– I came across an essay like “discuss both opinions and give your point of view” on the topic “Students must do charity work while studying.” I sketched out an outline, noted some sample vocabulary, and, pleased with myself (and the easy topic), began writing. I’m writing to myself, thinking about what beautiful and clever phrases I’m inserting and... 10 minutes before the end of the written part, I understand that I’m writing on a different topic - Students must work while studying, but in a fit of euphoria I forgot about charity...

10 minutes before the end, I erased one paragraph (they offer a choice of pen or pencil for writing, I definitely recommend a pencil - the corrections look neater) and corrected the conclusion, adding about charity... but I still understood that in the remaining paragraphs the deviation from the topic was noticeable. Result – 8 points (expected 7).

After the written part, I was dissatisfied with myself, became dissatisfied with fast food and went to the venue for the IELTS speaking part.

Oral part

Speaking rented out at the BKC center on Akademicheskaya, their office there was so-so - the room where those waiting were sitting was stuffy and small. They examined everyone surprisingly quickly - my response time was 16.40, they invited me at 16.30. There were three examiners; Karen, a native speaker from the UK, spoke with me. She was very sweet and pleasant, complimented my T-shirt with a unicorn, and smiled and encouraged me throughout the exam. And I relaxed so much that I began to say whatever came to mind.

IN task 1 there were questions: Where do you live? Describe that place. What do you like about the place where you live? Do you spend a lot of time at home? What do you do when at home? What did you love doing at home as a child!? What are favorite pastime activities for teenagers? What do you think about teenage sense of fashion?

So I answered them as God bestowed on me - I didn’t care about argumentation, about linking words and abstruse expressions (in short, I didn’t care about strategies). Moreover, the examiner smiled so sweetly that I imagined myself to be a star... And then for this I blamed myself after the exam =)

IN task 2 there was a card with the following topic:

What kind of a leisure activity club would you introduce into your hometown?

• What would it be
• Where would it be
• What can you do there

Explain why it is important to have such places in your town

She finished speaking before the allotted two minutes, which became clear from the examiner’s face - she began to nod, saying, continue. I had already run out of ideas, but since I had to continue, in the remaining time (15 seconds) I simply rephrased what I had already said.

By the way, a minute is given to prepare for this task and the examiner offers a piece of paper and a pen to draw up an answer diagram. I advise everyone not to give up on them, to sketch out a rough answer plan and cool words that you must remember to include. Because in a stressful situation, everything can fly out of your head, and the exam is so expensive that retaking it due to your stress tolerance is a luxury.

IN task 3 developed the topic indicated on the card, I was asked the following questions:

1. Are leisure activities becoming more technologized?
2. Should parents restrict screen time for their kids?
3. Are there more outside or inside activities nowadays?
4. Who must provide public activities for people?
5. How can government learn what kinds of activities people need?
6. Are extreme sports good or bad?

Again, I reacted carelessly to the answers to them, inspired by the opportunity to express my point of view in English, and even in front of a native speaker! And without thinking that the lesson time will end soon, and here I am chatting for my own pleasure and wasting the student’s precious time =)

For this part I deservedly received 7 points (I expected 7.5-8).

In Moscow (I don’t know about other regions, but I think this service should be available in regional centers) you can take the IELTS test.

This mock exam seems super useful to me, because it gives you the opportunity to understand how you will behave in the exam, analyze and correct your behavior in a stressful situation (hence, pass the exam a point or half a point higher).

I have come to the conclusion for myself that at the next exam in the “listening” section I will listen more carefully and immediately write down the answers, without relying on memory. And don’t let yourself panic if I don’t hear something. On writing - to clearly think through the topic and make sure that I am thinking in the right direction, and perhaps it makes sense to first write an essay, for which they give more points. In speaking, don’t get carried away with self-expression and follow the IELTS format more clearly.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to look into a parallel universe and understand - would a trial exam help me if I took it? I think it would help, but who knows...

results

Exam results are available on the 13th day after passing online within 15 days. Great, you don’t have to worry about waiting)

After this, we receive a certificate from the center. For an additional fee (about 1,500 rubles), additional copies of the certificate are made if they are required by the university or employer.

After the exam, I expected that I would pass IELTS at 7.5 - 8, so Band 8, taking into account all my “jambs,” even made me happy.

Now I will write articles about preparing for each part of the exam and preparing students for IELTS.

To all those preparing and preparing for IELTS - good luck in the exam!

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a serious British test that is accepted at IELTS centers around the world. You have to take this test in many cases: when applying for a relevant job, for admission to study at many universities around the world, for emigrating to Australia.

1. Never panic.

If you feel like your nerves are on edge, take a deep breath and exhale slowly, counting to ten. You should be relaxed when answering an exam because your brain works more efficiently when you are not under stress. Set yourself up to the fact that passing this test is a quick and exciting process, fill yourself with only positive emotions.

2. Remember that this test is not just about testing your English language skills.

It simultaneously tests the level of development of your logic and intelligence, evaluates your standard and non-standard thinking in a variety of situations. Even in the simplest topics for dialogue, there are bound to be tricky questions that can confuse you.

For example, when I took IELTS, I was at first happy that of the proposed topics there was one surprisingly easy one - FAMILY.

But as soon as questions started pouring in about the problems of divorce proceedings and children in single-parent families, I fell into a slight shock, so the third commandment:

3. Don't be afraid to fantasize plausibly.

Show how you can talk, fantasize, communicate about everything. When presenting a topic or engaging in dialogue, you should appear very confident, even if you are not very well prepared. When answering, use as many introductory words and phrases as possible, which will give you time to organize your thoughts. For example, such as:

I wounder if - interesting...
As for me - as for me
From my point of view - from my point of view
I’d like to say that - I would like to say that...

4. Do not write the expected answers to all questions on the sheet.

If in a SPEAKING exam you are given a card with a list of questions and given two minutes to think about it with a pencil and a rough draft in your hand, then you should not write down the expected answers to all the questions on the paper.

Briefly note down all the questions and return the card to the examiner. The importance of this point is that in the process of answering you may forget half of the key questions and, accordingly, will not answer them. This will be a big minus! Even if you have time to briefly write the answers to half of the questions, you still won’t be able to read them easily and naturally (as in a conversation), you will still have to connect and intertwine them. Therefore, if you have a list of questions in front of you, then by looking at it, you will have a better chance of answering them better, more accurately, without missing a single question.

5. WRITING. Do not strive to write more than established standards.

The more you write, the more mistakes you can make. The main thing is to slightly exceed the minimum standard! You may lose a point for an unfinished word!

The plan should be something like this: Letter (150-160 words) = introduction (30-40), body (80), conclusion (30-40). Essay (250-260 words) = introduction (50-60), body (150), conclusion (40-50).

6. Do not write entire texts in draft.

It's better to sketch out a plan. If writing a letter seems like a simple task to you, then according to the plan, start writing from a draft straight to the final copy (or you risk not meeting it on time). If the organizers provide for writing essays and letters in pencil, then forget about the draft (make only a plan on it) and write in the final version, this can save you up to 10 minutes of time that you would need to rewrite and check the final version.

7. Important: do not “spread water”, especially in writing.

Clearly address ABSOLUTELY all the questions and problems raised. There are entire paragraphs of standard phrases, which, having memorized, you can automatically write half of the required volume, for example, a standard introduction, greeting, gratitude, complaint, etc. Be sure to stick to the style (formal or informal). Write a paragraph in pencil, count the number of words and mark it in the margins so you know how much more you need to write. As soon as you write a letter, immediately write an essay. You will check it later with a “fresh head”.

8. WRITING. We are writing an essay.

If you are stumped about how to start, then start smartly. Rephrase the essay topic in other words (reflect the same meaning without rewriting the text from the title!). And make a half-conclusion (I agree with the statement, I disagree, the question is controversial...). From this it will be possible to deftly push off in the main part.

In the main part we generously provide examples: reasoning, personal experience. Forget about honesty! The main thing is to write believably and so that you like it from all sides (grammatical structures, vocabulary, spelling...). Conclusion - a general conclusion from what has been written.

The main thing: - The topic must be disclosed. - Grammar is as simple as possible, but don’t get carried away with the primitive. Write your sentences briefly, but not monosyllabically, and clearly.

9. READING. Don’t put your logic on the far shelf here.

Get ready for the fact that all the questions here will be confusing, and even if you come across a piece of text written word for word as in a question, it is not a fact that this sentence will contain the correct answer! It just doesn’t happen here! Traps are placed in the most unpredictable places.

The main recommendation is to go through all the questions from beginning to end, thus answering all the simple questions. Don’t sit on complex questions for a long time; it’s better to come back to them after some time! Even if you don’t know the answer at all, be sure to check the box for good luck.

10. The golden rule of the test is not to dwell on one task for an inordinately long time.

Manage your time without wasting time on your main business! This is especially important for LISTENING. If you fiddle with one question, you risk missing the next ones. No one will repeat anything to you. If you feel that you cannot answer a question, leave it, forget about it, accept the loss and quickly move on to finding the next answer!

The maximum score that can be obtained for this English proficiency exam is 9. The minimum score that a student needs to enter a British university is 6.5. I passed IELTS Academic with 8 points and I want to tell you how I did it.

IELTS is an exam whose results are accepted primarily by British universities. In 2010, I seriously considered enrolling in the Master of Communications program at the University of the Arts, London. I didn’t have two million rubles for study and living expenses, but I believed that I would receive a scholarship. The opportunity was indeed very likely, and the prospect of hanging out in London for a year was enticing, so I decided to start with the most time-consuming stage - taking IELTS. I’ll say right away that I entered the master’s program, but didn’t have time to get a scholarship, so I had to abandon the whole idea. But I don’t regret it: having instead gone to the Fashion Magazine Business summer school at the university’s fashion college, I realized how pointless additional media education in Britain is from a practical point of view.

What you need to pass IELTS

Iron motivation. Taking IELTS simply to prove your English proficiency is pointless. This is a rather specific exam that focuses on mastery of academic vocabulary, the ability to write research essays and read scientific literature. In addition, like all exams, IELTS is paid and its certificate is valid for two years, but you will prepare for it from a month to six months. Too unjustified a waste of resources for a check mark on the list of achievements, no?

Awareness of the ultimate goal. You should know what grades are accepted by the university you want to enroll in. I expected to pass the exam with 6.5 points, but when I wrote this goal on my vision board, I thought: “What, I’m not going to pass with a 7?” And then I thought a little more and decided: “Why waste time on trifles! I wish I could pass IELTS with 8 points!” That’s what I wrote, although I didn’t take it seriously. Three months later, when I saw the result of my test in the online service, I literally jumped out of my chair - my surprise was so great. This was another amazing incident in my life when the power of visualization worked wonders (the first time this happened was when I printed out the first photo of a sewing machine from the Internet and pinned it to the board, and after a while my mother accidentally bought this particular model for home. But this is not as impressive as an IELTS score of 8, which is why I don't tell this story often).

Rigid system. I don’t know how things are with other exams, but IELTS is a test that assesses not students’ ability to be creative, but their ability to use long-established patterns. There are a lot of such patterns in IELTS: you need to analyze a text according to specific rules, you need to write an essay using certain vocabulary, while listening to audio you need to pay attention to previously known features. It is even advisable to speak the way the examiner wants to hear. In general, IELTS is a clear system that you won’t be able to understand the first time. If you want to do well in this exam, don't rely on your English skills. Most likely, your level will not be enough for you, unless you have already read a mountain of scientific research in English and defended a diploma in economic sciences in Britain. Otherwise, you will have to prepare, and not just leaf through a couple of books and do a dozen tests, but systematically: regularly, practicing the same canons, delving into what the examiners want to get from you.

Attending courses. I'm not a fan of courses, but in this case I simply cannot deny their benefits. I attended a special IELTS preparation program at the BKC language school, which took three months with classes three times a week. The most important thing that the course gave me was understanding the pitfalls during the exam and eliminating the need to rush between textbooks, not knowing which one is best. Well, the feeling that I just know English badly.

Decent English. The level at which it makes sense to take IELTS is intermediate or even upper intermediate (you can determine what level you are at, for example). With a lower level, you will simply spend too much effort and time on extracurricular material during preparation and will be confused in the exam. I took IELTS in my final year of university, during which I had virtually no English seminars. However, my school specialized in languages, so upon graduation I had a confident upper-intermediate, and then for four years I simply tried not to forget what I had “acquired through back-breaking labor.” As a result, it was difficult for me when preparing for the exam, since, as it turned out, I had forgotten some language nuances and lost my vocabulary. IELTS courses do not teach English: they only teach how to compose yourself and quickly navigate the exam and what special vocabulary you need to master. Of course, if the teacher sees that most of the group does not know some complex tenses or the use of prepositions, he can quickly write down the main points on the board. But otherwise, your bad English will only be your problem and the problem of your family, because you will sit over books at night.

Books. The principle “less is more” applies here. Choose one good textbook and go through it carefully. Its author most likely took care to consistently talk about all the features of IELTS and give tips on the main blocks of vocabulary. If you carefully complete each task proposed by the author, you will certainly have the necessary base. I studied using the book and workbook New Insight into IELTS by Vanessa Jakeman and Lare McDowell, honestly bought at a bookstore. But if you want to download them for free, try doing so on a root tracker.

Examples of tests. But here, on the contrary, the more, the better. Just don't try to master the basics for IELTS with them, because tests are only a way to check whether you have understood the textbook tips well, and an opportunity to highlight common "gotchas".

How I prepared

In total, it took me about three to four months to prepare for IELTS. Three times a week in the evenings I went to courses, and between them I studied at home. My training (there is no other way to describe it) consisted of reading texts from a textbook, listening to audio, describing charts about the dynamics of global warming, the gender and age structure of Internet users in Britain, forecasting rising oil prices, and also writing a two-page essay on the importance of motivation or the harm of public reprimands in companies. I filled a large notebook, and some of its pages were completely occupied by lists of introductory phrases or words characterizing the increase or decrease of some phenomenon. What is important is that I filled out the notebook not randomly, but in segments - a writing block separately, a speaking block separately, and this part contains useful words for each of the topics that may appear in the exam. Such a clear distribution helped me a lot when, a couple of days before the exam, I needed to brush up on the work of the first months. I laid out the most important pages from my notebook in photo album, so that you can also look at and remember the vocabulary, necessary figures of speech and phrases for logical oral and written statements.

About halfway through the course, I had already learned to guess what word should stand in place of a space in a listening task, which points of the text would later be touched upon by questions, and what essay structure should be followed when discussing the reasons for the low performance of individual children. I also learned the basic rules for working with each stage of the exam. I will briefly share them with you.

• You first need to read the text without stopping, then study the tasks for it, and then read it again, highlighting logical blocks, underlining words that fit the gaps and noting points that can be understood in two ways in tasks like “true or false.”
• When listening to an audio recording, it is useful to immediately make something like a transcript, writing down the most significant numbers, details and key words for context. If some words are not clear, it is important not to panic and try to catch them the second time.
• When working on a written assignment, you must first determine which essay structure will be optimal in this case. The logic of presentation depends on this, which the examiner will definitely pay attention to. You can jot down a list of words that fit the topic on paper and cross them out as you use them in the text. The use of various introductory constructions, words that connect parts of a sentence and express the author’s personal attitude is highly encouraged. Looking ahead, I will say that for the writing stage of IELTS I received 7.5 points - this would be enough to enroll in a master's program in journalism at a British university.
• During a conversation with an examiner as part of a speaking block, you must remember that the interlocutor does not evaluate what you say. He cares about how you do it. Therefore, when preparing my oral mini-speech, I was even ready to sacrifice the truth or my own opinion if it was more convenient for me to tell a different version. After all, who cares what I think about rising sea levels, as long as I have a good command of vocabulary about pollution and can logically move from that topic to the topic of social inequality, which I have a better command of.

How I took IELTS

It takes almost the entire day to pass the exam. The hardest thing was getting up at six in the morning and, having arrived at the place, waiting for the start. It’s almost impossible to bring something into the audience, and I didn’t even try. I felt that I was well prepared and watched with curiosity the other exam participants, most of whom were school graduates. During the reading block, I sometimes even had a few seconds to glance sideways at my neighbor at my desk. He was clearly panicking, and it was clear that he did not know the "matrix code" because he rushed from one task to another and behaved inconsistently. I did everything very quickly and was one of the first to leave the audience, feeling views. I remember the rest of the exam very vaguely. Only the word coach (“couch”) was clearly imprinted in my memory, which was one of the key words in listening. I hesitated for a long time whether I had misheard, but the context about the car museum still hinted.

It's funny that up until now I still doubt whether the word coach is translated exactly like that (and not as “coach” or “bus”, for example). However, my doubts did not play any role during the audition, because IELTS does not test language proficiency. It tests how well you can adapt and play by the given rules. And although I passed the exam with 8 points and can write a text about the state of the Russian shoe market for work, working last spring in an African reserve and selling bags of giraffe food to tourists, I periodically experienced language difficulties. I believe that this was due to fatigue and the terrible Danish-Dutch accent of the South Africans, but the fact that my English is still not perfect is for sure.

Set realistic and achievable goals. To achieve a satisfactory overall score, you need to be realistic. If the goal is to achieve a certain level of English proficiency, success can only be achieved with a lot of practice. Before you set your goal, it is important to know what an IELTS score in any of the subtests entails.

Stick to a regular study plan. Allow as many hours as possible to practice all four subtests. Don't focus only on your weak points. Be regular in your practice, and allow yourself to rest between tasks. Set aside at least one day a week to relax and completely forget about the test. The secret to success is to pursue your goal slowly, steadily and regularly. Always and everywhere take every opportunity to listen to English. Watch TV programs and movies, listen to radio programs, educational audios and even songs in English. Talk to native English speakers as often as possible, and practice English often with your friends who speak English as a second language. Try to read texts in English at least once a day. You should always be in the process of reading books in English - one or two pages every night before bed is a great plan. Read newspapers, magazines and novels suitable for your level of English (available in good language bookstores). Academic examination candidates should purchase academic papers if possible. Always have English texts with you so that you can read when you have free time that might otherwise be wasted. Don't worry if you don't understand every word. Read some articles in detail, some for speed.

Increase your speed. In the IELTS test, time is your enemy. Candidates who take the test and do not do as well as they had hoped often complain that they were unable to answer all the questions in the Listening section because the audio recording speed was too fast and that they did not have enough time to complete the test. Reading test. Let's start with the fact that you don't have to worry if you don't finish all the tasks. Please remember that the test uses a 9-point scale to assess English language skills, with 0 indicating that the test was not attempted. Candidates with near-perfect English can expect a 9, but even native English speakers are unlikely to answer every question perfectly in the Listening section or finish the questions in the Reading section well before the allotted time. Remember that the test is designed to be difficult. The IELTS test measures many aspects of your English ability, including the speed at which you listen, read, write, speak and think in English. Your personal speed is not something that can change greatly in one day, but something that will change significantly over a longer period of time as a result of practice in working on the English language. Your personal speed and skill in the 5 areas mentioned earlier is fairly fixed at any given time. The official IELTS Overall results you receive are extremely accurate as each test is extensively tested to achieve standardized results for candidates at all levels of English. However, there are of course many things you can do before and on test day that will help you make the most of your time and give you the best opportunity for success. Consider the following situation: Even though a racing car cannot go faster than its designed top speed, the race can still be won and its top speed can be maintained for a longer period of time if an experienced driver is behind the wheel. Listening, Reading and Writing tasks are given in that order and are usually completed on the same day. The total amount of time spent on passing the test is 2 hours 30 minutes. (Speaking is held at a separately designated time in the afternoon). There is only one short break between Reading and Listening throughout the entire exam, so you must be at your best for a long period of time, and this is why you must sleep and eat well before the test begins. The tips and guidelines in this article should help you achieve your "top speed". The more effort you put in, the faster you will reach your top speed.

Work on your reading speed. The faster and more accurately you read, the more questions you will be able to answer. The tests themselves, instructions, examples and questions should be quickly read and studied well in order to have more time to find answers. This will have a beneficial effect on your overall reading speed.

Develop your memory. In the Reading test, it is important to remember as much as possible of what you just read, but at least the words can be read again. However, in Listening, you can't make multiple attempts or postpone the task until later, since the audio recording only plays once. If the answer comes before the keywords/phrases, your ability to remember what you just heard is even more important. However, the answer typically follows the keywords/phrases you hear and is close in timing to the top keywords/phrases you hear.

Managing time wisely: Listening. The audio recording is played only once, and you will have to answer questions as you listen. Time is thus managed for you, but you have a short period of time after each section to check your work. Don't waste this time transferring your answers onto the answer sheet because you will have 10 minutes at the end of the test in which to do this. Reading. The allotted time is usually given to complete each of the three sections of the test. Keep track of the time as you progress through the Reading test and after completing each set of questions. Once the allotted time is up, stop answering questions. Move on to the next group of questions even if you haven't finished the previous ones. If you don't do this, you probably won't answer all the questions you could. Remember that you alone are responsible for the correct timing of the Reading subtest.

IELTS Golden Rule: The golden rule is "Always give the monkey what he asks for." If a monkey asks for a banana, you should give it a banana, not an apple. In other words, your answer to the question should contain exactly what is required of you. You must be confident enough in the information that is being asked of you in the form of an answer, and what you must do with that information in order to give an accurate answer. You may think this tip is too simple to be worth remembering. It may seem obvious that you should do what is asked of you and give the answers that you are asked to give. However, failure to remember and apply the Golden Rule is one of the main reasons why candidates do not score as much as they think they should. Read the questions carefully. Determine the type of information that is required from you: Is the method of transportation the answer? ... Human? ... place? ... number? Knowledge gives you a better chance of giving the correct answer. Know what you should do with the information: Does it require you to complete a sentence or fill in missing words in a sentence? If this is the case, your answers should therefore be grammatically correct within the given sentence. Should you provide an answer that has a word limit? If yes, then your answer should not exceed the maximum number of words allowed. Are you required to name two points that you heard in the audio recording or found in the text of the article? If so, then your answer should only contain these two points; three points would be incorrect. Always know exactly what type of information you have to give and what you need to do with it.

Read the instructions carefully: Candidates who do not carefully read or listen to instructions think they are saving time, but instructions contain important information that must be understood in order to answer correctly. The instructions may contain information about the topic of the section that can help you predict what you will hear or read. The instructions will tell you what to do, what answer to give, and, in the case of the Listening test instructions, they will tell you when to answer. It is important to read the instructions quickly and accurately. You may not have enough time to complete the assignments if you read the explanation information too slowly.

Always look at examples: The example is given to you for a reason. It is very important to read and/or listen to the examples carefully. Some candidates believe they can save time by skipping examples. This is mistake. If you don't know how to give an answer, you will likely give the wrong answer or the right answer in the wrong form. The examples will tell you three important things about the task: 1. How to answer questions correctly, 2. What information to expect in Listening or Reading, 3. When to start listening or where to start reading to find the answers.

Use keywords to find the answer: keywords or key phrases in questions can help you find answers. This is true for both Listening and Reading. First, you must determine what word or phrase you should hear in the audio or look for in the text section. There can be more than one keyword or key phrase in a question, and they can be placed before or after the answer.

Check before the end of the test.

Remember to make logical guesses: In Reading, if you are having trouble with questions in a particular section, you should leave a minute or so at the end of each allotted time period for that section (usually 20 minutes) to guess the questions that can be guessed. In Listening, you will have a one-minute pause at the end of each section. Candidates who forget to make a logical guess on questions they cannot otherwise answer are not giving themselves any chance of earning any points at all!

Are your answers grammatically correct? Although not all words and phrases given as answers to questions in Listening or Reading need to be grammatically correct, you can often work out the correct answer using your knowledge of grammar. When selecting an answer, always consider its grammatical acceptability before making a final decision. This is especially true for the following types of assignments: Short answer assignments All table/diagram/chart/note completion assignments Sentence completion assignments Fill-in-the-blank assignments. Verb forms, plural forms, and other grammatical forms can be important when you answer Reading or Listening tasks. Make it a rule to always try to give answers in correct grammatical form.

Let's just give one answer: Give only one answer to a question, unless you are required to answer more than one. Even if one of several answers given is correct, you may not earn any points if too many other answers are incorrect. It's surprising that candidates sometimes give more answers than necessary! If you are required to name only three things you hear or see in a text, it makes no sense to give four items as an answer. You will be counted as an incorrect answer, even if all four points are correct. Remember the golden rule. Keep in mind that with short answer questions, especially in the Listening test, sometimes there are different combinations of words or phrases that can give the correct answer. However, you will waste valuable time if you give more than one correct answer to short answer questions. Alternative answers are given to various questions in the Listening and Reading test keys contained in this book.

Check your spelling: In Reading and Listening, correct spelling is not always important. It is only important in some Listening tasks, when the word is spelled out for you. In other cases, an answer may be accepted even if the spelling is incorrect, but they must be written well enough to clearly indicate the correct answer. Carefully copy answers from articles in Reading. In Listening, if you are unsure of the spelling, write as you hear.

Make sure your answers are readable: You cannot expect a good grade if your answers cannot be read. Candidates may not be aware that their answers may not be understood by the examiners marking the tests. Be careful! Words: If you have trouble writing English letters clearly, you can write in BLOCK LETTERS in Listening and Reading. Your letters should be spaced apart from each other. Pay particular attention to: E and FI, J and LM, N and WU and VI and T (It is often difficult to distinguish these letters when candidates write them in a hurry). Numbers: Things can get even worse with numbers, with many candidates not realizing that the number they give may not be recognized by the examiners. Practice getting your numbers to come out as clearly on paper as the letters above.