Interview With an Expert: IELTS Preparation with Isabelle

University applications are officially underway, which for many students means the start of IELTS preparation. For those unfamiliar with the exam, IELTS is a way for English-speaking institutions to judge an applicant’s level of English, and focuses on four separate skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. 

For many students preparing to write the exam, there is a lot of uncertainty about exam structure and expectations, which often fuels some pre-exam anxiety. To help alleviate some of these worries, we’ve asked one of our top IELTS tutors, Isabelle, to share some of her best pieces of advice for students preparing to sit the exam. 

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How long should students prepare for the exam? 

This really depends on what score they need to achieve and their current level of English. Students who need to improve a whole level or more should generally aim to study over a longer period of time, generally a minimum of six months. Unfortunately, you cannot ‘cram’ a new language like you can with other subjects, so it is important to take a longer-term view, especially if the student is not living or studying in an English speaking country.

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What are some common challenges students face when taking the exam? 

One of the most common mistakes is actually running out of time. As a general rule, you should always aim to answer every question. Leaving questions blank is just wasting an opportunity to score a point, while making an educated guess has the potential to reward a point. I always advise students to know how much time to devote to every section, and most importantly, to stick to it. If you have extra time, revisit any questions you were unsure of.

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Is there any benefit of doing the exam online vs. in person? 

The benefits vary depending on the person. The reading section in particular can be difficult online as you are unable to view the questions and text side by side. Scrolling can make students lose their place in a text and thus waste time. However, online exams add flexibility and options on where you can take the exam. A student might become stressed having to travel to a study location offering a paper-based test therefore having the computer option can be a great benefit.

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Can you share one piece of advice for each section of the exam? 

• Speaking- Try to create opportunities to socialise in English, especially if you live in a non-English speaking country. This could look like speaking with a tutor or friends, or joining a language exchange club in your city.

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•  Writing- Practise writing under exam conditions. Learn how to use words from the AWL (Academic Word List)  and how to write ‘complex structures,’ such as complex sentences or those in the passive voice. If you have a tutor, as part of the lesson, ask them for feedback.

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• Listening- Practise identifying ‘distractors’ in the listening sections, every section has one. Once you are able to identify them, they can act as signposting because the real answer is soon to follow.

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• Reading- My top strategies are to skim, scan then read for detail once you have located the area, and to  try to predict words in the gap by using the preceding word to help you identify whether the answer could be noun, adjective or verb.

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Do you have any tips for students with exam-anxiety? How can they stay calm during the test?

Competence builds confidence. Any student who puts in the work needed should have an idea of how they will score. Working up to this level and having realistic expectations are important. On the day, if your nerves get the best of you, remember to follow the strategies you’ve been taught and breathe, they really work! 

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Should students prioritise one part of the exam over another?

Every student has a skill they are weaker in. As the 4 parts of the exam are equally weighted, I would not suggest prioritising a particular section, but rather giving more attention to the student’s weaker skill area.

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What are some techniques students can use to expand their active vocabulary before the exam? Is this important?

Vocabulary is extremely important both  in life and in the IELTS exam. Read widely, watch the news, TV, or documentaries with subtitles on to help build your vocabulary.

Writing down new vocabulary is also a crucial step. Try to include the definition, part of speech, word family, example sentences and collocations. This will ensure a deep meaning of the word which you can apply to the speaking and writing section. Plus, it will also help boost your understanding in the receptive tasks, listening and reading.

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Finally, if students should remember one thing before their exam, what should it be?

If you don’t get the score your need, you are in a stronger more experienced position to move forward the next time.

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If you or your child are looking for extra support preparing for the IELTS exam, reach out to us here for a personalised consultation.