International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the most popular English proficiency test that every non-native English speaker has to appear before global migration, especially for higher education.
It is owned jointly by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English.
Countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom use IELTS to process immigration applications.
There are 2 IELTS exams:
- IELTS academic – It is to measure if your English Proficiency is perfect for any academic environment.
- IELTS general training -In this, it measures the perfection of your English Proficiency for the workplace or social environment.
How to Prepare for IELTS?
Understand the format of the test. You can do this by reviewing the test’s content – question type and task type of each section. It takes at least six to eight weeks of preparation for IELTS.
The Elements Assessed during IELTS are:
- Listening.
- Reading.
- Writing.
- Speaking.
Six Best Websites You Can Refer to Prepare for IELTS
- IELTS Ninja – Getting your dream band is now easier – all because of the effortless contribution of the exclusive IELTS mentors online. IELTS Ninja mentors provide individual attention, regular evaluation of your progress, and constant feedback for improvement. There is access to live video sessions with experts. You can also view recorded video lectures with no view limits and time barriers.
They have customised study plans available for every student to focus on their weak areas. There is a provision of action plans based on your performance. They provide the latest comprehensive tests after the completion of every module. If you want to achieve your target band – IELTS Ninja is your best choice
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- GlobalExam – It provides you with the latest sample exercises and tips and gives an immediate correction with an explanation.
- IELTS Liz – An experienced IELTS teacher from the UK named Liz, created this website.
- IELTS Buddy – It offers sample exercises that you can download and grammar and vocabulary sections that focus on topics useful for the exam. “Model Answers” for the writing module is the most interesting feature of this website.
- IELTS Simon – This website was created by an ex-IELTS examiner – Simon. They still run exam preparation courses in Manchester, UK. He also explains some audio scripts from Cambridge IELTS 12, which is another excellent resource to prepare for IELTS.
- Road to IELTS – It is the official British Council online course.
The websites mentioned above will not only help you prepare for IELTS but also:
- Give you practical suggestions to excel in the IELTS exam.
- Roll out very important test suggestions.
- Share hacks to build your network with native speakers.
- Train you to blend traditional learning with online content.
Other Free Resources to Help you Prepare for IELTS
You can prepare for IELTS online for free by listening to TED talks too. A specific selection of videos of people pitching on a particular subject made by TED-IELTS can help you improve your English.
You can also refer to some books to prepare for IELTS that are also available online:
- Complete IELTS from Cambridge
- IELTS Trainer
- Collins English for IELTS
- IELTS Life Skills – Cambridge
- Cambridge English IELTS
Build Your IELTS Speaking Vocabulary
No matter how many books you refer to for IELTS preparation, practising vocabulary is the key to success.
Here are 8 Hacks to Improve your Vocabulary for IELTS
- Practice unfamiliar words every day. Maintain a diary and keep a target of five-ten words per day. Towards the end, you will have a good number of words.
- Revise the words – make sentences using those words – use those words in your daily conversation.
- If you have very little time to prepare, deeply study the words that start with S and T as they are frequently asked in the tests.
- Use tools to study words like 4000 IELTS Words in 90 Days.
- For the listening test – you need to practice listening and writing or listening and speaking.
- For writing tests – Don’t use many tough words that are not possible for you to remember, as accuracy is also important.
- For the speaking test – divide your vocabulary into topics.
- Speaking and writing skills are essential to check how you “use” a set of words, and not “how many” you know. Hence practice a lot of writing and speaking.
Bonus Hacks to Prepare for IELTS
The syllabus to prepare for IELTS is huge, and there is only limited capability for a single person to study the vast syllabus. Hence, you need to have a smart, yet effective plan.
To complete the syllabus before time and cover most of the topics, it will help if you study with a friend. Have an accountability partner with whom you can practice speaking skills and improve together. This will help you track your progress and also help you locate areas that need more practice. Another smart hack to add more words to your existing vocabulary is to study them as synonyms and antonyms.
There is a vast list of websites created by IELTS teachers, to reach and teach more students. Looking for more information on IELTS, stay tuned to our blogs.
Also Read : Describe a Place Where You Can Relax: IELTS Exam Cue Card Sample Topic
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The references and idea actually helped. The references provided were detailed and easy to grasp, I didn’t have to struggle as much as I thought I would have to.