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IELTS Tips of the month

We understand well the frustrations that IELTS candidates face, and therefore now provide a wide range of learning materials and exercises to help you prepare and to boost your confidence before sitting an IELTS exam. From May 2008, we are launching a new service called IELTS Tips of the Month. This will include Dos and Don’ts which are updated monthly.

Reading

Tip

  1. Practise using synonyms, summary words etc. to help you locate information.
  2. Practise reading skills such as skimming and scanning for information.
Do

  1. Make sure that you copy words accurately from the text: spelling mistakes will mean that you will lose the mark for that question.
  2. Make sure that where you have to write an answer yourself, your answer is grammatically correct, (e.g. Short-answer Questions, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion).
  3. Pay attention to any examples that are provided.

Writing

Do

  1. Make sure that you stop Writing Task 1 after 20 minutes to allow enough time to answer Writing Task 2.
  2. Remember that Writing Task 2 carries more marks, so you need plenty of time to answer it.
  3. Make sure that, for Task 1, you copy data accurately from the question paper.
  4. Be sure to provide supporting evidence for any of your claims or views in Writing Task 2.
  5. Make sure that all of your ideas are relevant to the question.
  6. Make sure to write as clearly as possible.

Don't

  1. Don't repeat task instructions in your writing.
  2. Don’t leave out any required information.

Listening

Do

  1. Wait until the end of the test to transfer your answers. You have ten minutes for this which is plenty of time.
Don't
  1. Don't try to rephrase what you hear. Write down the words you hear which fit the question.
  2. Don’t copy any words that were printed on the Question Paper when you transfer your answers to the Answer Sheet.

Speaking

Don't

  1. Use the preparation time in Part 2 to think about what is written on the card.
  2. Use the instructions and prompts on the card in Part 2 to help you to organise your long turn.
  3. Practise ways of delaying answers to give yourself time to think in Part 3.
Don't
  1. Don't learn answers by heart.
  2. Don’t write on the task card.
IELTS Tips of the month,image © British Council

IELTS

IELTS Tips - 2009

IELTS Tips - December 2008

IELTS Tips - November 2008

IELTS Tips - October 2008

IELTS Tips - September 2008

IELTS Tips - August 2008

IELTS Tips - July 2008

IELTS Tips - June 2008

IELTS Tips - May 2008

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