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
- Practise using synonyms, summary words etc. to help you locate information.
- Practise reading skills such as skimming and scanning for information.
Do
- Make sure that you copy words accurately from the text: spelling mistakes will mean that you will lose the mark for that question.
- 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).
- Pay attention to any examples that are provided.
Writing
Do
- Make sure that you stop Writing Task 1 after 20 minutes to allow enough time to answer Writing Task 2.
- Remember that Writing Task 2 carries more marks, so you need plenty of time to answer it.
- Make sure that, for Task 1, you copy data accurately from the question paper.
- Be sure to provide supporting evidence for any of your claims or views in Writing Task 2.
- Make sure that all of your ideas are relevant to the question.
- Make sure to write as clearly as possible.
Don't
- Don't repeat task instructions in your writing.
- Don’t leave out any required information.
Listening
Do
- Wait until the end of the test to transfer your answers. You have ten minutes for this which is plenty of time.
Don't
- Don't try to rephrase what you hear. Write down the words you hear which fit the question.
- Don’t copy any words that were printed on the Question Paper when you transfer your answers to the Answer Sheet.
Speaking
Don't
- Use the preparation time in Part 2 to think about what is written on the card.
- Use the instructions and prompts on the card in Part 2 to help you to organise your long turn.
- Practise ways of delaying answers to give yourself time to think in Part 3.
Don't
- Don't learn answers by heart.
- Don’t write on the task card.
IELTS Tips of the month,image © British Council
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