IELTS – The 5 Step Study Plan

If you’re going to take IELTS, start here! Your success on the IELTS is based on more than just practicing English skills. In this video, I’ll show you the key steps you need to take to reach your target band score. I’ll talk about setting your objectives, building your studying plan, and studying for each section of the exam. Many students get a low score on the IELTS and keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Save your time and your money by avoiding their mistakes. Watch this video and get it right the first time. Take the quiz to make sure: For grammar and writing help, you can also visit my site: For many more free lessons on IELTS preparation you can visit: For a free complete guide to the IELTS, go to: TRANSCRIPT Hi. Welcome to . I’m Adam. Today we’re going to look at an IELTS study plan, and as usual, when I look at IELTS, or TOEFL, or any of the tests, I’m going to speak a little bit faster so those of you taking the test can get a little bit more listening practice. And everybody else, this is very good practice for you as well to listen to slightly faster English. So we’re going to look at IELTS. And for those of you who are just starting to prepare, starting to think about taking this test, maybe you want to go to university, maybe it’s for immigration purposes, whatever, you’re just starting out, you’ve just signed up for the test, now you need to start preparing for it. So here’s a five-point study plan. And number one is the most important part because... And I’ll tell you in a minute why. Know the test. Now, what does this mean? It means that you have to know exactly what you’re about to face. I’ve met many test takers who’ve taken the test maybe several times, and the first two or three times they got a really low score because they still didn’t really know what was coming. Right? They didn’t understand how the test is structured, what the timing is like, all of these things. So, know the test, means: Know the structure. There are four sections; listening, reading, writing, speaking. Make sure you know how each of them works, how much time is going to be used for each one. In the listening section you have four sections, in the reading section you have three passages to read, in the writing sections you have... Section you have two tasks that you have to complete. In the speaking section you’re going to be speaking with a native English speaker face to face, one on one for about 12 to 15 minutes. Make sure you know exactly what they’re going to be asking you, what you’re going to be expected to answer back. Okay? So know the structure of the test. Know the timing. You have 40 minutes, roughly, for the listening section, including a 10-minute time allotment for copying your answers from the question sheet to an answer sheet. This is very, very important. Know what to do that. If you’re finished writing your answers on your answer sheet before the 10 minutes are up, you can’t go to the reading section. You have to sit and wait, close your eyes, relax, etc. Make sure you know the question types that you’re going to face in the listening, and the reading, and the writing of course, and the speaking. Knowing the question types will make sure that you aren’t surprised by anything. Okay? You do not want to have surprises on test day. Know the question types, prepare for them, begin to think about how to answer them. Okay? Make sure you know all the directions. Every section of the test will have its own set of directions. Do not spend time reading these or listening to these during the test. You should know all of the directions long beforehand, you should memorize them. That way, you don’t spend time reading them, you go straight to the task at hand. Okay? So know the test very well. Now, the best way to actually know the test is to practice taking the test. Practice the test. Now, I don’t mean do, like, 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, 15 minutes here. I want you to sit down at least once a week from the time you registered or started thinking about it until the actual test day. There are lots of places where you can get full practice tests. The Cambridge books are excellent for that. They are past papers and they’re real tests. Make sure that you do a full test at least once a week from beginning to the end. Give yourself three full hours undistracted. Now, what does this mean? When you go to the official test centre you cannot take your phone in with you. You do not have internet, you do not have music, you do not have anything. You have you in a room with a bunch of other people.