How to prepare for the IELTS test

Many people who have to take the IELTS test are in a rush. They have only a few months to prepare. There are even some cases who need to take the test within a month; otherwise, they’ll lose their chance to emigrate. However, before beginning the preparation process, the answer to these three questions should be clear:

What score do you need?
What’s my current English level?
How much time do I have to prepare?

Answering these questions sheds light on the situation and tells the participant what the next moves are.

English Level

Imagine a person with the English level of A2 (pre-intermediate) who has to take the test in 6 months and need a band score of 6 at minimum. If you ask me to say whether it is possible or not, I’d say achieving this band score is highly unlikely for this person. But how do I know? Well, my response is based on my previous experiences and the CEFR level. CEFR is a classification for the proficiency level of language learners.

To know more about CEFR read the article below:

What is the CEFR scale?

So, you need to be realistic and expect a band score proportional to your current English level and the time you have to prepare. It takes more than a year for a student of B2 level to get an overall of 7.5 because to get this band score, you need to be a C1 learner first, and then prepare for the test. A person who achieves 7 has the general English knowledge of a C1 level learner. No intermediate and upper-intermediate students can achieve this band score. So, first, consider your general English level.

Time

The time you have should be dedicated to two stages:

First, to improve your general English,
Second, to become test-wise

The first stage is clear. As can be seen, the CEFR table says that to get a band 6.5, you need to improve your general English and become a B2 learner. So, if you’re a learner of the lower level, say B1, you need to spend time improving your general English first. A B1 learner is expected to answer about 15 questions out of 40 in the Reading and Listening part of the test (which equals a band of 4.5). In case this candidate requires a band of 6.5 for Listening, they need to answer about 27 questions, which is the expected band score for a strong B2 learner. This development in the number of correct answers from 15 to 27 is impossible if the candidate only tries to make progress by doing the Listening test. In this situation, improving general English knowledge is essential, and by that, I mean practicing English without thinking about the IELTS test. Preparation for the IELTS test, known as the test-wise process, begins in stage two. Usually, improving general English knowledge takes a lot of time and effort unless the score candidates want is proportional to their English level. For instance, a strong learner of B2 level who needs a band 6 can skip the “improving general English” step cause they already have the potential to reach the band score they want. All they need is to become test-wise

Becoming Test-wise

This is the second step of the preparation process and can make a huge difference. Imagine that two candidates, A and B, with the same general English knowledge (Strong B2 level) sit for the test. Candidate A has practiced the test material, but Candidate B hasn’t. According to their level, they are expected to achieve an overall band of 6.5. Candidate A gets this score, but student B ends up with no more than a 6. This difference in their overall is all about being test-wise.

Becoming test-wise helps you to reach your full general English knowledge potential. It is clear that if you sit the test with minimum preparation, you won’t be able to do well and use your knowledge. So, you should be well-prepared when sitting for the test.

But how long does it take to become test-wise? I’d say about 2 to 4 months at most. Remember that becoming test-wise is not about improving your general-English knowledge. It is about knowing what things are tested and how you should handle different questions and parts of the test. And it shouldn’t take long. Otherwise, you will be putting in extra effort.

Many candidates aim to improve their general English knowledge during the test-wise process. This is wrong. I admit that when becoming test-wise, the knowledge of candidates increases in terms of vocabulary and grammar, and they probably become more fluent speakers, as they practice their speaking skills. But you should never think of this process as an opportunity to increase, for instance, the Reading score from 6 to 8. It is normal for someone who has a minimum experience of the test to score about 1 band score lower than their true potential. The test-wise process helps them increase their performance by a full band score, but there is a huge knowledge gap between band 6 and band 7. Consequently, the aim of becoming test-wise is to teach you to use your full strength to score as high as your English knowledge lets you, not to improve your English proficiency.

Be realistic

When considering your English knowledge, the band score you need, and the time you have to practice, we can decide whether your goal is achievable or not. For a candidate whose English level is upper-intermediate (B2+), has 4 months to prepare, and can devote four hours of practice on a daily basis to prepare, achieving an overall of 6.5 is highly likely. In rare cases, an overall of 7 is possible, but beyond that is definitely out of reach. And finally, bear in mind that we’re talking about the overall band score, not a particular skill, such as Writing. Many candidates who get remarkable band scores, 8.5 and higher in one or two skills, still struggle with scoring higher than 7 in the Speaking or Writing part of the test.