tried and tested tips for the IELTS exam

by:

JROOZ REVIEW CENTER

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 IELTS TEST FORMAT
LISTENING
4 SECTIONS
40 ITEMS

TIME: 30 MINUTES ACADEMIC

GENERAL

READING READING
3 SECTIONS 3 SECTIONS
40 ITEMS 40 ITEMS

TIME: 60 MINUTES TIME: 60 MINUTES

WRITING WRITING
TASK 1 (150 WORDS) TASK 1 (150 WORDS)
TASK 2 (250 WORDS) TASK 2 (250 WORDS)

TIME: 60 MINUTES TIME: 60 MINUTES

SPEAKING
3 PARTS

TIME: 11-14 MINUTES

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 IELTS LISTENING TIPS

Read and understand the questions before the recording starts.

Scan the questions quickly!

Make sure to follow the recording so you do not get lost. If you do,
move on to the next question.

Look at a question set before the recording before that set is

played, especially after each section.

Watch out for key words and synonyms.

Listen for Time Markers and other transitional words like ‘firstly’,
‘another point is’ and ‘summing up’. These indicate which part of
the test you are already in.

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 IELTS LISTENING TIPS

Answer questions you have missed! This is not a right minus wrong
exam.

Listen and note spellings and numbers – they might be the answer.

When answering questions with lists, note that sometimes options

are arranged in alphabetical order, not in the order that they are
mentioned in the recording.

Note word limits. For instance, if the instruction says ‘Write no more
than three words’, then writing four words will be make your answer
wrong.

Transfer your answers to your answer sheet. If you don’t, you will
not receive any points!

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 IELTS READING TIPS

Read the questions first. Identify key words and scan for them in the
passage. Underline possible answers as you go.

Read the topic sentence first, then the second sentence, then the
last sentence in each paragraph.

Take note of paraphrases. Example: taken simultaneously = taken at

the same time; damage to the body = harm to body organs.

The passages always contain the information you need. If you can’t find
them, search smarter – use the key words you have identified when you
were looking the questions and scan for them in the passages.

Spelling matters.

In labeling a diagram, copy the exact words from the passage.

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 IELTS READING TIPS

Remember to examine all the words and phrases in a chart or table.

Go back to the items you have missed and make educated guesses.

Sometimes, you would have to spend more time on the second and
the last passages.

Transfer your answers to your answer sheet.You will not be given

extra time to transfer your answers after the 60 minutes are up.

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 IELTS WRITING TIPS

Understand the question task. Be sure to answer the question

directly and that all sentences and paragraphs support your answer.

Cover all points.You will be penalized for points not well discussed.

Write at least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2 to
meet the word count requirement.

Write complete sentences, not notes or bullet points. Essays, after

all, are made up of sentences.

Plan. Allot 1-2 minutes planning your response in Task 1, and 2-3
minutes planning your response to Task 2.

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 IELTS WRITING TIPS

Paraphrase. In IELTS, the word count requirement does not include

words copied from the question.

Organize. Each paragraph should ONLY be about one topic. Writing

a topic sentence for each paragraph helps.

Write 4-5 paragraphs. In all cases, there should be an introduction, a

body and a conclusion.

Know your sentence structures and combine them. Sentences that

are well-written will help the examiner understand your points
effortlessly whereas variation in sentence structure will up your
Grammar points.

Your response to Academic Writing Task 1 should be based on the

presented data.

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 IELTS WRITING TIPS

Select only relevant points from the graph, table or diagram to

discuss. Opinions are unacceptable.

Be coherent. Arguments should support each other. Sentences and

ideas should flow smoothly into one another.

Your last paragraph should be a conclusion which is consistent with

the arguments you have included in your essay.

Be grammatically accurate. Know your subject and verb agreement,

articles, consistency of verb tense, and the
like.

Spell words correctly. Standard American, Australian and British

spellings are acceptable in IELTS.

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 IELTS SPEAKING TIPS

Listen carefully to the questions you are asked, so that your answers
are relevant.

Answer the questions you’re asked with some detail so that your
answers are long enough.

Talk to the examiner. Your ability to converse matters.

Practice speaking for 2 minutes for the speech in Part 2.

Use the preparation time in Part 2 to think about the questions

written on the card. Make notes for your answers

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 IELTS SPEAKING TIPS

Use the prompts on the card in Part 2 to help you to organize your
speech.

Practice ways of buying time to give yourself time to think in Part 3.

Explain your opinions and give examples to support them.

Avoid repeating the words used by the examiner. Use your own
words to show the examiner your full ability.

Use verb tenses used in the question. For example, if the question
is ‘What subject did you like in your childhood days?’ (in the past
tense), your answer should be something like ‘When I was young, I
liked Mathematics more than any other subject I had in school’ (in
the past tense.)

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 More useful tips at:

http://www.jroozreview.com/ielts-review-center

http://www.jroozreview.com/ielts-blog

http://www.ieltsexamstips.com

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