Do not write your answers in note form, unless the instructions specifically permit you to do so. While notes show the examiner the structure of your text, you will lose marks in the area of cohesion and sentence structure because your ideas are neither elaborated nor joined.

Write as neatly as possible. This makes it easier for the examiner to mark your work, and there is less likelihood of the examiner misunderstand ing what you have said.

Write neatly, but do not waste time by writing a rough draft, then rewriting it. Write one draft only and write on every second line. In this way you will have enough space to change/correct your answer if you need to.

Don’t waste valuable time by using white-out (just cross out anything you want to change), writing the essay title, or writing in capital letters (use cursive writing if it’s at all readable).

If you have spare time at the end, check your work for small errors ryerh agreements, plurals, punctuation. These things are easily corrected and are important in deciding what mark your work will receive.

Listening Subtest

You will hear each listening passage only once. To make the most of it, read the questions through quickly before each section and try to predict what subject the listening text is about. This will increase your ability to understand what you hear.

Look at what kinds of questions you m-ust^answer: true/false, multiple choice, pictures/diagrams, forms to be filled in. This will ffeterrm’ne what kind of listening you do, whether you listen for individual words or for the general meaning.

Look through any pictures and diagrams in the exam before each listening as these will help you choose the correct answers.

Speaking Subtest

Breathe deeply and relax while waiting. Talk to your friends in English while waiting.

Speak as much as you can during the interview, don’t just give one word answers. Unless you speak, the interviewer can’t find out how good you really are. Don’t be afraid to ask the examiner to repeat a question if you don’t understand it. You will not lose marks.

At the beginning of section 3 (the role play) the interviewer will give you a card with some information on it. Note carefully the role the interviewer will take: is (s)he your friend? A classmate? an official? Make sure you vary your speech accordingly (because you don’t speak in the same way to a friend as to an official)

Section 3 of the interview is the one where you must take the initiative. Here it is not impolite to ask questions, it’s essential. Your questions should be as natural as possible. Think: What sort of questions would I ask if this situation were real?’

If you have prepared yourself by practising the skills mentioned earlier in this chapter, and if you are familiar with the format of the test, and remember the suggestions written here, then you are ready to do your best in the IELTS test.

Two further comments should be made.

1. While it is important that you study hard, you also need rest, exercise and relaxation. Without these things, you will grow tired, you may lose interest in your study, and your health may suffer. You will prepare best for the exam by living a balanced lifestyle.

2.      Many people get very nervous when taking an exam, especially an important one. To do the very best you can in the IELTS exam, you could sit the test once just to find out what it is like, as a practice. You will learn the procedure (what section comes first, and so on) without having to worry about doingyour very best. When you want to sit the test ‘for real’, you will be more relaxed because you will know what to expect, and will be able to concentrate on performing to the best of your ability.

Every English exam is supposed to show how good a student’s level of English is. This is done in different ways in different tests, and with different measures of success. The IELTS test is a good test because the language skills needed in the exam are similar to those needed at college/university. You can thus be sure that as you prepare for IELTS you will be preparing well for your future study.

You will also find it useful to do other study apart from class review: extra work on thii that you find difficult.

Also, you simply need to hear, read, write and speak as much English as possible. Here I some suggestions:

Ø  do an adult education course;

Ø  join a social club, or a community service organisation;

Ø  use every opportunity where appropriate to talk to native speakers;

Ø  read at the supermarket, in the street, in offices and shops;

Ø  use a detailed TV guide to gain more information about a programme;

Ø  dial-a-robot — work through the recorded messages in the phone book;

Ø  telephone for transport information: specific buses, trains, flights;

Ø  telephone for travel information: costs of journeys, accommodation.