How to Crack IELTS in first attempt? is a question that often makes students hustle for some quick tips and tricks. Well, cracking any exam in the first attempt saves time and money to take the re-test and helps get them their desired IELTS score.
As cracking IELTS is a pre-condition for going abroad and especially to an English-speaking country, the exam cannot be taken lightly. IELTS preparation should be started well in advance and rigorous practice should be done to crack IELTS in first attempt.
Having said that, hovering blindly over the IELTS syllabus is not beneficial for students. They would need systematic guidance and tips on scoring well in the exam. Here, we will address each section of IELTS individually and try to understand how can we crack the exam in one go. But first, let us see the sections where the students face most of the challenges and why.
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What's the Most Challenging Section of IELTS?
Both IELTS Writing and IELTS Speaking pose serious challenges to students who are not native speakers of English. In these sections, they need to express themselves using correct grammar and vocabulary with proper structure. Additionally, generating and trying to substantiate their ideas with examples can become difficult in IELTS Writing.
The speaking section of IELTS demands candidates to fluently and coherently deliver their thoughts into words without any fillers. Awkward pauses often disrupt the flow of the sentences and shatter the confidence of the speaker.
The next section - IELTS Listening, can be taxing on the candidates as they are often not habituated to listening to the accents of the native English speakers. It can be difficult for them to differentiate between words. On top of that, the section needs students to remember all the information correctly as the recording plays only once.
Last but not the least, the IELTS reading section poses difficulties for those who do not have in-depth knowledge of the English language. For such students, it becomes tricky to understand the essence and spirit of the text that is given in the IELTS exam. The amount of reading to be done and the time given for it often falls short. Moreover, students need to be very fast in scanning the necessary information required.
As we now know about the challenges that students face in each section of IELTS, they can move on to address the roadblocks with the tips and tricks provided right ahead.
5 Tips to Crack IELTS in First Attempt
It is easy to crack IELTS in first attempt with a disciplined approach and definitive strategies. Students must also keep in mind the expenses they will have to bear if they need to appear for the IELTS exam multiple times.
First, we will share the general tips to crack IELTS in first attempt and then we will move on to the sectional tricks.
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Be Disciplined - Discipline is one of the key aspects that can make or mar your preparation. Students start IELTS preparation with enthusiasm but soon lose interest and start procrastinating. Delay and irregularity in practice will negatively impact the study plan and consequently lead to unsatisfactory performance in the IELTS exam.
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Building up Speed- Students should make optimum use of their senses in order to crack IELTS in first attempt. They have to develop their reading capacity, and writing speed along with working on improving their concentration. As the time available is limited, speed and accuracy go a long way in helping students answer more questions correctly.
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Practice IELTS Mock Tests- Practicing IELTS practice papers is one of the major keys to IELTS success as it acquaints students with the questions they can expect in the real exam. The scores of mock tests are also a predictor of the real IELTS score. Students must pay heed to their mistakes and find logical solutions so that they do not repeat the same in the future.
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Attempt All Questions in the Exam- With sufficient practice of mock tests, the speed of the students will increase and they will be able to attempt a maximum number of questions during the real test. As there are no negative marking students should attempt all the questions with intelligent guessing in the ones where they have doubt.
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Join IELTS Coaching Classes- Students who feel that self-preparation is not sufficient for IELTS preparation can attend IELTS coaching classes that will provide them with customised study packages designed to help the students effectively prepare for IELTS.
Tips to Crack IELTS Speaking Section
Candidates often have to move out of their comfort zone to speak in English. They have fear regarding the accuracy of English usage and fluency. Here are a few tips to crack IELTS speaking section in first attempt.
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In the IELTS speaking section, students have to engage in a conversation with the examiner. So, it will be fruitful if they find a partner to practice the language with. It can be friends or family members or preferably experts in the language. While doing so, the partner may also help the student by pointing out their mistakes.
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Speaking English with correct intonation and pronunciation is extremely necessary to crack IELTS speaking. Therefore, students must use only those words while speaking that they are comfortable pronouncing and are confident about. The internet can help them here by helping them with the correct pronunciation of difficult words.
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The answers should be loaded with information, ideas and thoughts. Students can prepare answers on common topics beforehand. While attempting the examination, they should substantiate their answers with proper examples to clearly convey their opinions.
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Students must practice by picking up general topics daily and practising speaking out loud in front of the mirror. If needed, they can take some time to consolidate ideas and then logically build up the speech.
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Tips to Crack IELTS Listening Section
The listening section of IELTS contains four recordings that will be played only once and students have to answer the questions accordingly. It is a task of listening as well as remembering. The tips to crack IELTS listening section are given below:
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Students must use the backward method while answering the questions. Here, they should first read all the questions given and then play the recordings. This will help students remember the answers easily and their minds will retain the important information. Further, they must focus on the introductions as they contain salient particulars.
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Practice listening to English news, recordings, documentaries and audio clips. IELTS test-takers should familiarise themselves with both British and American accents. Mixed accents should also be listened to. The technique will help to acquaint students with the different accents and help them to understand words better.
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Students can use different techniques such as meditation to increase their concentration power. Meditation helps to focus on particular things. This technique will prove fruitful in exams.
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IELTS candidates are provided with 10 minutes to jot down the answers asked in this section. So, if they find the answers while the recording is playing, they can write them down immediately to avoid wasting time.
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Tips to Crack IELTS Reading Section
The reading section of IELTS expects students to be quick and efficient. Four passages with 10 questions are provided here, which demands time to first read and then write the answers. Students can follow the given tips to crack IELTS reading section.
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They must read newspapers, articles and magazines daily and cultivate the habit of reading fast and at the same time understanding the information provided. In addition, they must read as many lengthy passages as possible. This practice will come to aid in the examination hall.
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Skimming is a technique of reading where the readers focus only on the important points. Students should first read the questions and then start reading the passages. They can write the answers as soon as they find them in the passage.
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IELTS candidates should not limit themselves to practising simple passages. They should increase the difficulty level with time. This will help them to face any difficulties during the exam.
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As the time factor is crucial here, students should practice reading in a time-bound manner. They can analyse their speed in this way and try to become an agile reader.
Tips to Crack IELTS Writing Section
Writing in the modern digital world is becoming a lost art. The most important tip to crack IELTS writing section is to make writing a habit. The other tips are as follows:
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Building vocabulary is not sufficient for the IELTS writing section. One must know how to use them correctly. Avoid using unrelated or ornamental words.
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It is essential to write within the prescribed word limit. As Task 1 asks candidates to write 150 words while Task 2 demands 250 words, they should restrict devoting more time to the former or they will face a time crunch in task 2.
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Students should focus on grammar and sentence structure while writing their answers. Simple sentences fetch better marks as they are generally error-free.
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IELTS aspirants can practice writing by picking up one topic a day. The introduction should be engaging whereas the conclusion should sum up all the information given in the writeup. The paragraphs should be connected and in perfect synchronisation with each other.
Best Books to Crack IELTS in First Attempt
Books are the essential guides to crack IELTS in first attempt. They enhance vocabulary and help recapitulate grammar rules while enabling students to practice ample IELTS sample questions. Some of the best books to crack IELTS in first attempt are:
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IELTS Tutor Kit: The kit contains a CD of 40 minutes along with a booklet. Students can also find tips and suggestions along with visual information which allows them to memorise lessons easily.
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Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS 1: As the name suggests, it contains four practice test papers for IELTS Academic and reading and writing papers for IELTS General Training. The answers are also available in the book to aid in spotting errors.
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The Cambridge IELTS Course Workbook: With this book, students gain an insight into the pattern of the IELTS exam. The book contains material for all the sections of the IELTS. Those opting for self-study can benefit immensely from this book.
Cracking IELTS in first attempt gives joy and delight as IELTS forms an important part of going abroad. Though it is not a tough nut to crack,some students who do not put in their best efforts, sometimes fail miserably. They can re-attempt the IELTS exam in such a situation. However, students can be saved from unnecessary anxiety and fear if they clear the exam in the first go. Moreover, if they are determined and study well, they will surely achieve success and even prepare for the IELTS in one month.
Our mentors can help evaluate students' weaknesses and identify ways to work on them in the most effective ways. To get in touch with them, write to them at abroad@collegedekho.com.
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