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How to Ace the IELTS: A Guide for Pakistani Test Takers in 2024

9 April 20245 Mins read68 Views
How to Ace the IELTS

Like many other nations, Pakistan is seeing an increase in the number of people preparing to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test in 2024. The IELTS test is one of the most well-known English language ability tests in the world, therefore passing it is essential for anyone looking to travel abroad for work, study, or immigration.

Passing the test with a good band score on the first try not only saves a great deal of money but also saves hours and hours of time and effort. The test consists of four portions designed to assess a non-native speaker’s English language proficiency.

Candidates for this test must attempt four test sections—writing, reading, speaking, and listening—and receive a band score of 7 or higher in each section if they want to pass the IELTS with a band score of more than 7.

Here are some tips for taking the test:

Writing

To achieve a 7 or higher band on the writing part of the test requires you to do well on two sections of the test. The test comprises a Task 1 and a Task 2.

Task 1 requires you to write a minimum of 150 words in response to a specific graph (bar, line, or pie graph), table, chart, or process (how something operates or is done). The purpose of this task is to assess your abilities to describe and compare data, discover trends and significance in factual information, describe a process, choose and report the key aspects, and so on.

Task 2 requires you to write at least 250 words. A topic will be given to you, and your ability to respond will be assessed. You will be required to discuss the topic, give and defend an opinion, summarise key points, outline issues, suggest potential solutions, and back up your written work with arguments, justifications, and examples from your own knowledge or experience.

The judging criteria for the tasks are:


Task response:

  • Sufficiently and relevantly answering every aspect of the question
  • Providing a comprehensive answer to the questions that include concepts that are expanded upon and well-supported with relevant examples.


Cohesion and coherence:

  • Arranging concepts and information logically
  • Effectively overseeing all facets of cohesiveness
  • Making sufficient and appropriate use of paragraphing


Grammar:

  • Ability to use correct grammar and avoid spelling errors.

Tips on taking the test:

  • Focus on writing a good conclusion and introduction
  • For Task 2 of the test, read the question carefully. What exactly is the question asking? Be cautious of words like “Advantages”, “Consequences”, and “Drawbacks”. Plural terms like these mean you need to provide more than two points.
  • Linking words have the power to make or break your answer. So use them correctly and appropriately.
  • Make sure your information and ideas are sequenced coherently in all your answers.
  • Vocabulary is key. Before the test be sure to have learned a wide range of vocabulary.
  • Don’t use vague words like “ stuff/thing”. Be sure to use the correct word.
  • Don’t use idioms or slang.
  • Use correct tenses.

Additional resources:

Reading:

During the test, you have 60 minutes to finish 40 questions, therefore time management is essential. The reading test consists of three parts, each of which should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. The components of the test get harder as it goes along, so be sure to give yourself enough time to finish each one.
The purpose of this test is to access three types of reading skills:

  • Skimming
  • Scanning
  • Reading for detail

This section of the test is lengthy and can consist of various types of questions like:

  • Identifying information
  • Multiple choice
  • Identifying a writer’s views/claims
  • Matching headings
  • Matching information
  • Matching features
  • Matching sentence ending
  • Sentence completion
  • Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion
  • Diagram label completion
  • Short-answer questions

Tips for taking the test:

  • Read the questions first, then read the text. This makes it easier to look for answers.
  • Focus on the ideas and concepts of the text instead of the words.
  • Don’t panic over unknown words, try deriving the meaning of the sentence by understanding the context.
  • Identify keywords while reading the text.
  • Don’t spend too much time reading every word instead identify key information.
  • Make sure you answer every question.
  • Develop your speed reading skills.

Additional Resources:

Listening:

The listening section of the test consists of four parts containing 40 questions. The time allocated for this section is 30 minutes. The test consists of:
Section 1:
This is a discussion on a common social topic between two speakers.


Section 2 :
In this section a single talks on a broad subject.


Section 3:
In this part two to four speakers will be participating in a conversation around academic needs.


Section 4:
This section is a single-speaker lecture or talk about an academic or research-related subject.

Tips for taking the test

  • Read the questions before the audio starts.
  • Familiarize yourself with a range of English accents.
  • Don’t lose concentration when listening to the audio.
  • Practice listening to the audio only once.
  • While listening to the audio, write down key information on the question paper sheet. So, when the actual test starts you can transfer your answers from the question sheet to the answer sheet.

Additional Resources:

Speaking:

The candidate and the examiner have a one-on-one conversation on a specific subject during the speaking portion of the test. The candidate is assigned a topic and is required to talk about it for 11–14 minutes while responding to a range of questions. This process takes place in three parts:
Part 1 :
This is the introduction phase. When you meet your examiner, you are required to spend at least 4-5 minutes of your time introducing yourself.


Part 2:
Candidates are assigned a topic in this section and have one to two minutes to speak on it. They’ll also have a minute to get prepared for this section.


Part 3:
Part 3 is a longer, more in-depth discussion of the topic given in Part 2.

Tips for taking the test:

  • Start speaking some English daily a week before the test.
  • Give full answers. Never answer a question with just a “yes” or a “no”, explain your reasoning.
  • Correct your mistakes. This part of the test is simply having a conversation with the examiner. So correct your mistakes and let the examiner know you have a good command over your grammar and vocabulary.
  • Focus on clear and concise pronunciation.
  • Don’t use big and unfamiliar words.
  • Avoid using filler words like “um, ahh, like, yeah” instead use phrases such as “Let me see, That’s an interesting question, Let me think about that”.
  • Don’t speak in a monotone, add hand gestures and emphasis on words whenever appropriate.
  • Use correct tenses while speaking.

Additional Resources:

Remember, consistency is crucial! By committing to focused preparation and practice using these tips and tactics, you will considerably improve your chances of passing the IELTS exam on your first try. With perseverance and the appropriate strategy, you can pass the IELTS and open up fascinating chances overseas!