These are the things which you should do daily if you are getting ready for IELTS
- Read the atleast 3 articles from the Economist weekly magzine
- Read BBC web Site
- While reading the aforementioned resources please write down new words. Maintain a word document for this
- Record the word and the sentence and write more sentence out of it.
- Just memorise all the new words before you go to sleep.
- Practice them , the day after or just try to create conversation using them.
How to improve your IELTS writing
- Read Read and Read :- Specially read British sources , ex: BBC news and economist magazine etc. While reading them you need to record new words. Once you record a new word you should do the following to make it a practice.
b. Write the respective sentence of the word, which you read
c. Start writing more sentences , start with very simple and short sentences which will get you going .
d. Look for that word when you read more articles.
e. Record the sentences , if you come across the word which you just record.
f. Try to memorise it, while writing, or even when your are travelling.
g. Before you start writing a letter/ Graph description or a essay , memorise the word and write it in the planing section. Ideally you should be able to write 30 to 40 news words which you think will suit the essay or letter/graph
h. Try to use the word with your friends.
2. Write - Write write : Sample IELTS topics
For the IELTS exams you need lot of writing practice. Most of the students are unable to score in writing. So I strongly advice you to write as much as possible. Ideally you should be able to finish a 120 CR book within 3 months. The more you write the more marks you get. Most importantly have look of the marking criteria as well.
3. When you are writing please do the following while you are writing
a. Ensure you underline any word which you are not sure of the spellings.
b. Pat attention to the words which have different spellings in US English ex: Organiser/Orgernizer etc..
c. Display a list of linkers always in your table while your are writing.
d. Ensure you have a plan and you follow it. (Please see below how you can make plan in detail)
e. Try to use appropriate new words as mush as possible.
f. Try to find new words rather than repeating the same word.
4. Please follow these once you have written the essay and graph / letter.
a. Please get it corrected by a person whos English is better than yours.
b. Mark the errors by your self first.
c. Cross check the spellings of the words which your are not certain. By now you should have already marked those by underlining them.
e. Underline the new words which you have used, and the linkers.
f. Count the number of words : Ideally a essay should be around 275 to 300, unless you are really sure of your writing . But in the exam please note anything more than 250 is enough. This depends on how fast you can write, since you need atleast 5min or more to correct it and do little changes or write the missing words.
5. Focus on the areas which you will be award maeks
a. Have you achieved the task : Ensure you have achieved the task
b . Coherence and cohesion : Your answer should make sense , this require you to use more referencing words , sign posting , and linkers
c. Lexical structure / Vocabulary : Range of new words or the genre.
d Grammar and accuracy : Please focus on subject + verb agreement most importantly before you try on complex grammar structure. Accurate complex grammar structure will always give you more marks.
How to plan your IELTS writing task.
- First mark the Topic and other facts of the given task.
- Try to paraphrase is it your own words
- Note the words which you are going to use often and find alternative words for that: Please do not spend soo much of time for this.
- Conduct a brain storm session and write what ever the ideas related to the topic.
- If its about "Good or Bad" or "Disagree or agree" , you need to have atleast 3 points to the one which you are supporting and two for the one which you would write generally just to emphasised that there is a other side as well.
- Start with the most strongest point. Please read below in organising content on your "Introduction" , "Para 1 etc .." , Conclusion"
- Have a brain storm session on set of new words which you are going to use. Remember IELTS gives marks for the new words.
- Organise which points you are going to include in your essay paras .
Structure which you should try in your essay writing
Introduction
- Start with a general statement, stating that the issue which we are going to discuss exist in many cultures , societies etc...
- Include generally about the facts which you are going to discuss.
- State your thesis sentence. Pay more attention on this as you have to support your thesis statement throughout your essay.
- End with a introduction to the first para.
- Please state your point, do not forget to include it in the first sentence.
- Develop your argument
- Try to give at-least a small example.
- Try to use linkers to link your ideas.
- Try to use the references: This, it, he, she etc ....
- Start with a linker , "In summary, To Sum up, In conclusion etc.."
- State your argument strongly as you have already prove above with facts and examples.
- Dear Sir/Manager/Name of the Person(If known)
- First Paragraph
- References :- Try to mentioned who recommend the particular organization/item/Service / or a house etc..
- Reason : Give the reason as why you are writing the letter
- Relationship : Please write one sentence appreciating who ever you are writing the letter.
Explain in detail what wrong and why you are writing this. Usually this should cover the second bullet point of the task
4. Action Paragraph : This will be the conclusion so make it look better. You should clearly mention what you want him to/organization to do and what action you will be taking regarding the matter.
Ex: If its a complain regarding a cheque book, ask them to send it soon as possible
Regarding a visit of a friend : Ask him/her to send details of her arrival
etc ...
5. Proactive Sentence : Ex: Thanking you in advance for the prompt response.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
6. Yours Faithfully/Sincerely / Loving
Your Name
- Do practice IELTS tests as much possible. Ideally you should do 40 exams. This is the first item in your exam, so its really important you face this with confidence and end with delight.
- In the exam if you are given headphones practice with head phones, if not just practice with normal speakers.
- Listen to BBS news daily.
- Please check for the spellings mistakes. This will decide your point 8 to point 6.5
- Always keep a track of the treaky words. Ex: How they pronounce 15 and 50.
- look for the correct article and read the complete sentence once you have written the answer. For ex: "a", "an" etc..
- Look for the differences in British and U.S spellings. For ex: organizer / organiser ? Center vs Centre ? Always use the British word. Ideally keep a list of words where the spellings differ in UK and US. One way to overcome this is to read British materials.
- The most important thing is gather sets: This is very important, if the listening passage is about University subjects , have a list subjects ex: psychology, physiology. If its about sports , all the sports. Basketball, Baseball etc. If its about department , Mathematics , Zoology etc.. learn all of them. This is very important.
- Listen to BBC, CNN or any kind of British materials.
- Practice with pairs and ask your partner give comments on your speech
- Always try to record your voice and see the long pauses and "aaaa" "mmmm" . My experience is that you tend to use them without your knowledge, so unless you record them you do not catch them.
- When a topic is given , just don't waste your time to write the obvious B'cus the two min is only provided to write down the more main points.
- Listen to some of the sample interviews done. This will be highly useful, Youtube can definitely help you on this.
- Identify and practice some of the key words which you can use, synonyms for the frequently used words would be the ideal start for this.
- Pronunciation is a key element in your Speaking test, make sure you pronounce them and practice some of the difficult words in your genre.
- Try to practice many topic , as much as possible. This will avoid you getting a totally new topic in your exam.
- Word guessing - This is really important as it will speed up your reading dramatically. Read the topic and imagine what sort of things would appear in the text.
These are some of the things which usually you can guess- Countries which are involved
- If its about a new finding, who invented it first, the invented year etc ..
- Scientist / or any other organizations which are involved
- Skimming : You can use any of the following skimming methods which you are femilier with.
- Read the heading, topic sentence of each para, and the last sentence and any sign post(ex: However, Although , Yet) . Note sign post will always change the context of the paragraph.
- Go through the paragraphs quickly : Noting names, organizations , years (basically anything which could appear in a question)
- Always keep a track of the time. Ideally you should spend 16 min -Task one
17- 18 Task two
25 - 27 - Task three(or the remaining time) - Use the correction mark for the ones which are already completed.
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Finally Guys these are my results
| Candidate Name: | MUHUPPU ARACHCHIGE RASHENDRA DILANKA GUNAWARDENA | ||||||||||
| Candidate Number: | 005519 | ||||||||||
| Test Centre Number: | LK012 | ||||||||||
| Test Date: | 1/02/2014 | ||||||||||
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