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Be realistic about your IELTS Score
One of the things that IELTS students tell me when they work with me is that what our lessons tell them the most is how much they don’t know and how much they still need to learn not just for IELTS but for the life that they will have once they have passed the exam. I am always happy when students realise this as I know that IELTS is really only the gateway to your new life.
Passing IELTS will not give you all the English skills you will need for a new life in an English speaking country and you will soon discover how much else there is to learn when you arrive there. However this should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience as you will not have the pressure of the exam to worry about.
So let’s get back to IELTS and the English level that you need to get the band that you want. It is important to understand that IELTS is a test of your ability to apply your English skills to tasks in order to demonstrate your English language level.
The test is indeed all about your English language level and if you are looking for a band 7 and your score is 5.5 then the first thing you MUST do is learn more English. Booking another test in two weeks or a month is probably a waste of money as unless you make sure that your English level is in alignment with the score you really want, you are on a hiding to nowhere and you will, again, be disappointed.
Don’t blame the test, the examiner, your teacher or not having the right books.
IELTS is not a tricky test it is actually quite straightforward – it tests your ability to apply your English to certain IELTS tasks – if you are struggling with the IELTS tasks then maybe your English in this area is lacking.
Even the most competent of students sometimes fall down in questions and the result of this often lies in them ignoring the grammar of the question or misunderstanding the meaning of a word – again a language mistake. In fact one student today saw that in his listening practice he had 10 errors and they were all caused, not by missing what was said, but by writing the answers down without any regard to the grammar – so missing ‘s’ off a word or missing ‘the’ or ‘a’. You may think that this is unfair – but you are wrong these are very fundamental aspects of the English language and THEY ARE IMPORTANT. To ignore them is to invite the examiner to give you a 0 for that question.
It is really tragic when a student hears the right words but records them wrongly on the answer sheet. Hearing is not enough; you then have to make sure you fit the words with the grammar of your question. Finding the right place and the right 3 words in the reading is NOT the end of your task – you now have to record them correctly and that may mean changing the grammar. Detail and accuracy are two words which are very important especially in the reading test.
The BIG question now is: Is your English Language up to this level of detail and accuracy?
If you are not sure then the answer is probably not yet – and the solution?
Make sure you improve your English skills alongside your IETS practice.
Be realistic about your chances of getting the high score you want – band 5.5 is a good way off band 7 and you would be better spending your time and money improving your English skills before taking another IELTS test.
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