Finally , I can share it with you. I’m absolutely elated ,..buzzing mate 😉
Reading : 8.5 Speaking :8.5 Writing : argh 7 Listening : 8 ( hated the maps) Overall : 8 .
Thank God ! I’m not complaining . ,
TRUST ME ! I understand the pain ,struggle ,helplessness and sulkiness .The desperation towards this totally nonmedico exam .
but don’t lose FAITH .
Let me tell you few things that nobody told me and nobody will tell you ..
Being a British citizen , I took IELTS like a piece of cake .. My first attempt was a huge eye opener when I failed to achieve the required score .. I needed a minimum of 7 in each module ..and overall 7.5 . My second attempt went well . But again I failed to get the required score .. I was disappointed 🙁
Starting from the scratch . Yes ! No matter on what Level you are , start with the basic grammar ( I loved Simon IELTS and IELTS buddy grammar section ) . Go through the several sentences and their types .
Focus more on task 2 !! The worst mistake I did was spending so much time on task 1 .. TASK 2 carries twice as many marks . So , focus on it .
PROOFREAD :
P : punctuation
R: reread for spelling errors
O: overall link with the topic
O: overwriting
F: fragmented sentences
R : reread every sentence
E : extra information
A : articles
D : do I make sense ?
I : increase vocabulary
N : noun
G: grammar
The worst mistake , I used to incorporate too many ideas in one paragraph . I kept thinking it’s the test of my intelligence .
Ouch .. Not really .. You just have to expand the idea .. Stick to one concept per idea and expand it . Yes literally .. exaggerate .
Intro , Paraphrase , Personal opinion .
1st paragraph ; Topic sentence . Example . Explanation .
2nd Paragraph ; Topic sentence, Example , Explanation. Lastly , conclusion .
Make examples up !! Please go through the columns and studies and just make any examples up .. for example, My task 2 was about the companies and employees / customers !! Make surveys up ., That there was blah blah increased shown or according to UNICEF , there will be 33 percent increase in obesity by 2020 or blah blah .. Google some reports and studies , you’ll know what I am on about .
Be coherent . Big question ; how ?? Read the first sentence and keep asking yourself am I linking it up with the previous one .. Make sure you keep repeating it .. don’t write until you are 100 percent sure .
Stay on topic . Keep reading the question and ask yourself ? Am I being irrelevant ?
Rough plan about what to write . List of a similar/ related vocabulary . I even wrote the linking words and whatever fancy words I could remember or use.
TIME MANAGEMENT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
I always say this , you have to be fake !! I.e ; make sure you have at least one sentence starting with *ing* , one respectively sentence , one with the relative clause , dependent or independent . Few simple sentences , and few complex ones . Few sentences starting with *if*.
Last but not the least , get yourself a study partner . Discuss it with THEM 🙂 go through the notes together .
SPEAKING: be confident , make things up .. watch seasons , movies or whatever you want . Familiarize yourself with how a native would speak n answer . Please don’t memorize the answers . They won’t judge you .. Give your opinion .
Reading ; I love reading novels so I just followed the general advice on reading lessons ( esp Liz’s video on reading ) . Learn to cram .. Make a circle around the important dates , figures , names . Relax . Usually the first and last line technique work for some people but I always ended up reading it all .. practice reading / newspapers / magazines .
Listening : practice . I abhor maps and unfortunately I got one this time :@ I listen to the narrator and try to write down the points whilst listening , It is a bit tricky but it does help . It helps you recall the whole thing .. I know it’s not that easy .. Helped me, though .
GOOGLE SOME ONLINE LESSONS AND START PRACTICING.
Best of luck 🙂