Get a Band 7.5+ in IELTS: Free IELTS TIPS from recent candidates

 IELTS isn't difficult if you practise, give it time and learn the strategies just like any other exam.

Here are a few tips from two candidates;

Candidates 1

I got an overall band of 7.5 (L8.0, R7.5, W7.0, S7.0) after two months of personal part time study (was doing this whiles working) 

SPEAKING 

Make sure you go through the MAKKARIELTS Speaking Current Edition. My CueCard Question as well as my colleague's were all from it.

LISTENING 

Practice listening a lot. Watch out for ending part of statements. Sometimes statements are corrected and the later statements are the true ones

READING

Watch out for keywords in the questions and use them to find answers from the paragraph of the passage in which it is found. Sometimes synonyms of the keyword are used instead. The answer is always in the passage if not, the answer is NOT GIVEN. Don't waste time on one passage. Move on if the answers are not coming. I couldn't finish answering all the 40 reading questions. I was lucky I had 7 from answering 35 questions. Be fast and make sure you go through all the 40 questions and don't leave any space unanswered. 

WRITING

Make sure to practice all forms of writing chart types: graphs (line & bar), pie chart, cycles & processes, diagrams & all.

Spend less time on Task 1 and concentrate more on Task 2.

Get extra sheet if you have to. But make sure you write a good introduction, body and conclusion

Candidate 2

Reading is actually a Time exams. If you use two hours and score 8 and above, then your problem is with time and not the content of the exams. But if you use two hour and score 6, then you problem with the whole exam.

PERSONALLY,

I skim the questions first before the passage.

I tackle matching info/headings first as the overview of the passage is fresh in my head from the skimming.

Then I move to questions that follow sequence like summary completion, flow chart, tables,. By doing these you would have been over the passage like two more times.

Now you really know the passage and know where some specific info can be located. So you move on to T/F/NG, MCQs, Short answers.

If you are faced with less than 5 questions with difficulty answering, move on to the next passage. Come back after all the test is done.

It's 20mins per passage. If I've spent 15mins and I have a question I've read about 3-4times but can't locate the answer, I skip to the next passage. I should have a maximum of 5 questions per passage and 8 questions for the whole test that I can't answer in first attempt. It's usually one passage that is very tricky, usually the 3rd (sometimes the 2nd, rarely the 1st).

So at the end of the test, you have 15mins to tackle those 5 questions and review all your answers (spelling and eligibility).

These tips should help you finish within the 1hour.

But if your problem is with the content of the test as earlier stated, then forget the timing and spend good time practicing how the white think and fishing out answers.

Candidate 2 got a score of L8.5, S7.0, R9.0, W7.0

Here are materials to help you pass your IELTS with ease.