A GUIDE ON HOW TO SCORE 7+ IN IELTS

More than 200 students with dreams of higher education abroad, took their first step forward by attending a webinar, conducted recently by UrbanPro

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), is one amongst the world’s most regarded examinations. It is accepted by over 10,000 organisations including universities, schools, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies in 140 + countries worldwide. Millions of people globally take this test with an aim to pursue their higher education abroad or to get a job in an English speaking country. In an endeavour to pave a way to their goals, UrbanPro jointly organised a webinar on, ‘How to score band 7+ score in IELTS’ with Priya Mitran, an expert IELTS trainer, on Thursday, 4th July 2019.

This one-hour webinar witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across the country. After the introduction session, Mitran stated, “Reading for gist and main ideas, understanding inferences, comprehending the implied meaning and most importantly, recognising a writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose are the primary maxims to score well in IELTS.”

As an IELTS band of 7 is highly targeted by students, this webinar highlighted ways to achieve this score. The attendees were informed that the IELTS has four major segments- listening, reading, writing and speaking. Taking the webinar forward, Mitran also asserted the key points that students can consider while preparing for this challenging test.

Preparation Time – A duration of 1-2 months is ideal for acquiring a good band score. Allotting at-least 2 hours of practice a day is vital for overall performance.

Skimming and scanning – Skimming is the act of reading through a passage to understand the content better. Scanning, however, is the ability to spot key points and errors. The entire process should be accomplished in 2-3 minutes.

Gaining clarity – Having a clear, concise goal increases the chances of meeting expectations. Keeping track of your performance on a daily basis and working on ways to find solutions intelligently is pivotal. For example, you can prepare flashcards and stick them on your wall. Doing this will help you memorise facts, postulate rules etc better. As a result, you will be able to recollect easily in the examination hall.

Vocabulary building – Gaining familiarity with English words is essential. Try to use the new words you learn in the correct way and at the right time. The more you practise, the more proficient you will be.

Spell it right – This is one of the most important aspects of being a grammar Nazi! Your grammar, pronunciation and listening ability are what the IELTS graders assess. Hence, always maintain accuracy in this regard.

Refer to multiple resources – In order to obtain the score you aim for, you need to prepare beyond the study material provided. For instance, to work on your listening skills, try to research as much as possible so as to gain exposure by watching youtube videos, interviews and webinars.

Practice makes a man perfect – Regular practice with determination and perseverance is the key to success in the IELTS exam. It is probably because practice doesn’t only boost your vocabulary, but also develops skills and enhances your working ability.

Planning – ‘Think before you act.’ Before beginning to write essays, create an outline and plan the facts in chronological order. An outline helps you organise your ideas and saves time.

Maintain word count – Writing lengthy essays often results in the reader losing interest. He/she may get deviated from the main objective. On the other hand, a very short write-up may create a poor impression. Experienced tutors hence suggest maintaining a word count of 150-180 words in the first task and 250 -300 words in the second task.

Keep track of time – Time management is one of the most crucial aspects of any examination. In order to gain a band score of 7 and above, it is highly essential to complete each task within the stipulated time. For example, one should not spend more than 15 minutes on task 1 and 45 minutes on task 2.

Quality matters – Focus on your language while writing the essays. Keep in mind that examiners look for your ability to portray ideas in a concise and cohesive manner. For a band score of 7 and above, examiners look more into rich vocabulary, idiomatic language and collocations. So, make sure to use the same correctly in your essays.

To sum it up, this webinar proved to be highly beneficial for students as they got a chance to interact directly with Priya Mitran, the IELTS tutor. Besides, a number of students also wrote feedback reviews stating that they look forward to attending such webinars in future as well.