In this sharing, I will provide some tips and share my own experience in preparing for the IELTS test.

To me, the best way for preparing for the test is to keep doing practice papers. Learning to skim and scan passages and familiarizing yourself with common question types are the most helpful for preparing for the Reading test. For the Listening test, you must learn to identify key words and predict the kinds of answers for questions. You will also benefit from familiarizing yourself with essay formats and the ways of describing different graphs/diagrams for the Writing test. In the Speaking test, try to give more elaborations on your ideas, it’s always good to think about the wh- questions when answering.

Practice papers are easily found online but there are also resources available from the ASLLC of CLE, which also provides workshops to help you prepare for the test. The ASLLC also holds mock exams that tutors could provide feedback on mock Writing and Speaking tests.

My main difficulty is being so nervous during the test and for this, I recommend having some calming strategies on hand before the test date. I find saying prayers helpful, but others may consider meditations or deep breathing exercises. Remember that messing up on one part is not the end of the world and that the important thing is to allocate enough time to practise each day and to do your best on the test date.