Five core steps to get 7 and above band score.
Every IELTS aspirants must be thinking about obtaining higher band score for which they are ready to put sincere efforts.to get the targeted band one must follow certain steps which are core or vital. there may be 7 or 10 or may be 20.in my research I have found very basic,core yet effective steps which should be followed before actually preparing for IELTS exam. the steps are mentioned here as a core steps for ielts.
1.Check your self.
Basic yet vital, this core step is a part of standard procedure for getting mastery on any expertise. Everyone should know his caliber and capability before starting anything new which will give you a clear idea where you stand exactly. A thorough assessment is required before you start your journey toward getting the band score.
To assess yourself, follow these simple steps.
- Get the copy of any standard Cambridge IELTS book.
- Select a test for you.
- Try to finish all the tests in exactly the same time which has been allocated for each test.
- Follow this chronology. First : listening, Second : reading, Third :writing, fourth : speaking
- Check your score in the answer sheet for listening and reading.
- For writing test, have someone with fair level of fluency and knowledge of English who can check your writing and tell you exactly what could be your band.
- Then, have someone to take your speaking test and give you the band score.
Note: if you do not find anyone who can check your writing and speaking, don’t worry, send your writing to me directly on my mail id – drmukesh643@gmail.com.Do the same for speaking test, send your recorded speaking. Your speaking and writing test would be evaluated and band score would be sent to you. And don’t worry; no charge is applicable for checking. After finishing this process you would yourself come to know about your present band score and your expertise in English.
2.Choose a realistic and achievable goal.
This is an interesting story. A student wishing to get bands in ielts heard about someone in his neighborhood who gave ielts exam and got succeeded with band 7. Now, he is inspired and flattered. He went and asked him. With much surprise he came to know that he has achieved the band score in the period of 2 months only. Now, he himself tried giving the exam in the period of two month but did not get 7, instead he got only 5.5.
Did you also come across with the similar story?
Did it occur to you or your friend?
What did that guy miss?
He may not have gone with the background of the person who got band 7.It happens everywhere. Students are asking someone who got higher band score, got advice that he joined such and such classes and got higher band score then they jumped immediately without contemplating the real reason that the person may have the extensive knowledge of English.
In previous step, we have seen that the person has to check his present level. If your present level is fair then you could get the required band. If not then you have to work hard before applying for ielts exam.
Generally, at least a month practice with ielts tests and plenty of general reading of newspapers, magazines and listening to movies is required if you want to increase only 1 band from your present score.
It’s not that people cannot get 7 band or higher, they can. However, they should be ready to do copious amount of hard work. Hence, it is advisable that you first check yourself and then take the goal and set the duration.
3.Follow a regular study plan.
If getting a visa of the country you ever dreamed of is your ultimate goal, Ielts exam cannot be taken for granted. Normally, students have this perception that by merely going to a class or doing random work they can crack ielts exam. However, it is not possible unless you have a dedication, integrity and perseverance to work hard.
Always follow a regular study plan. Schedule your time when you would do the tests and how would you allot time for preparation and then stick to it.
4.Do a lot of general reading.
If someone ask me about one skill on which he wants to get mastery. I would recommend reading.Reading defines knowledge, maturity and success.
Reading, more reading, still more reading under the expert guidance is the key to success. Your success is getting the band score in IELTS exam. For that, you need to be in a habit of intensive reading. You have to be a voracious reader of English language.
Many students want to go abroad. They fulfill all the qualifications for getting a visa of any foreign countries except one that is the required band score in ielts. You must have heard about some students who gave ielts exam for many times but did not get satisfactory result. Moreover, if you ask them which is the toughest among all the modules of ielts, immediate reply you would get is reading.
You are not getting proper results because your reading is poor.You may have been told so far that you have to give maximum reading tests to get the required band score. However, it is next to impossible to get the required band score by merely giving tests.
You haven’t been told hitherto that you have to read more, increase your sentence reading speed, increase your overall comprehension to get the required band. You learnt all the techniques but you never tried to increase your speed in reading or to assess your comprehension or what is the ratio of your recognized vocabulary (how many words you are able to understand in the reading)
Reading would not only improve your overall comprehension of reading test it would improve other modules too.
What reading can do for you is beyond definition. Reading is the ultimate tool for getting ahead in life. If we talk only about ielts then it gives you reading speed. You may have heard from many students that they could not complete 40 questions because the test was too lengthy. The fact is the test was not lengthy your speed of sentence reading was not up to the level.
Reading would definitely improve your score in reading test. In addition, it would also improve your vocabulary for writing and speaking test. By reading you would come in touch with so many words and structures which are commonly used by the eminent authors. You can copy those words and use in your speech and writing.
5.Listen to native speakers of English.
Listening is the practical, fundamental tool to learn any language. Develop a routine to listen to the native speakers of English language. You can listen them in movies, news channels, English programs, speeches by native speakers of English.
Listening would improve your comprehension. Furthermore,you would learn and understand the tone, accent and pronunciation of native speakers which would be helpful to you in the listening test. Apart from that, it would be very helpful for building a better vocabulary, structures and grammar.
If you listen regularly, you would find plenty of important expressions, structures, words and sentences which are generally used by native speakers.