The IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE are the most popular English proficiency tests that several countries accept for evaluating an individual’s English language skills. These tests are designed to test one’s ability to adapt to an English-speaking environment. Thus, it becomes necessary to perform well in these exams if you want to pursue higher education from an international university. These tests mainly consist of sections, namely Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. These tests do not require one to be an English specialist while appearing for these tests. You need to work hard and prepare with a well-drafted plan to score well in these tests. Some tips and tricks come in handy while preparing for the IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE. These tips will guide you in preparing for the exams, scoring well, and getting admitted to your dream international college.
Get familiar with the exam IELTS pattern:
The first tip to get started is to find out IELTS practice papers or material to familiarise yourself with the exam pattern. Although the syllabus and the modules are similar for all the tests, the questions asked and the tests’ format are different. The official websites’ sample tests will give you an idea about the final exam’s paper structure. Practicing, with the help of mock tests, will also help you identify your shortcoming and improve on them.
Fast reading passages:
In the reading section, you will be required to go through passages, and upon your understanding, you need to answer the questions accordingly. Now the trick that helps here is that you don’t need to read the passage entirely. Reading every single word can take up your precious exam time. Instead, it would help if you learned skimming and scanning, enabling you to read quickly and extract meaningful information from the passage. This saves you more time in the exams.
Follow English language content:
You first need to understand and make sense of the recording carefully that will be played during the exam to succeed in the listening section. You need to familiarise yourself with English terms, accents, and tone. You can prepare for this with regular English language practice. Start watching English movies and shows, listen to the news in English, follow English podcasts and radio programs. This will help you to identify words and phrases during the exam quickly.
Regular conversations in English:
The speaking section will require you to read aloud a given passage and speak on a given topic. As you can see, it not only tests your fluency in English speaking, but you should also be able to organize your thoughts in English so that you can speak about a topic on the spot. Thus, it would help if you started, including the English language in your daily conversation with friends and family. Conversing regularly in English will erase your fear of speaking in English. Start recording your speech for self-evaluation as well. It will help in improving your English language skills in the best possible manner.
Improve your writing speed:
The tip that works best for the writing section is, increasing your speed. Since most English proficiency tests are now conducted online, you should also improve your typing speed beforehand. The writing section will ask you to write an essay or description of data. You need to make sure you complete the tasks within the time limit. There won’t be any MCQs or direct questions; thus, it all comes down to your speed. Practice writing papers regularly and make sure you can meet the minimum word count.
Make a preparation plan:
The most crucial step before appearing for any of the tests is to plan correctly. It would help if you decided whether you want to appear for IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE. Research about the exam and then make a plan of action. Moreover, you can also appear for all three exams as well. Plan accordingly and prepare for the respective exams accordingly. The tests are not difficult, but they require organized practice so that you can score well.
Conclusion
To crack examinations such as crack IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, you need to score well in all sections/modules. Be consistent with your preparation and try to improve every day. Be confident on the day of the exam, and keep your mind fresh and calm during the test. Avoid over-thinking as much as possible. The tests are not that difficult, and if you follow these tips and tricks, you definitely will be at an added advantage. Just stick to the basics, and your efforts will eventually lead to fruitful results.
Author Bio
Author Bio: Abhyank Srinet is a passionate digital entrepreneur who holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe. He started his first company while he was still studying at ESCP and managed to scale it up by 400% in just 2 years. Being a B-School Alumni, he recognized the need for a one-stop solution for B-School to get in touch with schools and get their application queries resolved. This prompted him to create MiM-Essay, a one-of-a-kind portal with cutting edge profile evaluation and school selection algorithms, along with several avenues to stay informed about the latest B-School Updates.
