10 Easy Ways to Prepare for IELTS in 2024

IELTS is one popular English language proficiency test. In the past 30 years, IELTS has set standards for other tests with its accurate testing system.

IELTS stands for – International English Language Testing System, developed by the British Council partnering with the IDP Education and Cambridge Assessment English.

Although, from July 15, 2021, IDP Education has acquired the British Council’s IELTS market in India by being the sole organization responsible for conducting the IELTS exam in India. British Council no longer serves in the IELTS market of India.

IELTS is a highly regarded and recommended English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration. Whether you’re a student or an employee planning to settle or study in foreign countries, IELTS can pave both ways.

To prepare for the IELTS exam, you can consult an expert or join the IELTS coaching institute. There are many IELTS coaching institutes to help students with the IELTS exam syllabus and proper guidance for it.

Meanwhile, we are here to improve your self-practices for the IELTS exam. This blog will help you with the 10 easy ways to prepare for the IELTS along with marking the mistakes you should avoid in your practices.

Make sure you read through it and don’t skip one!

Why IELTS?

IELTS is a globally recognized exam for students as well as immigrants. More than 11000 organizations worldwide accept the IELTS. This is the most recognized English language proficiency test. 

The IELTS exam syllabus contains four sections – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. By preparing for this, one can enhance English language skills as the IELTS exam covers all aspects. 

In contrast to other tests, the IELTS  exam will involve one-on-one talking methods for practice that can help you have better communication skills.

Another reason for choosing the IELTS exam is that it offers numerous options such as choosing a test type, test date, location, and whether you want to opt for a paper test or a computer test. 

There are nearly 1400 exam centers for IELTS in 56 countries around the world, and you can choose to take a test at your convenience.

Whether you want to take a test for work, study, or immigration – the IELTS exam is the best option to apply. Additionally, IELTS exam fees are quite affordable for all types of candidates, so do not worry about that!

IELTS Test Format

There are two modules of the IELTS exam – Academic for students and General Training for immigrants. The IELTS coaching institute offers both of these to the candidates.

The IELTS exam syllabus for the speaking and listening sections is similar, but the reading and writing syllabus is a little different for each module. For the academic test, the reading and writing sections will include topics closely related to the subjects of any university or professional institute to enter the course, whereas the general reading and writing sections will consist of the general interests of a person.

Here is the IELTS test format for your better understanding:

Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
30 min	60 min	60 min	11-14 min
4 sections	3 sections	2 tasks	3 parts
40 questions	40 questions	>400 words	One-on-one

The first three sections of the test – Listening, Reading, and Writing will be taken without any break on the same day. For the speaking test, the candidate is given the option to choose a date and location as per convenience. The speaking test can be given before/after 7 days of the other three tests.

The IELTS exam is scored on a 9-band scale for each section, and the overall band is the average of the four sections’ scores.

10 Ways to Prepare for IELTS in 2024

Many students find it tough to crack the IELTS exam and give up half the time. It is because they lack in self-practice. A well-planned practice schedule can help you achieve the results of your dreams.

Practicing without planning can only leave oneself confused. Don’t do that! Set goals and work for them.

Some easy ways to prepare for the IELTS exam are:

1. Clearly Understand the Test Format
   Before starting anything, the first step in your preparation is to understand the IELTS test format. Become familiar with it, its time constraints, different tasks of different sections, wording limitations, writing and reading methods, etc.This will help you to get the concept of the IELTS exam and plan according to it. Understanding the test format earlier will clear your mind and you won’t get confused or panicked at the exam time.In case of any doubts, you can always get help from your tutors at the IELTS coaching institute
2. Make a Study-schedule
   Planning is the key to achieving any goal. Before starting to practice, make a study schedule. First, decide how many hours of the day you are going to spend in practice. Make sure you spend at least 1 hour per day in practice.Equally allocate your time to each section. If you feel like giving more time to a particular section, give it. This will improve your time management skills. Stick to the study schedule and strictly follow it.
3. Practice Daily
   Committing to daily practice will lead you to consistency and discipline. The practice routine will train your brain to study more efficiently. Practice in all four areas of the IELTS exam syllabus to see improvement.During practice time, put all distracting devices aside. No matter how much time you are giving to practice, give it with dedication. Include multitasking in your daily practice routine by multitasking while listening, for example; taking notes or answering questions while listening to the audio.
4. Take Mock Tests
   Mock tests are a kind of sneak peek into the real deal of your IELTS exam. Mock tests are not only for what you don’t know, but they also highlight the points you excel at. Taking mock tests will allow you to gauge how ready you are for the actual test.Regularly expose yourself to mock tests to become familiar with the test structure and question styles. The mock test will simulate your performance in the real exam and help you identify your strengths and weaknesses to focus on.
5. Review Your Work
   Reflect on your work. Practicing alone can not lead to the best results. You need to review your mistakes and identify your strengths.Analyze the mistakes and answers that are holding you back from achieving the results and start improving those areas.
6. Focus on Your Painpoints
   Taking mock tests and practicing daily is good, but even after days of practice if there is no improvement, then it’s not worth it. In the previous point, we suggested reviewing your work – it’s the point where you find your weak points.Let’s say you know where your score is downgrading, then work to improve it. If you’re weak in speaking, start speaking in English on a daily basis and see the result. Do not let that one pain point ruin your entire result.
7. Develop English Skills
   IELTS is an English language proficiency test. To score well, you must have good English skills. To improve your English, start reading English newspapers, articles, listening to podcasts, watching English news, TV shows, etc.One other way to improve your English language is to start speaking in English, this will boost your confidence for the real exam.
8. Use Authentic ResourcesOne of the best ways to prepare for IELTS is using authentic resources. This means using resources that are created for native speakers, such as books, TV shows, movies, podcasts, and music.Choose resources that are at your level. Pay attention to the context in which words and phrases are used. You can also take notes on new vocabulary and try to use that as much as possible.
9. Set Realistic but Higher Goals
   Without a goal, there is nothing to achieve. Set a goal for yourself that you can actually achieve, but not less than what you really can. Set realistic but higher goals. Don’t try to learn too much too quickly, it’s a process.To make it easier to achieve, break down your goals of getting higher scores in IELTS into smaller ones, that are more manageable. Set a deadline for yourself to achieve those smaller goals and track the process.
10. Find a Partner to Practice
    Practicing with a partner is a great way to improve your speaking and listening skills. You can get feedback from your partner on your pronunciation and grammar, and can also learn new vocabulary and phrases from them.You can practice with someone who is also preparing for the IELTS from your IELTS coaching institute. This way it will be easier for both of you to improve and achieve higher scores.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in IELTS Exam

Are you practicing hard but still no results? We know why! You must be allowing yourself to make these mistakes that degrade your results. Avoid these mistakes in your daily IELTS exam preparation for the best results.

Listening Mistakes

• Absent Minded
• Not Taking Notes
• Leaving Blank Spaces
• Predicting Answers
• Ignoring Instructions
• Incorrect Spelling and Grammar

Reading Mistakes

• Ignoring Keywords
• Not Reading Instructions
• Failing in Time-management 
• Unaware of the Elimination Method
• Reading Every Word

Writing Mistakes

• Writing in Incorrect Format
• Avoiding Word Limits
• Unorganized Essay
• Not Proofreading 
• Using Limited Vocabulary

Speaking Mistakes

• Going Off-topic
• Memorizing Answers
• Lack of Confidence
• Repeating Phrases or Words
• Incorrect Pronunciation
• Speaking Too Fast or Slowly

Best Guidance for Your Best-self!

We know preparing for IELTS is neither easy nor tough, all you need is the touch of the right guidance to direct you throughout the process. Guess what? We can be that right touch of guidance for you! YES – Flyway Immigration is one of the best IELTS coaching institutes in Ahmedabad. We are committed to helping our students with our deep understanding of the exam! Our expert tutors know what it takes to succeed and guide the best for your best self!