Best way to study for IELTS: Score high in every section

Best way to study for IELTS: Score high in every section

There was a time when non-English speakers had a hard time preparing for IELTS.

There was a time when non-English speakers had a hard time preparing for IELTS. Many international students thought that scoring a good band on IELTS was difficult. Some even abandoned their dream study destinations just because they were being misled to think that IELTS tests were very hard to attempt.

Nowadays, people have come out from that stereotypical thinking and consider that, IELTS is not about learning good English but applying the language effectively and precisely.

Practising for the IELTS exam has never been so much fun and engaging, since many initiatives have been taken by the British Council to attract students and immigrants to consider taking the tests. We have come up with several proven tips and tricks described further in this writing that will certainly aid in achieving your desired score in IELTS exams.

What is IELTS?

The International English Language Testing System also known as ‘IELTS’ in short, is a widely recognised test introduced to evaluate the English language proficiency of individuals whose main language is not English. IELTS testifies your ability to interact in various forms, such as listening, reading, writing, and speaking in English.

There are two categories of the test covering two different purposes. There is the Academic version, intended for students intending to pursue higher education or professional research programmes, and another is the General Training version, which is designed for candidates who want to work, conduct training, or migrate to an English-speaking country. There are nine band scores starting from 0 to 9. Each band signifies the level of English proficiency of the test taker.

Is IELTS for you?

The main purpose of introducing IELTS was to conduct a test for people who want to prove their ability to understand and properly use the English language. This is particularly required for students who want to study in a country where English is the main language.

People who are migrating to an English-speaking country may also require some level of English communication ability which can be achieved by passing an IELTS test.

IELTS scores are used by universities, employers, and immigration authorities as reliable proof of your English language skills, helping to ensure that you can successfully communicate in English in an academic or professional setting.


Learning English & IELTS: are they similar?

Many people still believe in the misconception that IELTS is an advanced form of English. But in fact, English and IELTS, both are separate things.

English is an Indo-European Language that is spoken by a majority of people around the world and is accepted as an official language by most countries. Whereas, IELTS is a form of test that is conducted through the English language.

The IELTS test evaluates a person's ability to properly use the English language in four interactive sections. The test also requires you to answer within a limited time and use precise English wordings. An IELTS exam candidate must have adequate knowledge of English grammar to apply the language fluently in IELTS exams.

Are you thinking of improving your IELTS skills and then these tips and tricks mentioned below are sure to give you an edge over any section and help you achieve your desired score.

Listening tips

You are required to answer 40 questions within 40 minutes based on 4 audio-recorded conversations. It is easier to achieve the highest score on the IELTS listening test if you can sharpen all the tips, tricks and instructions mentioned below:

  1. Practice on listening - To improve listening, you can listen to lectures, podcasts, TED talks, movies, debates, and descriptive audio recordings. These materials can be easily found online. Try listening to English with different accents, especially British, American, Scottish, Australian and Middle Eastern accents. Attempt all the released official IELTS listening practice tests to get accustomed to the exam pattern and simulate real-life exam conditions with limited timing.
  2. Pay attention to keywords - Following the question in listening test is very important as the conversation will be played only once. It's not going to be repeated. If you miss an answer, move on quickly to the next point of interest. Because once you miss an answer, you can easily get derailed from the topic and lose track of the remaining answers. In most test recordings the answer is pronounced in a very clear and loud manner. So, it is important to pay close attention to keywords.
  3. Focused reading & note down - It is highly recommended to read the questions during the 30-second pause before the audio starts. There will be a short time gap between each section where you will be instructed to check your answers. That is the time to read the next section in advance, giving you a chance to learn about the topic and identify important points that could potentially help you write your answers. So it is also important to underline useful words in the questions to identify the answers easily and score higher.
  4. Carefully follow instructions -Some questions may require you to write/type answers in limited words, some in numeric value or some questions may instruct the test takers to answer in a specific way. So read the instructions before each section. They often contain crucial information about what type of answer is expected.
  5. Altered opinions & spelling check - Speakers on audio tests may sometimes change their opinions and give a different answer in mid-sentence. As a test taker, you should wait and listen to the whole conversation, identify the right answer and write/type it down correctly. Make sure that there is no spelling mistake as you may lose marks for it.

Reading tips:

Candidates need to read and answer 40 questions from 3 or 4 short essays based on different topics within 60 minutes. Most people find this test to be the most difficult and struggle to answer all the questions in a given time. Here are the tips and tricks to expertly tackle the reading part of IELTS.

  1. Extensive reading practice - The more you read, the more you improve on how fast you can perceive the topic described in the test paper. Academic reading and general texts such as English newspapers, Magazines, articles, journals, blogs, story books etc can improve your comprehension ability. Moreover, practice on all the previously released Cambridge IELTS test papers, to get the idea and become habituated to different categories of questions, such as True/False/Not Given, Matching Headings, Multiple Choice, etc
  2. Develop efficient reading - You can use the widely recognised Skimming and Scanning method to quickly identify the relevant words and main ideas. Also, scan for specific information such as names, dates, actions, outcomes, or other keyboards which show relevance to the topic and the question.  In most cases, these details are clearly mentioned in the passage, but sometimes the same word may not appear and the question may use synonyms. So you are required to develop an effective reading habit and enhanced vocabulary for understanding the test reading passage and write answers swiftly.


  1. Time management - Answering all the questions on time is a crucial ability that you need to master to achieve the expected results for the reading test. You will only be given 1 hour to read and answer from 3 passages (Academic test) or 4 passages (General test). Allocate enough time, so that you can attempt and write answers for all the passages. Do not spend too much time on one passage as you may not get enough time to properly read and answer other passages within the given time. Managing time for each passage can help you answer the question with less stress level.
  2. Attempt all answers - There is no negative marking for giving a wrong answer. You will not lose additional marks for failing to give the right answer. If you are not sure, use your logical reasoning power and attempt all the answers that you come across. Sometimes making educational guesses and writing/typing on answer sheets can be the correct word, rewarding you with marks to greatly improve your band score.

Writing Tips

There are two writing tasks that a candidate should write in a proper and precise manner within 1-hour time limit to achieve the desired score in IELTS writing.

  1. Plan your writing - To provide the best version of a written answer, you should spend the first few minutes planning your essay. Create a short structure, and write heading points of the topic you are going to discuss in your writing part by outlining the structure. This strategy will give you a planned take on
  2. Grammar and Punctuation - IELTS preparation course will not teach you basic grammar. As a candidate, if you want to score above 6 or even 7 band score, you must show adequate application of grammar and punctuation skills in your writing. You should avoid using the same words twice, paragraph your writing and write it in clear English language which is simple to understand and also has variations of words indicating that you have appropriate knowledge in writing.
  3. Avoid irrelevant information - Keep an eye on the word count, for Task 1 it is 150 words and for Task 2 is 250 word limit. Writing extra words than the specified limit will not carry additional marks. In fact, writing irrelevant information over the limit can have a negative impact on your writing outcomes. Try to be concise and straightforward in your writing. Instead of using many words to form a meaningful sentence, develop the practice of using appropriate and informative writing in short sentences.

Speaking tips

There are 3 parts in the speaking test. The first part consists of general self-related questions and gradually gets difficult from parts 2 and 3, where your speaking confidence, grammar, pronunciation, reaction, and the way you deliver your speaking are tested.

  1. Build confidence -Keep practising daily speaking on various kinds of topics such as hobbies, family & friends, current events etc. Having conversations with a native English speaker can greatly boost your speaking skills. Also, be confident and concise in your spoken answer. When replying to someone’s question, try not to give a one-word answer. Add relevant sentences and bits of information to your answer. This way you can slowly improve your response skills and the person who is in conversation with you will find interest and listen to you more attentively. Always remember, confidence is the most effective skill that can help you achieve good band on Ielts.
  2. Practice on exam conditions - Gather official Cambridge IELTS practice questions and practice them with your friends,  study partners or family members. Use small paper to make notes on points that you would be speaking. Use a timer to get used to the time limit for thinking and speaking. Make frequent eye contact with your test taker, do not stick your eyes to the note all the time when delivering the speech as this can leave a negative impression.You can use the  "1-Minute Plan" to note key points (Who, What, When, Where, Why) before speaking. This can help you to construct the description in your thoughts quickly, helping you to deliver speaking fluently without further critical thinking.
  3. Do not mimic accent - British Council, the IELTS authority discourages candidates from mimicking accent as this can worsen their exam performance. The speech should come out naturally and in a clear manner. Copying an accent which is not your native can cause mispronunciation and uncomfortable to hear. This is why it is always recommended to stay calm and try to take the speaking test in a casual manner. Your natural flow of speaking should not have long pauses. For this, you can use fillers like "Let me think for a moment", “what I believe”, “according to my understanding” or "That's an interesting question" to buy time. Trying to be expressive, moving hands, eyes, and mouth can be supportive towards your speaking but it should not exceed or become exaggerated.
  4. Record and review - You can record your speaking and self-assess them. Listening to your own voice can be odd, as you are not used to hearing your voice all the time. This trick will let you make judgements on how good your pronunciation is and the topics that you need to cover in your answer.  This way you can improve fluency, pronunciation and coherence.

These above-mentioned tips and tricks are highly effective in getting a good band score on your IELTS tests. But, if you are still struggling to improve on IELTS, consider enrolling in an IELTS preparation course from our trusted institution MIE English Academy and get massive discounts on IELTS test fees.

The expert institution conducts full-length IELTS mock tests to get candidates familiar with the format and reduce exam-day stress.