How to study and practice for the IELTS exam, part 2

Last time we looked briefly on how the IELTS exams are build up. Today we are going to look at some common myths about the IELTS examination. One of them might be that you can take any IELTS exam you want; and it will be valid to everything. This is not completely true. If you are going to study abroad you will need to have the academically IELTS examination. It’s a bit harder than the ordinary examination; with good reason. To study abroad might encounter more problems than normal stays in an English speaking country. You will encounter more difficulties at classes, books, examinations etc, so of course it’s slightly more difficult than the ordinary exam. But it’s not like they are there to make it impossible to complete. Besides; if you are already a student you know probably have used some English materials and is already better prepared than the ordinary Joe or Jane. Many also fear that the IELTS are completely accurate; and yes, it is accurate to some extent. But no test I ever have seen is completely flawless; or able to stabilize a student having a bad day. You can retake the test several times if you feel it’s not representing your English skills accurate. But keep in mind; you need a span of 3 months between taking an exam. There is also some frustration on how long the test is valid. Can we use the papers in 2 years? 3 years? 5 years? Or even 10 year from now? Well; sadly it’s not valid forever. It might have some relevance to what I mentioned prior; no test is completely accurate. This is also valid for the IELTS exam. It’s continuously developing to improve. But the answer to the prior question is; the IELTS exam is only valid for 2 years from it was completed. Another question is of course: how should I prepare for the IELTS exam? Should I take classes? Should I practice as many exams as possible? Well; these questions are hard to answer; many prefer and learn better by studying alone. Others might need guidance from a teacher and work with other students. You should evaluate what’s best for you. How you learn best. I am sure you can find lots of courses both online and in classes locally. As to practicing a lot of exams; I don’t think it will benefit taking 10, 20 or even 100 exams if you don’t study what mistakes you did. You should of course take enough IELTS practice exams to feel comfortable with the time limit; but most importantly study and learn from the mistakes you did while do practice exams. The only way we improve as human beings is seeing and learning by our mistakes and this is valid for practicing the IELTS exam as well. I wish you the best for practicing the IELTS exam till next time.