A student recently reached out to me who needed an overall band score of 7.0 to qualify for admission to a prestigious university. Despite taking the test multiple times, the student consistently received an overall band score of 6.0. When I asked about their preparation methods, the student responded, "I mostly do lots of practice tests."
I then asked where they got these tests, and the response was, "From various sites." When I checked out these sites, I found that many used clickbait phrases like "authentic/real practice tests", "shortcut to success." Etc.
This article is going to look into how using IELTS practice tests can impact your exam preparation from three angles. First up, the importance of choosing a reliable IELTS practice test provider. Next, is doing endless practice tests an effective strategy? And finally, how can you best fit practice tests into your study routine?
Reliable IELTS Practice Tests
Online sources offering "real practice tests" as part of their "shortcut to guaranteed success" package can be very appealing to students who haven't reached their desired goals and are stuck at a certain level. However, these providers are driven by business interests, meaning they are exploiting students' frustrations.
If you are looking for real practice tests, always choose the IELTS test partners.
Using practice tests as the main approach to test preparation
Incorporating IELTS practice tests into your study routine is crucial. They provide a reliable measure of your level and help you become familiar with the test format and requirements.
We all know the phrase "practice makes perfect" but if you are stuck at a certain band, no matter how many practice tests you take, it's a clearly means that this approach isn't working, which in turn, increases your frustration and stress levels. These negative emotions only increase after every practice test you take.
If this is happening to you, take some time out and reassess your test preparation. You are probably making the same mistakes every time and/or using strategies that are just not working.
Additionally, IELTS evaluates your language abilities and skills, so if you consistently get the same band score on each test, it shows that your language and skills haven't improved. As a result, you may feel as though you're stuck in a loop without making any progress.
Using Practice Tests Effectively in your Study Routine
First of all, I would totally recommend doing IELTS practice tests as a progress checker. When you use tests from the IELTS test partners, you'll get a reliable indicator of your English language and skills level.
Patience is the key. To improve your overall band score by 1.0, you need approximately 100 hours of study and practice. Therefore, after completing around 25 hours of language and skills development, take a practice test, but be realistic and don't expect a huge increase in your band score.
Incorporate practice tests into a well-rounded study plan by utilizing them to assess your current level, rather than relying on them as your sole preparation method. Additionally, treat practice tests as a learning resource. Identify the sections where you face difficulties and focus on enhancing these areas in your preparation.
For instance, if you consistently receive low scores on the reading test question type - true/false/no information - seek feedback on alternative strategies you can use.
Ultimately, you're not on your own for IELTS preparation. Hire a highly skilled teacher, ideally a former examiner, to review your practice test scores and guide you on what to focus on in your studies. What's more, AI is not quite ready to grade your IELTS speaking and writing.
Final thoughts
For a lot of students who are just 1.0 or 0.5 away from their desired score, it's quite tempting to believe, "I just need to do a few more practice tests to reach my goal." However, in IELTS, practice doesn't always lead to perfection.
IELTS practice tests are a very important part of your study program when you...
Select trustworthy practice exams from official IELTS partners.
Be wary of "quick fixes" or "success guarantees" offered by some online platforms.
Integrate language development into your study routine. Continue expanding your vocabulary and refining your grammar.
Use practice tests as learning tools, identify your mistakes, and work on improving those areas.
Get dependable feedback and guidance from professional IELTS experts.
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