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How to Score Band 8 in IELTS: The ultimate essential guide
An IELTS 8+ band score isn’t easy to achieve. You have to prepare a lot and work hard. We are going to look at how you can improve your IELTS exam score in this article.
In order to achieve a high IELTS score, one should implement these IELTS tips.
- One should make a timetable to prepare systematically by dividing IELTS exam sections each day.
- Putting more focus on the areas in which you are weak and taking practice tests as per schedule.
The core concept is to stick to these deadlines without flaw.
- Listening,listen regularly and practise regularly
- Reading, regular reading practice, proper understanding of skipping and skimming, work on reading speed
- Writing, work on grammar and accuracy, communicate your ideas clearly
IELTS, International English Language Testing System, is the most popular English proficiency test for international study, global migration etc.
What is its importance for students in academics?
If you are interested in obtaining higher education abroad, IELTS is accepted by all colleges and universities in the UK and around the world. In the exam, candidates are mainly tested on four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The average IELTS band score is calculted basis of evaluating all these four sections.
The British Council, London and IDP, IELTS in Australia and Cambridge Assessment English conducts IELTS exams all over. It was established in 1989.
General Modules in IELTS
To obtain a job or to study in countries such as New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada, Republic of Ireland, etc, you must be familiar with the general modules of IELTS. The general module includes IELTS general reading, IELTS listening, IELTS writing, and IELTS speaking papers.
IELTS has two test types, IELTS general and IELTS academic test.
The IELTS academic test is designed for international students who plan to study in English-speaking countries. For purposes such as professional registration, you can also take the IELTS academic test.
A general IELTS test is appropriate if you are interested in applying for a degree below your current level or gaining employment training and work experience. A general IELTS test carries everyday English skills required in your workplace and at university.
What are the four types of papers in the IELTS exam ?
IELTS exams and IELTS exam scores mainly depend on four tests: writing, reading, listening and speaking. Candidates appearing for both general IELTS and academic IELTS take both listening and speaking tests, but the reading and writing are different. In both the types, a candidate should take immense effort to win 8+ band in IELTS.
Writing IELTS
For the Ielts academic writing paper, a candidate needs to write a brief explaining the visual information in 150 words in about 20 minutes. The exam lasts one hour. During the IELTS general writing paper, which is one hour long, candidates will be asked to write letters, which may be informal or formal depending on the requirement, or they will be asked to write an essay.
Reading IELTS
There are 40 questions in the reading section of the IELTS test, including reading for main ideas, reading for gist, reading for details, and skimming. The questions in IELTS academic and general will have similar questions but the reading topics will be different.
Listening IELTS
IELTS listening tests consist of recorded monologues and conversation. It is the same for both IELTS academic and general training.
Speaking IELTS
The exam takes 11 to 14 minutes, the exam consists of an interview between the candidates and the certified IELTS examiner.
Which test format takes first and order of tests ?
The three tests will be on the first day without any breaks, the listening, reading and writing. The speaking test will be done on the next day or after seven days before or after that.
The order goes like this,
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
Want to get a IELTS high score?
Practice, practice, practice makes it perfect. A candidate who is getting ready for IELTS exams should practice each section every day. Build a strategy according to your strengths and weaknesses. A candidate should have regular practice on all the four skills. In order to achieve a higher IELTS band score, one should devote their time and effort. Experts can assist you with IELTS tips and provide guidance, if needed
How to Score Band 8 in IELTS test?
Inorder to get 8+ band score in IELTS test, one should get 89% of the marks. IELTS reading and listening tests have 40 questions, in which 36 questions should be answered each inorder to get an 8 band score.
Other IELTS tips to improve IELTS band score,
Writing
- Make sure that your answer is easily understandable.
- Focus on grammar and accuracy
- Ideas must be clearly explained
Listening
- Listen to English language more, be it news or videos or anything
- Practice regularly
Reading
- Regular practice on reading
- Differentiate between skimming and scanning thoroughly
Speaking
- Should be fluent
- Pronunciation should be clear
- Ideas should be delivered clearly and with all clarity.
- Grammatical errors should be avoided
How can you improve your IELTS band score from lower to high?
When the IELTS test dates are near, you should be performing your best to elevate your IELTS band score from lower to high. To boost your chances to perform well in the four skills of IELTS exams, you need to follow the IELTS tips for various IELTS sections,
IELTS Writing Tips
- Check the number of words, you need to write 250 words min for task 2 and 150 words minimum for task 1.
- Know your approach, different tasks require different approaches.
- Check your work for any errors in grammar, spelling, repetitive usage of statements or words etc. if found, rectify them.
- Work on your grammatical range and lexical resource
IELTS Reading Tips
- Have a better understanding of the test, the duration, the format, how many texts are there, what all skills will be tested etc.
- Continue reading to improve your vocabulary and reading speed.
- Develop your reading techniques, skimming and scanning.
Common mistakes in IELTS exam preparations
Planning, hard work, and execution are equally significant when you are preparing for IELTS. Many people make mistakes in their exam preparations which result in bad results. First one should understand their current English language proficiency level and make plans to reach their target band score. A candidate should understand the different IELTS sections, IELTS score to level, IELTS exam points, IELTS marks to band, all about IELTS thoroughly.
Forgetting to plan ahead
Booking a test date well in advance will give you plenty of time to prepare for it. Having a plan before you begin your preparation is always best.
Taking no practice tests
In your initial preparation, this is a crucial step in discovering your strengths and weaknesses. A candidate should take their practice tests without flaw.
Preparation courses are not being considered
If you are preparing for the IELTS examination, enrolling at a training center that specializes in preparing students for the exam is one of the most straightforward ways to prepare.
How to get on track after a loss?
Losing IELTS exams is definitely a bad break. However, you can’t be idle because you didn’t achieve your target IELTS band score. Before attending your next IELTS online test, you should be aware of all the IELTS topics. To win 8+ in IELTS, one should consider all the following things:
Take responsibility for failure.
When you accept and take full responsibility for failure, you are ready to strive for your target IELTS band score.
Analyze your previous performance
Ask yourself these questions,
- Did I struggle with time management?
- Is it difficult for me to come up with ideas?
- Did I have trouble extending my ideas?
- For that particular essay question, did I have enough topic-specific vocabulary?
- Did I struggle with Task 1? Were you given a tricky informal letter or a difficult chart, for instance?
More questions, the better as you will get a whole clarity on your previous attempt’s flaws. So this time you can rectify all that and achieve a high IELTS band score or can even achieve an 8+ band in IELTS.
Top books for IELTS exam preparations
Confused where to start from? When preparing for IELTS exams, can be very overwhelming and stressful. To enhance your IELTS band level, there are many useful IELTS books available,
The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS
This book is best for both the IELTS General Training Reading and IELTS Academic. It is a comprehensive guide for IELTS exams, to begin with. It covers all the IELTS sections, IELTS topics, IELTS test questions, etc.
Barron’s IELTS Superpack
This comprehensive package includes an overview of the IELTS, a total of 10 full-length practice tests with answers, and intensive help with all the IELTS sections.
IELTS Practice Tests Plus 2 with Key and CD Pack
It is a pack of six complete Practice Tests incorporating the 2005 modifications to the Writing module, complete audio scripts, with answers marked, and much more.
Road to IELTS
The British Council’s Road to IELTS is a comprehensive, 100% online preparation program for IELTS. There are over 300 interactive activities, 13 videos offering advice and tutorials, and 40 practice tests – everything your candidates need to succeed!
There are many more efficient and useful IELTS books out there that can help you achieve your target IELTS band score. Even one can win 8+ IELTS bands in IELTS if they make full use of every potential study resource and material available.
Practice regularly, perform with confidence, and only take the exams when you are confident in yourself.