We often tell our clients that achieving a high IELTS score is crucial for a successful immigration process in Canada. However, in order to perform well in all four sections of the exam, it’s important to have a solid grasp of the English language in various areas. This requires dedicating several weeks (and sometimes months) to learning and practicing extensively.
Relying solely on textbook instruction can only take you so far. If you aim to achieve a high score on a test like the IELTS, it is necessary to integrate the test into your daily life. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how you can accomplish this, specifically for the Listening section of the IELTS.
1. Listen to podcasts about your favourite topics
Think about which subjects you did best in high school. Chances are that these were also the subjects that you were genuinely interested in. This is because when we find something enjoyable or engaging, we are more likely to pay attention to it.
Applying the same logic to IELTS Listening, we can make learning enjoyable by listening to topics that intrigue us. Whether it be cooking, working out, or ancient Egyptian history – subscribe to a podcast that discusses it! You will find that learning about your favorite topic in English improves your vocabulary and makes you more comfortable with processing information in a conversational context. This is an essential skill because the Listening section frequently includes conversations between two individuals discussing various topics. Therefore, it is vital that you become familiar with a conversational format to the point where it feels natural to you. On the actual test day, the recording will only be played once, so every sentence, phrase, and word require your utmost attention.
2. Accents, accents, accents!
English has a wide range of accents – even within the same country. Someone from Quebec has a very different verbal intonations than someone from Ontario, for example (even though the two provinces are neighbors). It comes as no surprise, then, that the IELTS features a wide range of English accents, and you are expected to understand all of them.
This includes various styles of speaking found in countries such as Britain, Australia, the United States, South Africa, India, and Canada, among others. A useful learning approach is to engage with media content from these nations, including news, movies, YouTube videos, songs, and popular culture.
3. Boost your vocabulary and spelling
IELTS Listening is all about your ability to understand ideas that people are trying to convey. This requires a strong ability to recognize arguments, changes in opinion, and misunderstandings. More than anything, however, this requires you to have a vocabulary that is large enough to grasp the concepts in question. It is highly recommended that, while you are enhancing your listening, you are also working on your reading. Explore books, journals, and newspapers, especially those with academic content. Pay close attention to the spelling of complex words and use a dictionary to understand their meanings. You can also create flashcards for yourself, or go through IELTS vocabulary tests.
4. Try to paraphrase
The IELTS frequently includes a situation where one person, referred to as party A, shares an idea, and then another person, party B, expresses the same idea using different words. This technique is known as paraphrasing, and it is a common challenge for many test takers. Understanding how to use paraphrasing is crucial, and the best way to learn is by practicing it yourself.
Take an article (you can even use this one), book, or newspaper, and attempt to rephrase simple sentences. Try to think of alternative words with similar meanings and search online for options if you can’t come up with any. The primary objective throughout this exercise should be to retain as much meaning as possible. Let’s consider an example:
Original sentence: “The sun was bright this morning.”
Paraphrased sentence: “The morning sun was brilliant today.”
5. Practice your contractions and connected speech!
Native English speakers often use contractions and connected speech to communicate in a concise manner. These features can be heard in the audio during the IELTS exam, so it is important to be familiar with them.
For instance, instead of saying “are not,” a native English speaker may simply say “aren’t.” Similarly, “could not” can be contracted to “couldn’t.”
Connected speech refers to the blending of words within a sentence. For example, “I have to go to the library” can be pronounced as “I’ve gotta go to the library”.
By integrating these five practices into your daily routine, you will begin see progress in your IELTS practice scores. However, it is important to note that these routines should supplement your regular study schedule, not replace it.
SkilledWorker.com’s e-SKY Learning offers online IELTS Preparation Courses for both General and Academic versions of the exam. Be sure to check it out!
