One of the most overlooked, yet useful strategies, that should be employed by candidates studying for the IELTS exam is studying using topics and themes. In fact, IELTS frequently reuses topics and ideas. Studying these subjects will not only give you a heads up, this will also give you much needed confidence on test day.

 

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IELTS Topics for Reading and Listening

Test takers will find that subjects used on the reading and listening sections of the exam will become progressively less familiar. On the listening section for example, Parts 1, 2 and 3 will involve everyday situations related to work, socialising, or education. Part 4, however, involves an academic topic that you won’t really know anything about beforehand. Your ability to correctly answer questions about unfamiliar subject matter will show a higher level of language proficiency and will result in a much higher band score.

The reading section is much the same in that the content progresses from more regular pieces of text that involve common types of readings into more scientific articles. The Academic and General versions of the exam are different due to the fact that the reading skills needed for Academic purposes are different.

Topics for Speaking and Writing

Luckily, the topics selected for the speaking and writing sections don’t tend to involve as many academic subjects, as it can be hard to talk at length about these types of things if you aren’t familiar with them. Also, there are lots of clever ways that you can tell the examiner that you don’t have much experience with the subject. This will prompt the examiner to move on to a new point, allowing you to better demonstrate your language skills.

For students, the fear of receiving a task involving a topic that they are unfamiliar with can be a major roadblock in becoming confident enough to attempt the exam. While IELTS exams are fully created to ensure that each and every test taker with excellent language skills can do well, those with lesser abilities can benefit by preparing strategically according to commonly used topics and subjects.

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Download the Top 15 IELTS Themes Handout

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Preparing for IELTS the CIBL Way

Our Clearly IELTS Online Preparation Program has been created with this often overlooked aspect of studying in mind. Lessons are grouped into common IELTS themes so that students can explore the topics fully in order to be fully prepared to receive them on the exam. This includes trying sample tasks related to the subject, learning new vocabulary and gathering ideas for the speaking and writing sections.

Get Social

IELTS exams are modern and take into account relevant social issues. Depending on how politically engaged you are, you may not have considered how you feel about these issues, and you may not have many examples to bring to the table during a discussion with the examiner or when writing an essay. Sadly, this lack of knowledge will not reflect well on your language skills.

Instead, candidates should review commonly employed social issues on the IELTS exam so that they are aware of problems that exist, how they may be solved, and consider how these issues relate to their own lives and situations in their home country. With this, a 250 word essay will flow with ease!

 

Strategically Build Your Vocabulary

Another major problem that IELTS candidates encounter is that they simply do not have the language to discuss more complicated topics in detail, or, to understand a lengthy written article. Certainly, you can’t study every word in the English language, but you can study key terms and phrases related to subject matter that you are highly likely to encounter.

 

 

 

 

 

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What to Do if You’re Not Familiar With the Subject

As the exam is designed to do this, candidates can expect to encounter something that they are not familiar with on the exam, however, following these pointers will ensure that you stay strong and don’t lose confidence or waste time.

• Take a guess and move on: keep in mind that some questions are designed to be nearly impossible to answer. This is how exam writers ensure that band scores accurately reflect your language abilities. Use your time on questions that you’re more likely to get right.
• Look for clues: oftentimes you can learn more about an unknown word by looking at the language used around it. Is the unknown word a noun or verb? Is it descriptive? Does it sound positive or negative?
• When you encounter a task that uses a difficult subject for you, be confident and know that the text will explain the subject matter enough for you to answer the questions.
• Look at the questions first so that you can focus on finding the answers and not understanding everything about the text.

In conclusion, while the most difficult questions are designed to challenge those with high-level language skills, candidates with average skills can score higher by reviewing these types of subjects as part of the preparation process.

 

People all over the globe are learning English as an additional language for many different reasons. However, without a prior knowledge of basic English structure, grammar, and vocabulary, learning the language can be an exhausting long journey, especially for adults. As many learners are usually preparing to take a language assessment, they overlook the one most important feature assessors look for: control over the language.

When attempting an IELTS speaking test, for example, assessors evaluate:  Topic development: should be logical and easy to follow  Use of idiomatic language: should be appropriately used to match the context’s meaning  Use of a wide range of structures flexibly: should switch easily between grammatical structures to deliver precise meanings  Use a wide range of pronunciation features to express your ideas: should use tone and intonation to add life to the language

All the above features should be done with the least effort to prove that you have immersed yourself in the language and its culture, and that your brain can process thoughts almost the same way it processes your mother tongue language.

 

Is that even possible? The easy answer to this is “YES!”, but it needs to start with a desire to learn, dedication, and consistency. If you haven’t been successful in improving your English skills, moving to the next level, or getting a better score in a language assessment for months or years, it is time to accept the fact that what you have been doing is not enough. Below are some tips and tricks that can help you embrace the language faster. 

 

Disable the Cable 

It’s time to unsubscribe from your mother tongue. Until you achieve your English goals, we advise that you stop watching movies or TV shows in which people speak your mother tongue language. Instead, watch English movies, shows, and news. This might be stressful at the beginning as it will take you out of your comfort zone. However, it will improve your vocabulary and awareness of idioms and will enhance your listening-to-details skills. Furthermore, you will become more aware of cultural norms in North America. 

 

Skip the Subtitles 

English movies are great for increasing your exposure to the language. There are hundreds of genres that you can choose from according to your interests. If your English listening skills are not advanced enough, you can also start with cartoons, nothing is wrong with that! However, there is one rule that you must follow to learn the language faster; you must turn off subtitles written in your mother tongue language. If you are struggling to understand, we suggest that you add English subtitles, which will help you become a faster reader. 

 

Tune In

Now that you have achieved a learning-friendly environment at home, it’s time to do the same while hitting the road. Whether you are driving or taking the bus, try not to listen to stored-media on your phone and opt for English radio stations. Even if you feel that you don’t understand what you hear, eventually over time, you will become a better listener and you will learn to enjoy English music and songs. If you hear a song that you really like, search for it online, find the lyrics and try to memorize the words, so you can sing along next time you hear it on the radio (only do that if you’re in your car, never on the bus!).  

 

Reset your Phone

Many English learners set their smartphones to their mother tongue language. This needs to stop. Change your phone’s language to English to get your eyes used to the English alphabet. Text your friends in English and improve your spelling skills with the spelling check feature. Skip short versions of words and write in full sentences.   

 

Hit the Local Library

Visit your local library and borrow an English book. Depending on your language skills, pick a book that is not too easy but is still challenging. If adult novels are too hard, for example, pick a novel from the youth section or even a chapter book from the children section. Anything you read in English is better than reading nothing at all. This also applies to magazines and newspapers. The more you read, the faster you will become. Soon enough, you will be used to proper sentence structure, and you will be able to detect mistakes in your own writing. 

 

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Read Aloud 

When reading novels, choose a paragraph every now and then to read aloud. Reading loudly as if you are talking to a crowd enhances your confidence levels and helps you become a better speaker. When reading English aloud, make sure to relax your lips and curve your tongue in a smile shape in which the sides of your tongue touch your back teeth. This is the normal tongue position that native English speakers have while they speak. This will reduce your accent and make you sound more natural.  

 

Listen to your Surroundings 

When on the bus, at a coffee shop, or while waiting in line at the grocery store, pay attention to your surroundings and what people say to each other. You can learn colloquial vocabulary that you won’t usually hear on the news or read in books. If you hear a strange phrase like “way to go” or “catch you later”, write them down and check their meanings. Then, practice using those phrases in everyday conversation. 

Taking an English course is a great way to enhance your language skills, but if you do not take the extra steps outside the class to become engrossed in the language and its culture, it might take you a long time to reach your goals.