Page 1 Your Key to IELTS Success
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Congratulations on your purchase of the most advanced test-taking manual
for the IELTS. Notice I did not say study guide- there are plenty of decent
study guides on the market, but that was not our objective in writing this
manual. Our goal is to seek and exploit specific weaknesses in the IELTS
assessment, and then share those secrets with our customers.
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Your Key to IELTS Success
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From the Director of Test-Taking Strategy-
Dear future IELTS Success Story:
Congratulations on your purchase of the most advanced test-taking manual
for the IELTS. Notice I did not say study guide- there are plenty of decent
study guides on the market, but that was not our objective in writing this
manual. Our goal is to seek and exploit specific weaknesses in the IELTS
assessment, and then share those secrets with our customers.
Let’sbeperfectlyhonest here- you’veworkedhardenoughinthepast,andif
youwanttospendhoursinastudyguidetoboostyourscore,that’sagreat
thing to do. In fact, we recommend at least a brief review of some of the
betterstudyguidesonthemarket.Butthat’ssimply not enough to do well in
the high-pressure high-stakes environment of the test day. How well you do
on this test will have a significant impact on your future- and we have the
research and practical advice to help you execute on test day.
The productyou’rereadingnowismuchmorethanastudyguide- it is a
tactical weapon designed to exploit weaknesses in the test itself, and help
you avoid the most common errors students make when taking the IELTS.
How to use this manual
Wedon’twanttowaste your time. This manual is fast-paced and fluff-free.
We suggest going through it a number of times, trying out its methods on a
number of practice tests.
First, read through the manual completely to get a feel for the content and
organization. Read the general success strategies first, and then proceed to
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the individual test sections. Each tip has been carefully selected for its
effectiveness.
Second, read through the manual again, and take notes in the margins and
highlight those sections where you may have a particular weakness (we
strongly suggest printing the manual out on a high-quality printer).
Third, go through at least one practice test with the manual at your side and
apply the strategies. We believe three practice tests to be the maximum
benefit, the first time with all strategies except time (take as much time as you
need), the second time with all strategies and time constraints, and a third
time without the benefit of the open manual to refer to during the test.
Finally, bring the manual with you on test day and study it before the exam
begins.
Your success is our success
We would be delighted to hear your IELTS Success Story. Send us an email
and tell us your story. Thanks for your business and we wish you continued
success-
Sincerely,
The IELTS Secrets Team
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECRET KEY #1 –TIME IS YOUR GREATEST ENEMY. .................................................................. 1
S
UCCESS
S
TRATEGY
#1 .............................................................................................................................. 2
Pace Yourself ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Scanning................................................................................................................................................ 3
SECRET KEY #2 –GUESSING IS NOT GUESSWORK........................................................................ 4
M
ONKEYS
T
AKE THE
IELTS ...................................................................................................................... 4
S
UCCESS
S
TRATEGY
#2 .............................................................................................................................. 5
S
PECIFIC
G
UESSING
T
ECHNIQUES
............................................................................................................... 7
Slang ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Extreme Statements............................................................................................................................... 7
Similar Answer Choices........................................................................................................................ 7
Hedging................................................................................................................................................. 8
S
UMMARY OF
G
UESSING
T
ECHNIQUES
....................................................................................................... 8
SECRET KEY #3 –PRACTICE SMARTER, NOT HARDER ............................................................... 9
S
UCCESS
S
TRATEGY
#3 .............................................................................................................................. 9
SECRET KEY #4 –PREPARE,DON’TPROCRASTINATE............................................................... 10
SECRET KEY #5 –TEST YOURSELF................................................................................................... 11
S
UCCESS
S
TRATEGY
................................................................................................................................. 11
TOP 20 TEST TAKING TIPS................................................................................................................... 12
GENERAL STRATEGIES........................................................................................................................ 13
Make Predictions ................................................................................................................................ 13
Answer the Question ........................................................................................................................... 13
Benchmark .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Valid Information................................................................................................................................ 14
Avoid“FactTraps”............................................................................................................................ 14
Milk the Question................................................................................................................................ 15
The Trap of Familiarity....................................................................................................................... 15
Eliminate Answers............................................................................................................................... 15
Tough Questions ................................................................................................................................. 16
Brainstorm .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Read Carefully .................................................................................................................................... 16
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Face Value .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Prefixes ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Hedge Phrases .................................................................................................................................... 17
Switchback Words............................................................................................................................... 18
New Information ................................................................................................................................. 18
Time Management............................................................................................................................... 18
Contextual Clues................................................................................................................................. 18
Don’tPanic......................................................................................................................................... 19
Pace Yourself ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Answer Selection................................................................................................................................. 19
Check Your Work ................................................................................................................................ 19
Beware of Directly Quoted Answers................................................................................................... 20
Slang ................................................................................................................................................... 20
Extreme Statements............................................................................................................................. 20
Answer Choice Families ..................................................................................................................... 20
THE LISTENING MODULE.................................................................................................................... 22
Main Ideas .......................................................................................................................................... 22
Voice Changes..................................................................................................................................... 22
Specifics .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Interpret .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Find the Hidden Meaning ................................................................................................................... 23
Memory Enhancers ............................................................................................................................. 24
THE READING MODULE....................................................................................................................... 26
S
KIMMING
................................................................................................................................................ 26
P
ARAGRAPH
F
OCUS
.................................................................................................................................. 28
E
LIMINATE
C
HOICES
................................................................................................................................. 29
C
ONTEXTUAL
C
LUES
................................................................................................................................ 30
F
ACT
/O
PINION
.......................................................................................................................................... 30
Opposites............................................................................................................................................. 31
Make Predictions ................................................................................................................................ 32
Answer the Question ........................................................................................................................... 32
Benchmark .......................................................................................................................................... 32
New Information ................................................................................................................................. 33
Key Words........................................................................................................................................... 33
Valid Information................................................................................................................................ 34
T
IME
M
ANAGEMENT
................................................................................................................................. 34
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F
INAL
W
ARNINGS
..................................................................................................................................... 34
Hedge Phrases Revisited..................................................................................................................... 34
Word Usage Questions........................................................................................................................ 35
Switchback Words............................................................................................................................... 35
Avoid“FactTraps”............................................................................................................................ 36
THE WRITING MODULE ....................................................................................................................... 37
Brainstorm .......................................................................................................................................... 37
Strength through Diversity.................................................................................................................. 37
Pick a Main Idea................................................................................................................................. 38
Weed the Garden................................................................................................................................. 38
Create a Logical Flow ........................................................................................................................ 39
Start Your Engines .............................................................................................................................. 39
Don’tPanic......................................................................................................................................... 40
Check Your Work ................................................................................................................................ 41
Shortcut Keys ...................................................................................................................................... 42
F
INAL
N
OTE
.............................................................................................................................................. 42
THE SPEAKING MODULE..................................................................................................................... 44
Part 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Part 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Part 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Exhausting the Possibilities ................................................................................................................ 45
Tell a Story.......................................................................................................................................... 45
One Size Fits All.................................................................................................................................. 46
Find the Bridges.................................................................................................................................. 47
Pregnant Pause................................................................................................................................... 48
Taking the Final Step.......................................................................................................................... 48
Practice Makes Perfect ....................................................................................................................... 49
SPECIAL REPORT: HOW YOUR IELTS SCORE IS VIEWED, AND WHAT THIS MEANS FOR
YOU............................................................................................................................................................. 50
SPECIAL REPORT: WHAT JOBS REQUIRE WHICH IELTS SCORES......................................... 51
SPECIAL REPORT: WHICH ADDITIONAL SOURCES ARE WORTH YOUR TIME.................. 52
P
RACTICE
T
ESTS
....................................................................................................................................... 52
SPECIAL REPORT: WHAT YOUR TEST SCORE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR IQ ........... 53
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SPECIAL REPORT: RETAKING THE TEST: WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES AT IMPROVING
YOUR SCORE?.......................................................................................................................................... 56
SPECIAL REPORT: WHAT IS TEST ANXIETY AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT?...................... 59
L
ACK OF
P
REPARATION
............................................................................................................................ 59
P
HYSICAL
S
IGNALS
................................................................................................................................... 60
N
ERVOUSNESS
.......................................................................................................................................... 61
S
TUDY
S
TEPS
............................................................................................................................................ 64
H
ELPFUL
T
ECHNIQUES
............................................................................................................................. 66
SPECIAL REPORT: ADDITIONAL BONUS MATERIAL.................................................................. 74
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Secret Key #1 –Time is your greatest enemy.
To succeed on the IELTS, you must use your time wisely. Many students do not
finish at least one module. The table below shows the time challenge you are
faced with:
Module
Total amount
of time allotted
Number of
questions
Time to answer
each question
Listening
30 min
40
.75 min
Reading
60 min
40
.67 min
Writing
60 min
2
30 min
Speaking
11-14 min
N/A
N/A
As you can see, the time constraints are brutal. To succeed, you must ration
your time properly. The reason that time is so critical is that every question
counts the same toward your final score. If you run out of time on any passage,
the questions that you do not answer will hurt your score far more than earlier
questions that you spent extra time on and feel certain are correct.
On the Reading Module, the test is separated into passages. The reason that
time is so critical is that 1) every question counts the same toward your final
score, and 2) the passages are not in order of difficulty. If you have to rush
during the last passage, then you will miss out on answering easier questions
correctly. It is natural to want to pause and figure out the hardest questions, but
you must resist the temptation and move quickly.
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Success Strategy #1
Pace Yourself
Wear a watch to the IELTS Test. At the beginning of the test, check the time (or
start a chronometer on your watch to count the minutes), and check the time
after each passage or every few questions to make sure you are“onschedule.”
Remember that on the Listening and Reading Modules you have a little over half
a minute for each question. If you can work quickly, you can pace yourself at half
a minute per question, which makes it easy to keep track of your time.
If you find that you are falling behind time during the test, you must speed up.
Even though a rushed answer is more likely to be incorrect, it is better to miss a
couple of questions by being rushed, than to completely miss later questions by
not having enough time. It is better to end with more time than you need than to
run out of time.
If you are forced to speed up, do it efficiently. Usually one or more answer
choicescanbeeliminatedwithouttoomuchdifficulty.Aboveall,don’tpanic.
Don’tspeedup and just begin guessing at random choices. By pacing yourself,
and continually monitoring your progress against the clock or your watch, you will
always know exactly how far ahead or behind you are with your available time. If
you find that you are a fewminutesbehindonamodule,don’tskipquestions
without spending any time on it, just to catch back up. Spend perhaps a little less
than half a minute per question and after a few questions, you will have caught
back up more gradually. Once you catch back up, you can continue working each
problem at your normal pace. If you have time at the end, go back then and finish
the questions that you left behind.
Furthermore,don’tdwellontheproblemsthatyouwererushedon.Ifaproblem
was taking up too much time and you made a hurried guess, it must have been
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difficult. The difficult questions are the ones you are most likely to miss anyway,
soitisn’tabigloss.Ifyouhavetimeleftover,asyoureviewtheskipped
questions, start at the earliest skipped question, spend at most another half a
minute, and then move on to the next skipped question.
Lastly, sometimes it is beneficial to slow down if you are constantly getting ahead
of time. You are always more likely to catch a careless mistake by working more
slowly than quickly, and among very high-scoring test takers (those who are
likely to have lots of time left over), careless errors affect the score more than
mastery of material.
Scanning
ForReadingpassages,don’twastetimereading,enjoying,andcompletely
understanding the passage. Simply scan the passage to get a rough idea of
what it is about. You will return to the passage for each question, so there is no
need to memorize it. Only spend as much time scanning as is necessary to get a
vague impression of its overall subject content.
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Secret Key #2 –Guessing is not guesswork.
You probably know that guessing is a good idea on the IELTS- unlike other
standardized tests, there is no penalty for getting a wrong answer. Even if you
have no idea about a question, you still have a 20-25% chance of getting it right.
Most students do not understand the impact that proper guessing can have on
their score. Unless you score extremely high, guessing will significantly
contribute to your final score.
Monkeys Take the IELTS
Whatmoststudentsdon’trealizeisthattoinsurethat20-25% chance, you have
to guess randomly. If you put 20 monkeys in a room to take the IELTS,
assuming they answered once per question and behaved themselves, on
average they would get 20-25% of the questions correct on a five choice multiple
choice problem. Put 20 students in the room, and the average will be much
lower among guessed questions. Why?
1. IELTSintentionallywritesdeceptiveanswerchoicesthat“look”right.A
studenthasnoideaaboutaquestion,sopicksthe“bestlooking”answer,
which is often wrong. The monkey has no idea what looks good and what
doesn’t,sowillconsistentlybeluckyabout20-25% of the time.
2. Students will eliminate answer choices from the guessing pool based on a
hunch or intuition. Simple but correct answers often get excluded, leaving a
0% chance of being correct. The monkey has no clue, and often gets lucky
with the best choice.
This is why the process of elimination endorsed by most test courses is flawed
and detrimental to your performance- studentsdon’tguess,theymakean
ignorant stab in the dark that is usually worse than random.
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Success Strategy #2
Let me introduce one of the most valuable ideas of this course- the $5 challenge:
Youonlymarkyour“bestguess”ifyouarewillingtobet$5onit.
You only eliminate choices from guessing if you are willing to bet $5 on it.
Why $5? Five dollars is an amount of money that is small yet not insignificant,
and can really add up fast (20 questions could cost you $100). Likewise, each
answer choice on one question of the IELTS will have a small impact on your
overall score, but it can really add up to a lot of points in the end.
The process of elimination IS valuable. The following shows your chance of
guessing it right:
If you eliminate this many choices on a
3 choice multiple choice problem:
0
1
2
Chance of getting it correct
33%
50%
100%
However, if you accidentally eliminate the right answer or go on a hunch for an
incorrect answer, your chances drop dramatically: to 0%. By guessing among all
the answer choices, you are GUARANTEED to have a shot at the right answer.
That’swhythe$5testissovaluable- if you give up the advantage and safety of
a pure guess, it had better be worth the risk.
Whatwestillhaven’tcoveredishowtobesurethatwhateverguessyoumakeis
trulyrandom.Here’stheeasiestway:
Always pick the first answer choice among those remaining.
Such a technique means that you have decided, before you see a single test
question, exactly how you are going to guess- and since the order of choices
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tells you nothing about which one is correct, this guessing technique is perfectly
random.
Let’stryanexample-
A student encounters the following problem on the Listening Module in a
conversationaboutthechemicalterm“amine,”aderivativeofammonia:
In the reaction, the amine will be?
A. neutralized
B. protonated
C. deprotonated
The student has a small idea about this question- he is pretty sure that the amine
willbedeprotonated,buthewouldn’tbet$5onit.Heknowsthattheamineis
either protonated or deprotoned, so he is willing to bet $5 on choice A not being
correct. Now he is down to B and C. At this point, he guesses B, since B is the
first choice remaining.
The student is correct by choosing B, since the amine will be protonated. He
only eliminated those choices he was willing to bet money on, AND he did not let
his stale memories (often things not known definitely will get mixed up in the
exactoppositearrangementinone’shead)aboutprotonationanddeprotonation
influence his guess. He blindly chose the first remaining choice, and was
rewarded with the fruits of a random guess.
This section is not meant to scare you away from making educated guesses or
eliminating choices- you just need to define when a choice is worth eliminating.
The $5 test, along with a pre-defined random guessing strategy, is the best way
to make sure you reap all of the benefits of guessing.
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Specific Guessing Techniques
Slang
Scientific sounding answers are better than slang ones. In the answer choices
below, choice B is much less scientific and is incorrect, while choice A is a
scientific analytical choice and is correct.
Example:
A.) To compare the outcomes of the two different kinds of treatment.
B.) Because some subjects insisted on getting one or the other of the treatments.
Extreme Statements
Avoid wild answers that throw out highly controversial ideas that are proclaimed
as established fact. Choice A is a radical idea and is incorrect. Choice B is a
calm rational statement. Notice that Choice B does not make a definitive,
uncompromisingstance,usingahedgeword“if”toprovidewiggleroom.
Example:
A.) Bypass surgery should be discontinued completely.
B.) Medication should be used instead of surgery for patients who have not had a
heart attack if they suffer from mild chest pain and mild coronary artery blockage.
Similar Answer Choices
When you have two answer choices that are direct opposites, one of them is
usually the correct answer.
Example:
A.) describedtheauthor’sreasoningabouttheinfluenceofhischildhood on his
adult life.
B.) describedtheauthor’sreasoningabouttheinfluenceofhisparents on his
adult life.
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These two answer choices are very similar and fall into the same family of
answer choices. A family of answer choices is when two or three answer choices
are very similar. Often two will be opposites and one may show an equality.
Example:
A.) Plan I or Plan II can be conducted at equal cost
B.) Plan I would be less expensive than Plan II
C.) Plan II would be less expensive than Plan I
D.) Neither Plan I nor Plan II would be effective
Note how the first three choices are all related. They all ask about a cost
comparison. Beware of immediately recognizing choices B and C as opposites
and choosing one of those two. Choice A is in the same family of questions and
should be considered as well. However, choice D is not in the same family of
questions. It has nothing to do with cost and can be discounted in most cases.
Hedging
Whenaskedforaconclusionthatmaybedrawn,lookforcritical“hedge”
phrases, such as likely, may, can, will often, sometimes, etc, often, almost,
mostly, usually, generally, rarely, sometimes. Question writers insert these
hedge phrases to cover every possibility. Often an answer will be wrong simply
because it leaves no room for exception. Avoid answer choices that have
definitivewordslike“exactly,”and“always”.
Summary of Guessing Techniques
1. Eliminate as many choices as you can by using the $5 test. Use the common
guessing strategies to help in the elimination process, but only eliminate
choices that pass the $5 test.
2. Amongtheremainingchoices,onlypickyour“bestguess”ifitpassesthe$5
test.
3. Otherwise, guess randomly by picking the first remaining choice.
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Secret Key #3 –Practice Smarter, Not Harder
Many students delay the test preparation process because they dread the awful
amounts of practice time they think necessary to succeed on the test. We have
refined an effective method that will take you only a fraction of the time.
Thereareanumberof“obstacles”inyourwayontheIELTS.Amongtheseare
answering questions, finishing in time, and mastering test-taking strategies. All
must be executed on the day of the test at peak performance, or your score will
suffer. The IELTS is a mental marathon that has a large impact on your future.
Just like a marathon runner, it is important to work your way up to the full
challenge. So first you just worry about questions, and then time, and finally
strategy:
Success Strategy #3
1. Find a good source for IELTS practice tests.
2. If you are willing to make a larger time investment, consider using more
than one study guide- often the different approaches of multiple authors
will help you "get" difficult concepts.
3. Takeapracticetestwithnotimeconstraints,withallstudyhelps“open
book.”Takeyourtimewithquestionsandfocusonapplyingthe
strategies.
4. Take another test, this time with time constraints, with all study helps
“openbook.”
5. Take a final practice test with no open material and time limits.
If you have time to take more practice tests, just repeat step 5. By gradually
exposing yourself to the full rigors of the test environment, you will condition
your mind to the stress of test day and maximize your success.
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Secret Key #4 –Prepare,Don’tProcrastinate
Let me state an obvious fact: if you take the IELTS three times, you will get three
different scores. This is due to the way you feel on test day, the level of
preparednessyouhave,and,despiteIELTS’sclaimstothecontrary,sometests
WILL be easier for you than others.
Since so much depends on your score, you should maximize your chances of
success. In order to maximize thelikelihoodofsuccess,you’vegottopreparein
advance. This means taking practice tests and spending time learning the
information and test taking strategies you will need to succeed.
You can always retake the test more than once, but remember that you will have
towaitaminimumofthreemonthsbeforeretakingthetest.Don’tgetintoa
situationwhereyouneedahigherscoreandcan’taffordtowait,sodon’ttakethe
IELTSasa“practice”test.Feelfreetotakesampletestsonyourown,butwhen
you go to take the IELTS, be prepared, be focused, and do your best the first
time!
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Secret Key #5 –Test Yourself
Everyone knows that time is money. There is no need to spend too much of your
time or too little of your time preparing for the IELTS. You should only spend as
much of your precious time preparing as is necessary for you to pass it.
Success Strategy
Once you have taken a practice test under real conditions of time constraints,
then you will know if you are ready for the test or not.
If you have scored extremely high the first time that you take a practice test, then
there is not much point in spending countless hours studying. You are already
there.
Benchmark your abilities by retaking practice tests and seeing how much you
have improved. Once you score high enough, then you are ready.
If you have scored well below where you need, then knuckle down and begin
studying in earnest. Check your improvement regularly through the use of
practice tests under real conditions. Above all,don’tworry,panic,orgiveup.
The key is perseverance!
Then, when you go to take the IELTS, remain confident and remember how well
you did on the practice tests. If you can score high enough on a practice test,
then you can do the same on the real thing.
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Top 20 Test Taking Tips
1. Carefully follow all the test registration procedures
2. Know the test directions, duration, topics, question types, how many
questions
3. Setup a flexible study schedule at least 3-4 weeks before test day
4. Study during the time of day you are most alert, relaxed, and stress free
5. Maximize your learning style; visual learner use visual study aids, auditory
learner use auditory study aids
6. Focus on your weakest knowledge base
7. Find a study partner to review with and help clarify questions
8. Practice, practice, practice
9. Getagoodnight’ssleep;don’ttrytocramthenightbeforethetest
10.Eat a well balanced meal
11.Know the exact physical location of the testing site; drive the route to the
site prior to test day
12.Bring a set of ear plugs; the testing center could be noisy
13.Wear comfortable, loose fitting, layered clothing to the testing center;
prepare for it to be either cold or hot during the test
14.Bring at least 2 current forms of ID to the testing center
15.Arrive to the test early; be prepared to wait and be patient
16.Eliminate the obviously wrong answer choices, then guess the first
remaining choice
17.Paceyourself;don’trush,butkeepworkingandmoveonifyougetstuck
18.Maintain a positive attitude even if the test is going poorly
19.Keep your first answer unless you are positive it is wrong
20.Checkyourwork,don’tmakeacarelessmistake
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General Strategies
The most important thing you can do is to ignore your fears and jump into the test
immediately- do not be overwhelmed by any strange-sounding terms. You have
to jump into the test like jumping into a pool- all at once is the easiest way.
Make Predictions
As you read and understand the question, try to guess what the answer will be.
Remember that several of the answer choices are wrong, and once you begin
reading them, your mind will immediately become cluttered with answer choices
designed to throw you off. Your mind is typically the most focused immediately
after you have read the question and digested its contents. If you can, try to
predict what the correct answer will be. You may be surprised at what you can
predict.
Quickly scan the choices and see if your prediction is in the listed answer
choices. If it is, then you can be quite confident that you have the right answer.
It stillwon’thurttochecktheotheranswerchoices,butmostofthetime,you’ve
got it!
Answer the Question
It may seem obvious to only pick answer choices that answer the question, but
the test writers can create some excellent answer choices that are wrong.Don’t
pick an answer just because it sounds right, or you believe it to be true. It MUST
answerthequestion.Onceyou’vemadeyourselection,alwaysgobackand
checkitagainstthequestionandmakesurethatyoudidn’tmisreadthequestion,
and the answer choice does answer the question posed.
Benchmark
After you read the first answer choice, decide if you think it sounds correct or not.
Ifitdoesn’t,moveontothenextanswerchoice.Ifitdoes,mentallymarkthat
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answerchoice.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatyou’vedefinitelyselecteditasyour
answerchoice,itjustmeansthatit’sthebestyou’veseenthusfar.Goahead
andreadthenextchoice.Ifthenextchoiceisworsethantheoneyou’vealready
selected, keep going to the next answer choice. If the next choice is better than
thechoiceyou’vealreadyselected,mentallymarkthenewanswerchoiceas
your best guess.
The first answer choice that you select becomes your standard. Every other
answer choice must be benchmarked against that standard. That choice is
correct until proven otherwise by another answer choice beating it out. Once
you’vedecidedthatnootheranswerchoiceseemsasgood,doonefinalcheck
to ensure that your answer choice answers the question posed.
Valid Information
Don’tdiscountanyoftheinformationprovidedinthequestion.Everypieceof
information may be necessary to determine the correct answer. None of the
information in the question is there to throw you off (while the answer choices will
certainly have information to throw you off). If two seemingly unrelated topics are
discussed,don’tignoreeither.Youcanbeconfidentthereisarelationship,orit
wouldn’tbeincludedinthequestion,andyouareprobablygoingtohaveto
determine what is that relationship to find the answer.
Avoid“FactTraps”
Don’tgetdistractedbyachoicethatisfactuallytrue.Yoursearchisforthe
answerthatanswersthequestion.Stayfocusedanddon’tfallforananswerthat
is true but incorrect. Always go back tothequestionandmakesureyou’re
choosing an answer that actually answers the question and is not just a true
statement. An answer can be factually correct, but it MUST answer the question
asked. Additionally, two answers can both be seemingly correct, so be sure to
read all of the answer choices, and make sure that you get the one that BEST
answers the question.
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Milk the Question
Some of the questions may throw you completely off. They might deal with a
subject you have not been exposed to, or one thatyouhaven’treviewedinyears.
While your lack of knowledge about the subject will be a hindrance, the question
itself can give you many clues that will help you find the correct answer. Read
the question carefully and look for clues. Watch particularly for adjectives and
nounsdescribingdifficulttermsorwordsthatyoudon’trecognize.Regardlessof
if you completely understand a word or not, replacing it with a synonym either
provided or one you more familiar with may help you to understand what the
questions are asking. Rather than wracking your mind about specific detailed
information concerning a difficult term or word, try to use mental substitutes that
are easier to understand.
The Trap of Familiarity
Don’tjustchooseawordbecauseyourecognize it. On difficult questions, you
may not recognize a number of words in the answer choices. The test writers
don’tput“make-believe”wordsonthetest;sodon’tthinkthatjustbecauseyou
only recognize all the words in one answer choice means that answer choice
must be correct. If you only recognize words in one answer choice, then focus
on that one. Is it correct? Try your best to determine if it is correct. If it is, that is
great,butifitdoesn’t,eliminateit.Eachwordandanswerchoice you eliminate
increases your chances of getting the question correct, even if you then have to
guess among the unfamiliar choices.
Eliminate Answers
Eliminate choices as soon as you realize they are wrong. But be careful! Make
sure you consider all of the possible answer choices. Just because one appears
right,doesn’tmeanthatthenextonewon’tbeevenbetter!Thetestwriterswill
usually put more than one good answer choice for every question, so read all of
them.Don’tworryifyouarestuck between two that seem right. By getting down
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to just two remaining possible choices, your odds are now 50/50. Rather than
wasting too much time, play the odds. You are guessing, but guessing wisely,
becauseyou’vebeenabletoknockoutsomeoftheanswer choices that you
know are wrong. If you are eliminating choices and realize that the last answer
choiceyouareleftwithisalsoobviouslywrong,don’tpanic.Startoverand
consider each choice again. There may easily be something that you missed the
first time and will realize on the second pass.
Tough Questions
Ifyouarestumpedonaproblemoritappearstoohardortoodifficult,don’t
waste time. Move on! Remember though, if you can quickly check for obviously
incorrect answer choices, your chances of guessing correctly are greatly
improved. Before you completely give up, at least try to knock out a couple of
possible answers. Eliminate what you can and then guess at the remaining
answer choices before moving on.
Brainstorm
If you get stuck on a difficult question, spend a few seconds quickly
brainstorming. Run through the complete list of possible answer choices. Look
at each choice and ask yourself, "Could this answer the question satisfactorily?"
Go through each answer choice and consider it independently of the other. By
systematically going through all possibilities, you may find something that you
wouldotherwiseoverlook.Rememberthatwhenyougetstuck,it’simportantto
try to keep moving.
Read Carefully
Understand the problem.Readthequestionandanswerchoicescarefully.Don’t
miss the question because you misread the terms. You have plenty of time to
read each question thoroughly and make sure you understand what is being
asked. Yet a happy medium must be attained,sodon’twastetoomuchtime.
You must read carefully, but efficiently.
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Face Value
When in doubt, use common sense. Always accept the situation in the problem
atfacevalue.Don’treadtoomuchintoit.Theseproblemswillnotrequireyouto
make hugeleapsoflogic.Thetestwritersaren’ttryingtothrowyouoffwitha
cheap trick. If you have to go beyond creativity and make a leap of logic in order
to have an answer choice answer the question, then you should look at the other
answer choices. Don’tovercomplicatetheproblembycreatingtheoretical
relationships or explanations that will warp time or space. These are normal
problemsrootedinreality.It’sjustthattheapplicablerelationshiporexplanation
may not be readily apparent and you have to figure things out. Use your common
sensetointerpretanythingthatisn’tclear.
Prefixes
If you're having trouble with a word in the question or answer choices, try
dissecting it. Take advantage of every clue that the word might include. Prefixes
and suffixes can be a huge help. Usually they allow you to determine a basic
meaning. Pre- means before, post- means after, pro - is positive, de- is negative.
From these prefixes and suffixes, you can get an idea of the general meaning of
the word and try to put it into context. Beware though of any traps. Just because
conistheoppositeofpro,doesn’tnecessarilymeancongressistheoppositeof
progress!
Hedge Phrases
Watchoutforcritical“hedge”phrases,suchaslikely,may,can,willoften,
sometimes, often, almost, mostly, usually, generally, rarely, sometimes.
Question writers insert these hedge phrases to cover every possibility. Often an
answer choice will be wrong simply because it leaves no room for exception.
Avoid answer choicesthathavedefinitivewordslike“exactly,”and“always”.
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Switchback Words
Stayalertfor“switchbacks”.Thesearethewordsandphrasesfrequentlyusedto
alertyoutoshiftsinthought.Themostcommonswitchbackwordis“but”.
Others include although, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, even though,
while, in spite of, despite, regardless of.
New Information
Correct answer choices will rarely have completely new information included.
Answer choices typically are straightforward reflections of the material asked
about and will directly relate to the question. If a new piece of information is
included in an answer choice that doesn't even seem to relate to the topic being
asked about, then that answer choice is likely incorrect. All of the information
needed to answer the question is usually provided for you, and so you should not
have to make guesses that are unsupported or choose answer choices that
require unknown information that cannot be reasoned on its own.
Time Management
On technicalquestions,don’tgetlostonthetechnicalterms.Don’tspendtoo
muchtimeonanyonequestion.Ifyoudon’tknowwhatatermmeans,then
sinceyoudon’thaveadictionary,oddsareyouaren’tgoingtogetmuchfurther.
You should immediately recognize terms as whether or not you know them. If
youdon’t,workwiththeothercluesthatyouhave,theotheranswerchoicesand
termsprovided,butdon’twastetoomuchtimetryingtofigureoutadifficultterm.
Contextual Clues
Look for contextual clues. An answer can be right but not correct. The
contextual clues will help you find the answer that is most right and is correct.
Understand the context in which a phrase or statement is made. This will help
you make important distinctions.
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Don’tPanic
Panickingwillnotansweranyquestionsforyou.Therefore,itisn’thelpful.When
you first see the question, if your mind goes blank, take a deep breath. Force
yourself to mechanically go through the steps of solving the problem and using
the strategies you've learned.
Pace Yourself
Don’tgetclockfever.It’seasytobeoverwhelmedwhenyou’relookingatapage
full of questions, your mind is full of random thoughts and feeling confused, and
the clock is ticking down faster than you would like. Calm down and maintain the
pace that you have set for yourself. As long as you are on track by monitoring
your pace, you are guaranteed to have enough time for yourself. When you get
tothelastfewminutesofthetest,itmayseemlikeyouwon’thaveenough time
left, but if you only have as many questions as you should have left at that point,
thenyou’rerightontrack!
Answer Selection
The best way to pick an answer choice is to eliminate all of those that are wrong,
until only one is left and confirm that is the correct answer. Sometimes though,
an answer choice may immediately look right. Be careful! Take a second to
makesurethattheotherchoicesarenotequallyobvious.Don’tmakeahasty
mistake. There are only two times that you should stop before checking other
answers. First is when you are positive that the answer choice you have
selected is correct. Second is when time is almost out and you have to make a
quick guess!
Check Your Work
Since you will probably not know every term listed and the answer to every
question,itisimportantthatyougetcreditfortheonesthatyoudoknow.Don’t
miss any questions through careless mistakes. If at all possible, try to take a
second to look back over your answer selection and make sure you’veselected
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thecorrectanswerchoiceandhaven’tmadeacostlycarelessmistake(suchas
markingananswerchoicethatyoudidn’tmeantomark).Thisquickdouble
check should more than pay for itself in caught mistakes for the time it costs.
Beware of Directly Quoted Answers
Sometimes an answer choice will repeat word for word a portion of the question
or reference section. However, beware of such exact duplication –it may be a
trap! More than likely, the correct choice will paraphrase or summarize a point,
rather than being exactly the same wording.
Slang
Scientific sounding answers are better than slang ones. An answer choice that
begins“Tocomparetheoutcomes…”ismuchmorelikelytobecorrectthanone
thatbegins“Becausesomepeopleinsisted…”
Extreme Statements
Avoid wild answers that throw out highly controversial ideas that are proclaimed
asestablishedfact.Ananswerchoicethatstatesthe“processshouldusedin
certainsituations,if…”ismuchmorelikelytobecorrectthanonethatstates the
“processshouldbediscontinuedcompletely.”Thefirstisacalmrational
statementanddoesn’tevenmakeadefinitive,uncompromisingstance,usinga
hedgeword“if”toprovidewiggleroom,whereasthesecondchoiceisaradical
idea and far more extreme.
Answer Choice Families
When you have two or more answer choices that are direct opposites or
parallels, one of them is usually the correct answer. For instance, if one answer
choicestates“xincreases”andanotheranswerchoicestates“xdecreases”or“y
increases,”thenthosetwoorthreeanswerchoicesareverysimilarin
construction and fall into the same family of answer choices. A family of answer
choices is when two or three answer choices are very similar in construction, and
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yet often have a directly opposite meaning. Usually the correct answer choice
willbeinthatfamilyofanswerchoices.The“oddmanout”oranswerchoicethat
doesn’tseemtofittheparallelconstructionoftheotheranswerchoicesismore
likely to be incorrect.
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The Listening Module
The Listening module of the IELTS consists of a total of 40 questions.
There are four sections:
1. Social Needs –Conversation between two speakers
2. Social Needs –Speech by one speaker
3. Educational or Training –Conversation between up to four speakers
4. Educational or Training –Speech by one speaker
Main Ideas
Important words and main ideas in conversation are ones that will come up again
and again. Listen carefully for any word or words that come up repeatedly. What
words come up in nearly every statement made? These words with high
frequency are likely to be in the main idea of the conversation. For example, in a
conversation about class size in the business department of a college, the term
“classsize”islikelytoappearin nearly every statement made by either speaker
in the discussion.
Voice Changes
IELTS expects you to be able to recognize and interpret nuances of speech. Be
on the alert for any changes in voice, which might register surprise, excitement,
or another emotion. If a speaker is talking in a normal monotone voice and
suddenly raises their voice to a high pitch, that is a huge clue that something
critical is being stated. Listen for a speaker to change their voice and understand
the meaning of what they are saying.
Example:
Man:Let’sgotoWal-mart.
Woman: There’saWal-mart in this small town?
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Ifthewoman’sstatementwashigherpitched,indicatingsurpriseandshock,then
she probably did not expect there to be a Wal-mart in that town.
Specifics
Listen carefully for specific pieces of information. Adjectives are commonly
asked about in IELTS questions. Try to remember any main adjectives that are
mentioned. Pick out adjectives such as numbers, colors, or sizes.
Example:
Man:Let’sgotothestoreand get some apples to make the pie.
Woman: How many do we need?
Man:We’llneedfive apples to make the pie.
A typical question might be about how many apples were needed.
Interpret
Asyouarelisteningtotheconversation,putyourselfintheperson’sshoes.
Thinkaboutwhysomeonewouldmakeastatement.You’llneedtodomorethan
just regurgitate the spoken words but also interpret them.
Example:
Woman:IthinkI’msickwiththeflu.
Man:Whydon’tyougoseethecampusdoctor?
Sample Question: Why did the man mention the campus doctor?
Answer: The campus doctor would be able to determine if the woman had the flu.
Find the Hidden Meaning
Look for the meaning behind a statement. When a speaker answers a question
withastatementthatdoesn’timmediately seem to answer the question, the
response probably contained a hidden meaning that you will need to recognize
and explain.
Man: Are you going to be ready for your presentation?
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Woman:I’veonlygothalfofitfinishedandit’stakenmefivehoursjust to do this
much.There’sonlyanhourleftbeforethepresentationisdue.
At first, the woman did not seem to answer the question the man presented. She
responded with a statement that only seemed loosely related. Once you look
deeper, then you can find the true meaning of what she said. If it took the
woman five hours to do the first half of the presentation, then it would logically
take her another five hours to do the second half. Since she only has one hour
until her presentation is due, she would probably NOT be able to be ready for the
presentation.So,whileananswerwasnotimmediatelyvisibletotheman’s
question, when you applied some logic to her response, you could find the
hidden meaning beneath.
Memory Enhancers
You have scratch paper provided to you while taking the test. This can be a
huge help. While you listen, you are free to make notes. If different people are
talking, use short hand to describe the main characteristics of each speaker. As
you hear main adjectives that you think might be hard to remember, jot them
down quickly in order that you can refer to them later during the question stage.
Useyournotestohelpyourememberthosehardtorememberfacts.Don’tend
your test without making use of your scratch paper ally.
Example:
Speaker1:I’mBobThomas,andI’mmajoringinbusinessdevelopment.
Speaker2:I’mMattSmith,andI’mmajoringinchemicalengineering.
Speaker3:I’mJohnDouglass,andI’mmajoringinspeechtherapy.
Your short hand might read:
Bob –Bus.
Matt –Chem. E
John –Sp. Th.
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Onsubsequentquestionsaboutthecharacters,you’llbeabletorememberthese
basicfactsandanswermoreaccurately.However,don’tspendsomuchtime
makingnotesthatyoumisssomethingonthetape.Youwon’tbeable to rewind
it and catch what you miss. The idea is that the notes should only supplement
your memory, not replace it.
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The Reading Module
The Reading module of the IELTS consists of a total of 40 questions.
There are three passages, with a total of 2,000 to 2,750 words.
Skimming
Yourfirsttaskwhenyoubeginreadingistoanswerthequestion“Whatisthe
topicoftheselection?”Thiscanbestbeansweredbyquicklyskimmingthe
passage for the general idea, stopping to read only the first sentence of each
paragraph.Aparagraph’sfirstsentenceisusuallythemaintopicsentence,andit
gives you a summary of the content of the paragraph.
Onceyou’veskimmedthepassage,stoppingtoreadonlythefirstsentences,you
will have a general idea about what it is about, as well as what is the expected
topic in each paragraph.
Each question will contain clues as to where to find the answer in the passage.
Do not just randomly search through the passage for the correct answer to each
question. Search scientifically. Find key word(s) or ideas in the question that are
going to either contain or be near the correct answer. These are typically nouns,
verbs, numbers, or phrases in the question that will probably be duplicated in the
passage. Once you have identified those key word(s) or idea, skim the passage
quickly to find where those key word(s) or idea appears. The correct answer
choice will be nearby.
Example: What caused Martin to suddenly return to Paris?
The key word is Paris. Skim the passage quickly to find where this word
appears. The answer will be close by that word.
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However, sometimes key words in the question are not repeated in the passage.
In those cases, search for the general idea of the question.
Example: Which of the following wasthepsychologicalimpactoftheauthor’s
childhood upon the remainder of his life?
Keywordsare“childhood”or“psychology”.Whilesearchingforthosewords,be
alertforotherwordsorphrasesthathavesimilarmeaning,suchas“emotional
effect”or“mentally”whichcouldbeusedinthepassage,ratherthantheexact
word“psychology”.
Numbers or years can be particularly good key words to skim for, as they stand
out from the rest of the text.
Example: Which of the following best describes the influenceofMonet’sworkin
the 20th century?
20th contains numbers and will easily stand out from the rest of the text. Use
20th as the key word to skim for in the passage.
Onceyou’vequicklyfoundthecorrectsectionofthepassagetofindtheanswer,
focus upon the answer choices. Sometimes a choice will repeat word for word a
portion of the passage near the answer. However, beware of such duplication –
it may be a trap! More than likely, the correct choice will paraphrase or
summarize the related portion of the passage, rather than being exactly the same
wording.
For the answers that you think are correct, read them carefully and make sure
that they answer the question. An answer can be factually correct, but it MUST
answer the question asked. Additionally, two answers can both be seemingly
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correct, so be sure to read all of the answer choices, and make sure that you get
the one that BEST answers the question.
Some questions will not have a key word.
Example: Which of the following would the author of this passage likely agree
with?
In these cases, look for key words in the answer choices. Then skim the
passage to find where the answer choice occurs. By skimming to find where to
look, you can minimize the time required.
Sometimes it may be difficult to identify a good key word in the question to skim
for in the passage. In those cases, look for a key word in one of the answer
choices to skim for. Often the answer choices can all be found in the same
paragraph, which can quickly narrow your search.
Paragraph Focus
Focus upon the first sentence of each paragraph, which is the most important.
The main topic of the paragraph is usually there.
Onceyou’vereadthefirstsentenceintheparagraph,youhaveageneralidea
about what each paragraph will be about. As you read the questions, try to
determine which paragraph will have the answer. Paragraphs have a concise
topic. The answer should either obviously be there or obviously not. It will save
time if you can jump straight to the paragraph, so try to remember what you
learned from the first sentences.
Example: The first paragraph is about poets; the second is about poetry. If a
question asks about poetry, where will the answer be? The second paragraph.
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The main idea of a passage is typically spread across all or most of its
paragraphs. Whereas the main idea of a paragraph may be completely different
than the main idea of the very next paragraph, a main idea for a passage affects
all of the paragraphs in one form or another.
Example: What is the main idea of the passage?
For each answer choice, try to see how many paragraphs are related. It can help
to count how many sentences are affected by each choice, but it is best to see
how many paragraphs are affected by the choice. Typically the answer choices
will include incorrect choices that are main ideas of individual paragraphs, but not
the entire passage. That is why it is crucial to choose ideas that are supported
by the most paragraphs possible.
Eliminate Choices
Some choices can quicklybeeliminated.“AndyWarhollivedthere.”IsAndy
Warhol even mentioned in the article? If not, quickly eliminate it.
Whentryingtoansweraquestionsuchas“thepassageindicatesallofthe
followingEXCEPT”quicklyskimtheparagraphsearching for references to each
choice. If the reference exists, scratch it off as a choice. Similar choices may be
crossed off simultaneously if they are close enough.
Inchoicesthataskyoutochoose“whichanswerchoicedoesNOTdescribe?”or
“allofthe following answer choices are identifiable characteristics, EXCEPT
which?”lookforanswersthataresimilarlyworded.Sinceonlyoneanswercan
be correct, if there are two answers that appear to mean the same thing, they
must BOTH be incorrect, and can be eliminated.
Example:
A.)
changing values and attitudes
B.)
a large population of mobile or uprooted people
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These answer choices are similar; they both describe a fluid culture. Because of
their similarity, they can be linked together. Since the answer can have only one
choice, they can also be eliminated together.
Contextual Clues
Look for contextual clues. An answer can be right but not correct. The
contextual clues will help you find the answer that is most right and is correct.
Understand the context in which a phrase is stated.
When asked for the implied meaning of a statement made in the passage,
immediately go find the statement and read the context it was made in. Also,
look for an answer choice that has a similar phrase to the statement in question.
Example:Inthepassage,whatisimpliedbythephrase“Churcheshavebecome
moreorlesspartofthefurniture”?
Findananswerchoicethatissimilarordescribesthephrase“partofthe
furniture”asthatisthekeyphraseinthequestion.“Partofthefurniture”isa
saying that means something is fixed, immovable, or set in their ways. Those
areallsimilarwaysofsaying“partofthefurniture.”Assuch,thecorrectanswer
choice will probably include a similar rewording of the expression.
Example:WhywasJohndescribedas“morallydesperate”.
Theanswerwillprobablyhavesomesortofdefinitionofmoralsinit.“Morals”
refers to a code of right and wrong behavior, so the correct answer choice will
likely have words that mean something like that.
Fact/Opinion
When asked about which statement is a fact or opinion, remember that answer
choices that are facts will typically have no ambiguous words. For example, how
long is a long time? What defines an ordinary person? These ambiguous words
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of“long”and“ordinary”shouldnotbeinafactualstatement.However,ifallof
the choices have ambiguous words, go to the context of the passage. Often a
factual statement may be set out as a research finding.
Example:“Thescientistfoundthattheeyereactsquicklytochangeinlight.”
Opinions may be set out in the context of words like thought, believed,
understood, or wished.
Example:“HethoughttheYankeesshouldwintheWorldSeries.”
Opposites
Answer choices that are direct opposites are usually correct. The paragraph will
often contain established relationships (when this goes up, that goes down). The
question may ask you to draw conclusions for this and will give two similar
answer choices that are opposites.
Example:
A.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to
a decrease in housing starts
B.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to
an increase in housing starts
Often these opposites will not besoclearlyrecognized.Don’tbethrownoffby
different wording, look for the meaning beneath. Notice how these two answer
choices are really opposites, with just a slight change in the wording shown
above. Once you realize these are opposites, you should examine them closely.
One of these two is likely to be the correct answer.
Example:
A.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to
a decrease in housing starts
B.) when there is an increase in housing starts, and other things remaining equal,
it is often the result of an increase in interest rates
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Make Predictions
As you read and understand the passage and then the question, try to guess
what the answer will be. Remember that most of the answer choices are wrong,
and once you being reading them, your mind will immediately become cluttered
with answer choices designed to throw you off. Your mind is typically the most
focused immediately after you have read the passage and question and digested
its contents. If you can, try to predict what the correct answer will be. You may
be surprised at what you can predict.
Quickly scan the choices and see if your prediction is in the listed answer
choices. If it is, then you can be quite confident that you have the right answer.
Itstillwon’thurttochecktheotheranswerchoices,butmostofthetime,you’ve
got it!
Answer the Question
It may seem obvious to only pick answer choices that answer the question, but
IELTS can create some excellent answer choices that are wrong.Don’tpickan
answer just because it sounds right, or you believe it to be true. It MUST answer
thequestion.Onceyou’vemadeyourselection,alwaysgobackandcheckit
againstthequestionandmakesurethatyoudidn’tmisreadthequestion,andthe
answer choice does answer the question posed.
Benchmark
After you read the first answer choice, decide if you think it sounds correct or not.
Ifitdoesn’t,moveontothenextanswerchoice.Ifitdoes,makeamentalnote
about that choice. This doesn’tmeanthatyou’vedefinitelyselecteditasyour
answerchoice,itjustmeansthatit’sthebestyou’veseenthusfar.Goahead
andreadthenextchoice.Ifthenextchoiceisworsethantheoneyou’vealready
selected, keep going to the next answer choice. If the next choice is better than
thechoiceyou’vealreadyselected,thenmakeamentalnoteaboutthatanswer
choice.
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As you read through the list, you are mentally noting the choice you think is right.
That is your new standard. Every other answer choice must be benchmarked
against that standard. That choice is correct until proven otherwise by another
answerchoicebeatingitout.Onceyou’vedecidedthatnootheranswerchoice
seems as good, do one final check to ensure that it answers the question posed.
New Information
Correct answers will usually contain the information listed in the paragraph and
question. Rarely will completely new information be inserted into a correct
answer choice. Occasionally the new information may be related in a manner
than IELTS is asking for you to interpret, but seldom.
Example:
The argument above is dependent upon which of the following assumptions?
A.) ScientistshaveusedCharles’sLawtointerprettherelationship.
IfCharles’sLawisnotmentionedatall in the referenced paragraph and
argument, then it is unlikely that this choice is correct. All of the information
needed to answer the question is provided for you, and so you should not have
to make guesses that are unsupported or choose answer choices that have
unknown information that cannot be reasoned.
Key Words
Look for answer choices that have the same key words in them as the question.
Example:
Which of the following, if true, would best explain the reluctance of politicians
since 1980 to support this funding?
Lookforthekeywords“since1980”tobereferencedinthecorrectanswer
choice. Most valid answer choices would probably include a phrase such as
“since1980,politicianshave...”
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Valid Information
Don’tdiscountanyoftheinformation provided in the passage, particularly shorter
ones. Every piece of information may be necessary to determine the correct
answer. None of the information in the passage is there to throw you off (while
the answer choices will certainly have information to throw you off). If two
seeminglyunrelatedtopicsarediscussed,don’tignoreeither.Youcanbe
confidentthereisarelationship,oritwouldn’tbeincludedinthepassage,and
you are probably going to have to determine what is that relationship for the
answer.
Time Management
In technical passages, do not get lost on the technical terms. Skip them and
move on. You want a general understanding of what is going on, not a mastery
of the passage.
When you encounter material in the selection that seems difficult to understand,
it often may not be necessary and can be skipped. Only spend time trying to
understand it if it is going to be relevant for a question. Understand difficult
phrases only as a last resort.
Identify each question by type. Usually the wording of a question will tell you
whether you can find the answer by referring directly to the passage or by using
your reasoning powers. You alone know which question types you customarily
handle with ease and which give you trouble and will require more time.
Final Warnings
Hedge Phrases Revisited
Onceagain,watchoutforcritical“hedge”phrases,suchaslikely,may,can,will
often, sometimes, etc, often, almost, mostly, usually, generally, rarely,
sometimes. Question writers insert these hedge phrases, to cover every
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possibility. Often an answer will be wrong simply because it leaves no room for
exception.
Example: Animals live longer in cold places than animals in warm places.
This answer choice is wrong, because there are exceptions in which certain
warm climate animals live longer. This answer choice leaves no possibility of
exception. It states that every animal species in cold places live longer than
animal species in warm places. Correct answer choices will typically have a key
hedge word to leave room for exceptions.
Example: In severe cold, a polar bear cub is likely to survive longer than an adult
polar bear.
This answer choice is correct, because not only does the passage imply that
younger animals survive better in the cold, it also allows for exceptions to exist.
Theuseoftheword“likely”leavesroomforcasesinwhichapolarbearcub
might not survive longer than the adult polar bear.
Word Usage Questions
Whenaskedhowawordisusedinthepassage,don’tuseyour existing
knowledge of the word. The question is being asked precisely because there is
some strange or unusual usage of the word in the passage. Go to the passage
andusecontextualcluestodeterminetheanswer.Don’tsimplyusethepopular
definition you already know.
Switchback Words
Stayalertfor“switchbacks”.Thesearethewordsandphrasesfrequentlyusedto
alertyoutoshiftsinthought.Themostcommonswitchbackwordis“but”.
Others include although, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, even though,
while, in spite of, despite, regardless of.
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Avoid“FactTraps”
Once you know which paragraph the answer will be in, focus on that paragraph.
However,don’tgetdistractedbyachoicethatisfactuallytrueaboutthe
paragraph. Your search is for the answer that answers the question, which may
beaboutatinyaspectintheparagraph.Stayfocusedanddon’tfallforan
answer that describes the larger picture of the paragraph. Always go back to the
questionandmakesureyou’rechoosing an answer that actually answers the
question and is not just a true statement.
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The Writing Module
The Writing module of the IELTS consists of a 60 minute module with two tasks.
Task 1: A diagram or table will be presented to you and you must write out
approximately a 150 word discussion on it within approximately 20 minutes. You
must evaluate the diagram or table, organize your ideas, and develop them into a
cohesive and coherent explanation.
Task 2: A topic will be presented to you and you must write out approximately a
250 word discussion on it within approximately 40 minutes. There is not a
“correct”answertothetopic.Youmustevaluatethetopic,organizeyourideas,
and develop them into a cohesive and coherent response.
You will be scored on how well you are able to utilize standard written English,
organize and explain your thoughts, and support those thoughts with reasons
and examples.
Brainstorm
Spend the first three to five minutes brainstorming out ideas. Write down any
ideas you might have on the topic or table. The purpose is to extract from the
recesses of your memory any relevant information. In this stage, anything goes
down. Write down any idea, regardless of how good it may initially seem. You
can use either the scratch paper provided or the word processor to quickly jot
down your thoughts and ideas. The word processor is highly recommended
though, particularly if you are a fast typist.
Strength through Diversity
The best papers will contain diversity of examples and reasoning. As you
brainstorm consider different perspectives. Not only are there two sides to every
issue, but there are also countless perspectives that can be considered. On any
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issue, different groups are impacted, with many reaching the same conclusion or
position,butthroughvastlydifferentpaths.Tryto“see”theissuethroughas
many different eyes as you can. Look at it from every angle and from every
vantage point. The more diverse the reasoning used, the more balanced the
paper will become and the better the score.
Example:
The issue of free trade is not just two sided. It impacts politicians, domestic (US)
manufacturers, foreign manufacturers, the US economy, the world economy,
strategic alliances, retailers, wholesalers, consumers, unions, workers, and the
exchange of more than just goods, but also of ideas, beliefs, and cultures. The
more of these angles that you can approach the issue from, the more solid your
reasoning and the stronger your position.
Furthermore,don’tjust use information as to how the issue impacts other people.
Draw liberally from your own experience and your own observations. Explain a
personal experience that you have had and your own emotions from that
moment.Anythingthatyou’veseeninyourcommunity or observed in society
can be expanded upon to further round out your position on the issue.
Pick a Main Idea
Once you have finished with your creative flow, stop and review it. Which idea
were you able to come up with the most supporting information?It’sextremely
important that you pick an angle that will allow you to have a thorough and
comprehensive coverage of the topic or table. This is not about your personal
convictions, but about writing a concise rational discussion of an idea.
Weed the Garden
Every garden of ideas gets weeds in it. The ideas that you brainstormed over
are going to be random pieces of information of mixed value. Go through it
methodically and pick out the ones that are the best. The best ideas are strong
points that it will be easy to write a few sentences or a paragraph about.
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Create a Logical Flow
Now that you know which ideas you are going to use and focus upon, organize
them. Put your writing points in a logical order. You have your main ideas that
you will focus on, and must align them in a sequence that will flow in a smooth,
sensible path from point to point, so that the reader will go smoothly from one
idea to the next in a logical path. Readers must have a sense of continuity as
they read your paper. You don’twanttohaveapaperthatramblesbackand
forth.
Start Your Engines
You have a logical flow of main ideas with which to start writing. Begin
expanding on the issues in the sequence that you have set for yourself. Pace
yourself.Don’tspendtoomuch time on any one of the ideas that you are
expanding upon. You want to have time for all of them. Make sure you watch
your time. If you have twenty minutes left to write out your ideas and you have
ten ideas, then you can only use two minutes per idea. It can be a daunting task
to cram a lot of information down in words in a short amount of time, but if you
pace yourself, you can get through it all. If you find that you are falling behind,
speed up. Move through each idea more quickly, spending less time to expand
upon the idea in order to catch back up.
Once you finish expanding on each idea, go back to your brainstorming session
up above, where you wrote out your ideas. Go ahead and erase the ideas as
you write about them. This will let you see what you need to write about next,
and also allow you to pace yourself and see what you have left to cover.
First Paragraph
Your first paragraph should have several easily identifiable features.
First, it should have a quick description or paraphrasing of the topic or table. Use
your own words to briefly explain what the topic or table is about.
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Second, you should explain your opinion of the topic or table and give an
explanation of why you feel that way. What is your decision or conclusion on the
topic or table?
Third,youshouldlistyour“writingpoints”.Whatarethemainideasthatyou
came up with earlier? This is your opportunity to outline the rest of your paper.
Have a sentence explaining each idea that you will go intend further depth in
additional paragraphs. If someone was to only read this paragraph, they should
beabletogetan“executivesummary”oftheentirepaper.
Body Paragraph
Each of your successive paragraphs should expand upon one of the points listed
in the main paragraph. Use your personal experience and knowledge to support
each of your points. Examples should back up everything.
Conclusion Paragraph
Once you have finished expanding upon each of your main points, wrap it up.
Summarize what you have said and covered in a conclusion paragraph. Explain
once more your opinion of the topic or table and quickly review why you feel that
way. At this stage, you have already backed up your statements, so there is no
need to do that again. All you are doing is refreshing in the mind of the reader
the main points that you have made.
Don’tPanic
Panickingwillnotputdownanymorewordsonpaperforyou.Therefore,itisn’t
helpful. When you first see the topic or table, if your mind goes as blank as the
page on which you have to write your paper, take a deep breath. Force yourself
to mechanically go through the steps listed above.
Secondly,don’tgetclockfever.It’seasytobeoverwhelmedwhenyou’relooking
atapagethatdoesn’tseemtohavemuchtext,thereisalot of blank space
further down, your mind is full of random thoughts and feeling confused, and the
clock is ticking down faster than you would like. You brainstormed first so that
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youdon’thavetokeepcomingupwithideas.Ifyou’rerunningoutoftimeand
youhavealotofideasthatyouhaven’texpandedupon,don’tbeafraidtomake
some cuts. Start picking the best ideas that you have left and expand on those
few.Don’tfeellikeyouhavetowritedownandexpandallofyourideas.
Check Your Work
It is more important to have a shorter paper that is well written and well
organized, than a longer paper that is poorly written and poorly organized.
Remember though that you will be penalized for answers shorter than the
requiredminimumlimit.Don’tkeep writing about a subject just to add words and
sentences,andcertainlydon’tstartrepeatingyourself.Expandontheideasthat
you identified in the brainstorming session and make sure that you save yourself
a few minutes at the end to go back and check your work.
Leave time at the end, at least three minutes, to go back and check over your
work.Rereadandmakesurethateverythingyou’vewrittenmakessenseand
flows. Clean up any spelling or grammar mistakes that you might have made. If
you see anything that needs to be moved around, such as a paragraph that
would fit in better somewhere else, cut and paste it to that new location. Also, go
aheadanderaseanybrainstormingideasthatyouweren’tabletoexpandupon
and clean up any other extraneous information that you might have written that
doesn’tfitintoyourpaper.
Asyouproofread,makesuretherearen’tanyfragmentsorrun-ons. Check for
sentences that are too short or too long. If the sentence is too short, look to see
if you have an identifiable subject and verb. If it is too long, break it up into two
separatesentences.Watchoutforany“big”wordsyoumayhaveused.It’s
good to use difficult vocabulary words, but only if you are positive that you are
using them correctly. Yourpaperhastobecorrect,itdoesn’thavetobefancy.
You’renottryingtoimpressanyonewithyourvocabulary,justyourabilityto
develop and express ideas.
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Shortcut Keys
Ifyou’retakingtheIELTSonthecomputer,spendsometimeonyourkeyboard
getting familiar with the shortcut keys to cut, copy, and paste. It will help you to
quickly move text around on your paper. First highlight the text you wish to move
or copy and then type:
Ctrl+C = copy
Ctrl+X = cut
Ctrl+V = paste
You must hold down thectrlkeyandthentapthe“c”,“x”,or“v”keytoperform
the desired function.
Final Note
Depending on your test taking preferences and personality, the essay writing will
probably be your hardest or your easiest section. You are required to go through
the entire process of writing a paper very quickly, which can be quite a challenge.
Focus upon each of the steps listed above. Go through the process of creative
flow first, generating ideas and thoughts about the topic or table. Then organize
those ideas into a smooth logical flow. Pick out the ones that are best from the
list you have created. Decide which main idea or angle of the topic or table you
will discuss.
Create a recognizable structure in your paper, with an introductory paragraph
explaining what you have decided upon, and what your main points will be. Use
the body paragraphs to expand on those main points and have a conclusion that
wraps up the topic or table.
Save a few moments to go back and review what you have written. Clean up
any minor mistakes that you might have had and give it those last few critical
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touches that can make a huge difference. Finally, be proud and confident of
what you have written!
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The Speaking Module
The Speaking Module of the IELTS consists of a 60 minute module with three
parts.
Part 1
You will need to answer general questions about yourself, your homes/families,
your jobs/studies, your interests, and a range of familiar topic areas in four to five
minutes.
Part 2
You will be given a verbal prompt on a card and asked to speak about a
particular topic (listed on the card). You will have one minute to prepare before
speaking at length, and will need to speak between one and two minutes. Then
the examiner will ask you one or two follow up questions.
Part 3
You and the examiner will engage in a discussion of more abstract concepts and
issues which will be linked to the topic you discussed in Part 2. The discussion
will last between four and five minutes.
You will be scored on how well you are able to communicate effectively in
English.
Of all the test modules on IELTS, this is the easiest to prepare for. This is the
test module that you can practice anywhere, in your car, in your room, on the
phone, by yourself or with someone else. After you successfully pass IELTS,
you will be speaking English a lot, so you might as well prepare by speaking it at
every opportunity beforehand.
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Exhausting the Possibilities
Part 1 will ask basic questions. There are only so many possible basic questions
that can be asked about someone. You can easily be prepared for every
possibility. Go through and write down all the possibilities and a good answer for
each.Whenyou’reaskedaboutyourfamily,don’thavetostruggletocomeup
with descriptions for your family members. Practice ahead of time and know
whatyou’regoingtosay.Rightnowasyou’rereadingthis,stopandtakea
minute to answer each of these following questions. If you were asked these in
an interview, what would you say?
1. Please describe yourself.
2. Please describe your family.
3. Please describe your home.
4. Please describe some of your interests.
5. Please describe your job.
6. Please describe your studies
This is important practice. Make sure that you can spend a minute or so
answering each of these questions without having to take time to think of a good
response. These are basic questions and you should have your basic answers
ready.
Tell a Story
Movie making is a multi-billiondollarindustry.Why?It’sbecauseeveryonelikes
to hear a good story, and the best movies contain great stories. The Speaking
Module interview can be a big aggravation for both sides. Usually, it is tense,
uncomfortable, and boring for both the interviewer and the test taker.
Think about your favorite relatives. In many cases, they are your favorite
because they are such raconteurs, or good storytellers. These are your aunts
and uncles that can turn a simple trip to the grocery store into high adventure and
willkeepyoucaptivatedandentertained.Evenifyou’renota natural storyteller,
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with a little thought and practice, even you can turn your dull past experiences
into exciting exploits.
Stories are your strongest weapon for captivating the interviewer and
demonstrating your mastery of speaking English. The questions in Part 2 of the
Speaking Module literally beg for stories to be told. These need to be compelling
stories,realtimedrama,andyou’rethehero.Youwanttheinterviewerbegging
for more, asking follow-up questions, eager to hear how it ends. Once you begin
a quick exciting story, you set the tone of the interview, and you will determine
what will be the follow-up questions.
The easiest way to prepare for these Part 2 questions is to scour your memory
for any exciting instance in your past. Perhaps where you played a leadership
role or accomplished a goal. These can be from any part of your past, during
your education, at home with your family, projects at work, or anything that you
might have had a part in. Identify the main characteristics of the story, you want
to have things straight. Make sure you know the basics of what happened, who
was involved, why it occurred, and how the events unfolded sequentially. You
certainlydon’twanttostumbleoverthefactsandrepeatyourselfduringthe
interview.
One Size Fits All
These basic stories are building blocks. Just as a piece of lumber can be cut into
many different shapes and have many completely unique uses, each of your
stories does not only answer one unique question. Your stories are one size fits
all. With practice you will find that you can use the same story to answer two
seemingly unrelated questions.
For example, a question about teamwork and working under pressure can both
be answered by a story about your experience playing intramural basketball.
The story could describe how you had to work as a team in order to get into the
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playoffs, spending time practicing together, coordinating plays, whatever was
necessary for the team to advance. Alternatively, the story could focus upon the
clutch shots that you made that season in order to win the game in the last few
seconds of play under enormous pressure. The basic story is the same: your
experiences playing basketball.
The questions were different, but you customized the story to fit the question.
With practice you should be able to answer almost any question with just a few
stock stories that can be customized.
Find the Bridges
Some questions will lend themselves more readily to a story than others. You
must have a set of basic stories ready that can be modified to fit the occasion.
Youmust“findthebridges”inthequestionsofferedtomakesureyourstoriesget
told.
In WWII, the US Army used Bailey bridges. Bailey bridges were bridges made of
prefabricated steel sections that were carried around and could be thrown
togetheratamoment’snotice,allowingthearmytomovequicklyacrossany
obstacle and get to where they wanted to go.
You need to find bridges, i.e. opportunities to tell your stories. Look for any
chance to turn a standard question about anything, into a bridge to begin telling
yourstory.Forexample,“Whatisyourjobtitle?”
On the surface that might not seem like the ideal bridge, but with a little insight
your response might become:
“Myjobtitle is Product Line Manager. I was responsible for everything from the
development of new products, to the obsolescence of old products. Marketing,
sales, engineering, and production of the entire product line fell under my
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responsibility. One of the products was even my own idea based on feedback I
received from my interactions with our customers. In the first year, it alone had
achievedasaleslevelofover…”
The key to remember is that just because a question is asked as a closed ended
question (yes/no,oronewordanswers),doesn’tmeanthatyouhavetoanswerit
as a closed ended question. Answer the question asked, but then find a way to
develop your answer and a bridge to a good story of yours. With an open mind,
the most closed ended of questions can become a launch pad into a story.
Pregnant Pause
A good story can usually wind its way down a long path. There is always a
danger that you will begin to bore the interviewer, who may wonder if an end is in
sight. Some interviewers may get worried thattheywon’tbeabletogetthrough
the fifteen questions on their list during the allotted time. Therefore, find natural
breaks in your story and pause for a second. If the interviewer maintains eye
contact or asks continuation questions, then keep going. But this will give them a
chance to stop the story and ask a different question if they are getting bored and
want to move on.
Taking the Final Step
By trying to answer each of your Part 2 questions with a basic story, you will be
able to transition nicely into the final step, Part 3. Part 3 questions are based
uponyouranswerstoPart2questionsandwillbeaskedattheinterviewer’s
discretion. By using the story techniques listed above, you will have already
determined the path that the interviewer will take with his follow-up Part 3
questions. The interviewer will naturally ask questions that tie into your story and
you will already be prepared for those questions and will ace Part 3 as easily as
the others.
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Practice Makes Perfect
Don’ttrytoanswereveryquestionbyshootingfromthehip.You’llspendmostof
your time trying to think of what happened and repeating yourself. Think of the
classic stories that you could tell and then practice going over them with your
friends, explaining how you successfully achieved the goal, or took charge and
gaveleadershiptoyourgroupproject.Youdon’twanttohavethestory
memorized, because it will become stale in the telling, but you want it to be
smooth. This story must be live and in living color, where the interviewer can see
himself taking part on the sidelines and watching the situation take place. Have
your friends and family members quiz you by asking you random questions and
see how well you can adapt to the question and give a lucid response.
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Special Report: How Your IELTS Score is Viewed, and
What This Means for You
For your IELTS score, you will be grouped in one of nine bands.
If you are on the upper edge of one of these bands, it is definitely profitable to
work your way into the next one by studying and practicing.
Band
Description
Meaning
9
Expert User
Fluent with complete understanding
8
Very Good User
Full operational command, occasional inaccuracies
7
Good User
Operational command, occasional inaccuracies
6
Competent User
Effective command, inaccuracies
5
Modest User
Partial command, many mistakes
4
Limited User
Limited command, frequent problems
3
Extremely Limited User
Only general understanding
2
Intermittent User
Only basic understanding with difficulty
1
Non User
No language ability
0
Did Not Take Test
N/A
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Special Report: What Jobs Require Which IELTS Scores
Below is a list of different jobs and what each IELTS score band means to that
occupation. If you have a lower IELTS score, you might want to consider either
studying more and trying to increase your score, or a less linguistically
demanding position.
Linguistically
demanding
academic courses
Linguistically less
demanding academic
courses
Linguistically
demanding training
courses
Linguistically less
demanding training
courses
Band
(Medicine, Law,
Linguistics,
Journalism, Library
Studies)
(Agriculture, Pure
Mathematics,
Technology,
Computer-based
work,
Telecommunications)
(Air Traffic Control,
Engineering, Pure
Applied Sciences,
Industrial Safety)
(Animal Husbandry,
Catering, Fire
Services)
9.0-7.5
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
7.0
Probably
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
6.5
English Study
Needed
Probably Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
6.0
English Study
Needed
English Study
Needed
Probably
Acceptable
Acceptable
5.5
English Study
Needed
English Study
Needed
English Study
Needed
Probably
Acceptable
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Special Report: Which Additional Sources Are Worth
Your Time
We believe the following sources present uncommon value to our customers who
wishto“reallyprepare”fortheirtest.Whileourmanualteachesvaluabletricks
and tips that no one else covers, these sources are also extremely helpful.
Practice Tests
IELTS Practice Tests
http://www.testprepresearch.com/ielts
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Special Report: What Your Test Score Will Tell You
About Your IQ
Did you know that most standardized tests correlate very strongly with IQ? In
fact, your general intelligence is a better predictor of your success than any
other factor, and most tests intentionally measure this trait to some degree to
ensurethatthoseselectedbythetestaretrulyqualifiedforthetest’s
purposes.
Before we can delve into the relation between your test score and IQ, I will
first have to explain whatexactlyisIQ.Here’stheformula:
Your IQ = 100 + (Number of standard deviations below or above the average)*15
Now,let’sdefinestandarddeviationsbyusinganexample.Ifwehave5
people with 5 different heights, then first we calculate the average.Let’ssay
theaveragewas65inches.Thestandarddeviationisthe“averagedistance”
away from the average of each of the members. It is a direct measure of
variability - ifthe5peopleincludedJackieChanandShaquilleO’Neal,
obviously there’salotmorevariabilityinthatgroupthanagroupof5sisters
who are all within 6 inches in height of each other. The standard deviation
uses a number to characterize the average range of difference within a group.
A convenient feature of most groupsisthattheyhavea“normal”distribution-
makes sense that most things would be normal, right? Without getting into a
bunch of statistical mumbo-jumbo, you just need to know that if you know the
average of the group and the standard deviation, you can successfully predict
someone’spercentilerankinthegroup.
Confused?Letmegiveyouanexample.Ifinsteadof5people’sheights,we
had 100 people, we could figure out their rank in height JUST by knowing the
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average, standard deviation, and their height.Wewouldn’tneedtoknow
eachperson’sheightandmanuallyrankthem,wecouldjustpredicttheirrank
based on three numbers.
What this means is that you can take your PERCENTILE rank that is often
given with your test and relate this to your RELATIVE IQ of people taking the
test - thatis,yourIQrelativetothepeopletakingthetest.Obviously,there’s
no way to know your actual IQ because the people taking a standardized test
are usually not very good samples of the general population- many of those
withextremelylowIQ’sneverachievealevelofsuccessorcompetency
necessary to complete a typical standardized test. In fact, professional
psychologists who measure IQ actually have to use non-written tests that can
fairly measure the IQ of those not able to complete a traditional test.
The bottom line is to not take your test score too seriously, but it is fun to
computeyour“relativeIQ”amongthepeoplewhotookthetestwithyou.I’ve
done the calculations below. Just look up your percentile rank in the left and
thenyou’llseeyour“relativeIQ”foryourtestintherighthandcolumn-
Percentile Rank
Your Relative IQ
Percentile Rank
Your Relative IQ
99
135
59
103
98
131
58
103
97
128
57
103
96
126
56
102
95
125
55
102
94
123
54
102
93
122
53
101
92
121
52
101
91
120
51
100
90
119
50
100
89
118
49
100
88
118
48
99
87
117
47
99
86
116
46
98
85
116
45
98
84
115
44
98
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83
114
43
97
82
114
42
97
81
113
41
97
80
113
40
96
79
112
39
96
78
112
38
95
77
111
37
95
76
111
36
95
75
110
35
94
74
110
34
94
73
109
33
93
72
109
32
93
71
108
31
93
70
108
30
92
69
107
29
92
68
107
28
91
67
107
27
91
66
106
26
90
65
106
25
90
64
105
24
89
63
105
23
89
62
105
22
88
61
104
21
88
60
104
20
87
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Special Report: Retaking the Test: What Are Your
Chances at Improving Your Score?
After going through the experience of taking a major test, many test takers
feel that once is enough. The test usually comes during a period of transition
inthetesttaker’slife,andtakingthetestisonlyoneofaseriesofimportant
events. With so many distractions and conflicting recommendations, it may
be difficult for a test taker to rationally determine whether or not he should
retake the test after viewing his scores.
The importance of the test usually only adds to the burden of the retake
decision.However,don’tbeswayedbyemotion.Thereafewsimple
questions that you can ask yourself to guide you as you try to determine
whether a retake would improve your score:
1.Whatwentwrong?Whywasn’tyourscorewhatyouexpected?
Can you point to a single factor or problem that you feel caused the low
score? Were you sick on test day? Was there an emotional upheaval in your
life that caused a distraction? Were you late for the test or not able to use the
full time allotment? If you can point to any of these specific, individual
problems, then a retake should definitely be considered.
2. Is there enough time to improve?
Many problems that may show up in your score report may take a lot of time
for improvement. A deficiency in a particular math skill may require weeks or
months of tutoring and studying to improve. If you have enough time to
improve an identified weakness, then a retake should definitely be
considered.
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3. How will additional scores be used? Will a score average, highest
score, or most recent score be used?
Differenttestscoresmaybehandledcompletelydifferently.Ifyou’vetaken
the test multiple times, sometimes your highest score is used, sometimes
your average score is computed and used, and sometimes your most recent
score is used. Make sure you understand what method will be used to
evaluate your scores, and use that to help you determine whether a retake
should be considered.
4. Are my practice test scores significantly higher than my actual test score?
If you have taken a lot of practice tests and are consistently scoring at a much
higher level than your actual test score, then you should consider a retake.
However,ifyou’vetakenfivepracticetestsandonlyoneofyourscoreswas
higher than your actual test score, or if your practice test scores were only
slightly higher than your actual test score, then it is unlikely that you will
significantly increase your score.
5. Do I need perfect scores or will I be able to live with this score? Will
this score still allow me to follow my dreams?
Whatkindofscoreisacceptabletoyou?Isyourcurrentscore“good
enough?”Doyouhavetohaveacertainscoreinordertopursuethefuture
ofyourdreams?Ifyouwon’tbehappywithyourcurrentscore,andthere’s
no way that you could live with it, then you should consider a retake.
However,don’tgetyourhopesup.If you are looking for significant
improvement,thatmayormaynotbepossible.Butifyouwon’tbehappy
otherwise, it is at least worth the effort.
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Remember that there are other considerations. To achieve your dream, it is
likely that your grades may also be taken into account. A great test score is
usuallynottheonlythingnecessarytosucceed.Makesurethatyouaren’t
overemphasizing the importance of a high test score.
Furthermore, a retake does not always result in a higher score. Some test
takers will score lower on a retake, rather than higher. One study shows that
one-fourth of test takers will achieve a significant improvement in test score,
while one-sixth of test takers will actually show a decrease. While this shows
that most test takers will improve, the majority will only improve their scores a
littleandaretakemaynotbeworththetesttaker’seffort.
Finally, if a test is taken only once and is considered in the added context of
good grades on the part of a test taker, the person reviewing the grades and
scores may be tempted to assume that the test taker just had a bad day while
taking the test, and may discount the low test score in favor of the high
grades. But if the test is retaken and the scores are approximately the same,
then the validity of the low scores are only confirmed. Therefore, a retake
couldactuallyhurtatesttakerbydefinitelybracketingatesttaker’sscore
ability to a limited range.
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Special Report: What is Test Anxiety and How to
Overcome It?
The very nature of tests caters to some level of anxiety, nervousness or
tension, just as we feel for any important event that occurs in our lives. A little
bit of anxiety or nervousness can be a good thing. It helps us with motivation,
and makes achievement just that much sweeter. However, too much anxiety
can be a problem; especially if it hinders our ability to function and perform.
“Testanxiety,”isthetermthatreferstotheemotionalreactionsthatsome
test-takers experience when faced with a test or exam. Having a fear of
testing and exams is based upon a rational fear, since the test-taker’s
performance can shape the course of an academic career. Nevertheless,
experiencing excessive fear of examinations will only interfere with the test-
takers ability to perform, and his/her chances to be successful.
There are a large variety of causes that can contribute to the development
and sensation of test anxiety. These include, but are not limited to lack of
performance and worrying about issues surrounding the test.
Lack of Preparation
Lack of preparation can be identified by the following behaviors or situations:
Not scheduling enough time to study, and therefore cramming the night
before the test or exam
Managing time poorly, to create the sensation that there is not enough time to
do everything
Failing to organize the text information in advance, so that the study material
consists of the entire text and not simply the pertinent information
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Poor overall studying habits
Worrying, on the other hand, can be related to both the test taker, or many
other factors around him/her that will be affected by the results of the test.
These include worrying about:
Previous performances on similar exams, or exams in general
How friends and other students are achieving
The negative consequences that will result from a poor grade or failure
There are three primary elements to test anxiety. Physical components,
which involve the same typical bodily reactions as those to acute anxiety (to
be discussed below). Emotional factors have to do with fear or panic. Mental
or cognitive issues concerning attention spans and memory abilities.
Physical Signals
There are many different symptoms of test anxiety, and these are not limited
to mental and emotional strain. Frequently there are a range of physical
signals that will let a test taker know that he/she is suffering from test anxiety.
These bodily changes can include the following:
Perspiring
Sweaty palms
Wet, trembling hands
Nausea
Dry mouth
A knot in the stomach
Headache
Faintness
Muscle tension
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Aching shoulders, back and neck
Rapid heart beat
Feeling too hot/cold
To recognize the sensation of test anxiety, a test-taker should monitor
him/herself for the following sensations:
The physical distress symptoms as listed above
Emotional sensitivity, expressing emotional feelings such as the need to cry
or laugh too much, or a sensation of anger or helplessness
A decreased ability to think, causing the test-taker to blank out or have racing
thoughts that are hard to organize or control.
Though most students will feel some level of anxiety when faced with a test or
exam, the majority can cope with that anxiety and maintain it at a manageable
level. However, those who cannot are faced with a very real and very serious
condition, which can and should be controlled for the immeasurable benefit of
this sufferer.
Naturally, these sensations lead to negative results for the testing experience.
The most common effects of test anxiety have to do with nervousness and
mental blocking.
Nervousness
Nervousness can appear in several different levels:
The test-taker’sdifficulty,oreveninabilitytoreadandunderstandthe
questions on the test
The difficulty or inability to organize thoughts to a coherent form
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The difficulty or inability to recall key words and concepts relating to the
testing questions (especially essays)
The receipt of poor grades on a test, though the test material was well known
by the test taker
Conversely, a person may also experience mental blocking, which involves:
Blanking out on test questions
Only remembering the correct answers to the questions when the test has
already finished.
Fortunately for test anxiety sufferers, beating these feelings, to a large
degree, has to do with proper preparation. When a test taker has a feeling of
preparedness, then anxiety will be dramatically lessened.
The first step to resolving anxiety issues is to distinguish which of the two
types of anxiety are being suffered. If the anxiety is a direct result of a lack of
preparation, this should be considered a normal reaction, and the anxiety
level(asopposedtothetestresults)shouldn’tbeanythingtoworryabout.
However, if, when adequately prepared, the test-taker still panics, blanks out,
or seems to overreact, this is not a fully rational reaction. While this can be
considered normal too, there are many ways to combat and overcome these
effects.
Remember that anxiety cannot be entirely eliminated, however, there are
ways to minimize it, to make the anxiety easier to manage. Preparation is
one of the best ways to minimize test anxiety. Therefore the following
techniques are wise in order to best fight off any anxiety that may want to
build.
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To begin with, try to avoid cramming before a test, whenever it is possible.
Bytryingtomemorizeanentireterm’sworthofinformationinoneday,you’ll
be shocking your system, and not giving yourself a very good chance to
absorb the information. This is an easy path to anxiety, so for those who
suffer from test anxiety, cramming should not even be considered an option.
Instead of cramming, work throughout the semester to combine all of the
material which is presented throughout the semester, and work on it gradually
as the course goes by, making sure to master the main concepts first, leaving
minor details for a week or so before the test.
To study for the upcoming exam, be sure to pose questions that may be on
the examination, to gauge the ability to answer them by integrating the ideas
from your texts, notes and lectures, as well as any supplementary readings.
If it is truly impossible to cover all of the information that was covered in that
particular term, concentrate on the most important portions, that can be
covered very well. Learn these concepts as best as possible, so that when
the test comes, a goal can be made to use these concepts as presentations
of your knowledge.
In addition to study habits, changes in attitude are critical to beating a struggle
with test anxiety. In fact, an improvement of the perspective over the entire
test-taking experience can actually help a test taker to enjoy studying and
therefore improve the overall experience. Be certain not to overemphasize
the significance of the grade - know that the result of the test is neither a
reflection of self worth, nor is it a measure of intelligence; one grade will not
predictaperson’sfuturesuccess.
To improve an overall testing outlook, the following steps should be tried:
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Keeping in mind that the most reasonable expectation for taking a test is to
expect to try to demonstrate as much of what you know as you possibly can.
Reminding ourselves that a test is only one test; this is not the only one, and
there will be others.
The thought of thinking of oneself in an irrational, all-or-nothing term should
be avoided at all costs.
Arewardshouldbedesignatedforafterthetest,sothere’ssomethingtolook
forward to. Whether it be going to a movie, going out to eat, or simply visiting
friends, schedule it in advance, and do it no matter what result is expected on
the exam.
Test-takers should also keep in mind that the basics are some of the most
important things, even beyond anti-anxiety techniques and studying. Never
neglect the basic social, emotional and biological needs, in order to try to
absorb information. In order to best achieve, these three factors must be held
as just as important as the studying itself.
Study Steps
Remember the following important steps for studying:
Maintain healthy nutrition and exercise habits. Continue both your
recreational activities and social pass times. These both contribute to your
physical and emotional well being.
Be certain to get a good amount of sleep, especially the night before the test,
becausewhenyou’reovertiredyouarenotable to perform to the best of your
best ability.
Keep the studying pace to a moderate level by taking breaks when they are
needed, and varying the work whenever possible, to keep the mind fresh
instead of getting bored.
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When enough studying has been done that all the material that can be
learned has been learned, and the test taker is prepared for the test, stop
studying and do something relaxing such as listening to music, watching a
movie, or taking a warm bubble bath.
There are also many other techniques to minimize the uneasiness or
apprehension that is experienced along with test anxiety before, during, or
even after the examination. In fact, there are a great deal of things that can
be done to stop anxiety from interfering with lifestyle and performance.
Again,rememberthatanxietywillnotbeeliminatedentirely,anditshouldn’t
be.Otherwisethat“up”feelingforexamswouldnotexist,andmostofus
depend on that sensation to perform better than usual. However, this anxiety
has to be at a level that is manageable.
Of course, as we have just discussed, being prepared for the exam is half the
battle right away. Attending all classes, finding out what knowledge will be
expected on the exam, and knowing the exam schedules are easy steps to
lowering anxiety. Keeping up with work will remove the need to cram, and
efficient study habits will eliminate wasted time. Studying should be done in
an ideal location for concentration, so that it is simple to become interested in
the material and give it complete attention. A method such as SQ3R (Survey,
Question, Read, Recite, Review) is a wonderful key to follow to make sure
that the study habits are as effective as possible, especially in the case of
learning from a textbook. Flashcards are great techniques for memorization.
Learning to take good notes will mean that notes will be full of useful
information, so that less sifting will need to be done to seek out what is
pertinent for studying. Reviewing notes after class and then again on
occasion will keep the information fresh in the mind. From notes that have
been taken summary sheets and outlines can be made for simpler reviewing.
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A study group can also be a very motivational and helpful place to study, as
there will be a sharing of ideas, all of the minds can work together, to make
sure that everyone understands, and the studying will be made more
interesting because it will be a social occasion.
Basically, though, as long as the test-taker remains organized and self
confident, with efficient study habits, less time will need to be spent studying,
and higher grades will be achieved.
To become self confident, there are many useful steps. The first of these is
“selftalk.”Ithasbeenshownthroughextensiveresearch,thatself-talk for
students who suffer from test anxiety, should be well monitored, in order to
make sure that it contributes to self confidence as opposed to sinking the
student. Frequently the self talk of test-anxious students is negative or self-
defeating, thinking that everyone else is smarter and faster, that they always
messup,andthatiftheydon’tdowell,they’llfailtheentirecourse.Itis
important to decreasing anxiety that awareness is made of self talk. Try
writing any negative self thoughts and then disputing them with a positive
statement instead. Begin self-encouragement as though it was a friend
speaking. Repeat positive statements to help reprogram the mind to
believing in successes instead of failures.
Helpful Techniques
Other extremely helpful techniques include:
Self-visualization of doing well and reaching goals
Whileaimingforan“A”levelofunderstanding,don’ttryto“overprotect”by
setting your expectations lower. This will only convince the mind to stop
studying in order to meet the lower expectations.
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Don’tmakecomparisonswiththeresultsorhabitsofotherstudents.These
are individual factors, and different things work for different people, causing
different results.
Strive to become an expert in learning what works well, and what can be
done in order to improve. Consider collecting this data in a journal.
Create rewards for after studying instead of doing things before studying that
will only turn into avoidance behaviors.
Make a practice of relaxing - by using methods such as progressive
relaxation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, etc - in order to make relaxation an
automatic sensation.
Work on creating a state of relaxed concentration so that concentrating will
take on the focus of the mind, so that none will be wasted on worrying.
Take good care of the physical self by eating well and getting enough sleep.
Plan in time for exercise and stick to this plan.
Beyond these techniques, there are other methods to be used before, during
and after the test that will help the test-taker perform well in addition to
overcoming anxiety.
Before the exam comes the academic preparation. This involves establishing
a study schedule and beginning at least one week before the actual date of
the test. By doing this, the anxiety of not having enough time to study for the
test will be automatically eliminated. Moreover, this will make the studying a
much more effective experience, ensuring that the learning will be an easier
process. This relieves much undue pressure on the test-taker.
Summary sheets, note cards, and flash cards with the main concepts and
examples of these main concepts should be prepared in advance of the
actual studying time. A topic should never be eliminated from this process.
Byomittingatopicbecauseitisn’texpectedtobeon the test is only setting
up the test-taker for anxiety should it actually appear on the exam. Utilize the
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course syllabus for laying out the topics that should be studied. Carefully go
over the notes that were made in class, paying special attention to any of the
issues that the professor took special care to emphasize while lecturing in
class. In the textbooks, use the chapter review, or if possible, the chapter
tests, to begin your review.
It may even be possible to ask the instructor what information will be covered
on the exam, or what the format of the exam will be (for example, multiple
choice, essay, free form, true-false). Additionally, see if it is possible to find
out how many questions will be on the test. If a review sheet or sample test
has been offered by the professor, make good use of it, above anything else,
for the preparation for the test. Another great resource for getting to know the
examination is reviewing tests from previous semesters. Use these tests to
review, and aim to achieve a 100% score on each of the possible topics.
With a few exceptions, the goal that you set for yourself is the highest one
that you will reach.
Take all of the questions that were assigned as homework, and rework them
to any other possible course material. The more problems reworked, the
more skill and confidence will form as a result. When forming the solution to
aproblem,writeouteachofthesteps.Don’tsimplydoheadwork.Bydoing
as many steps on paper as possible, much clarification and therefore
confidence will be formed. Do this with as many homework problems as
possible, before checking the answers. By checking the answer after each
problem, a reinforcement will exist, that will not be on the exam. Study
situations should be as exam-like as possible, to prime the test-taker’ssystem
for the experience. By waiting to check the answers at the end, a
psychological advantage will be formed, to decrease the stress factor.
Another fantastic reason for not cramming is the avoidance of confusion in
concepts, especially when it comes to mathematics. 8-10 hours of study will
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become one hundred percent more effective if it is spread out over a week or
at least several days, instead of doing it all in one sitting. Recognize that the
human brain requires time in order to assimilate new material, so frequent
breaks and a span of study time over several days will be much more
beneficial.
Additionally,don’tstudyrightupuntilthepointoftheexam.Studyingshould
stop a minimum of one hour before the exam begins. This allows the brain to
rest and put things in their proper order. This will also provide the time to
become as relaxed as possible when going into the examination room. The
test-taker will also have time to eat well and eat sensibly. Know that the brain
needs food as much as the rest of the body. With enough food and enough
sleep, as well as a relaxed attitude, the body and the mind are primed for
success.
Avoid any anxious classmates who are talking about the exam. These
students only spread anxiety, and are not worth sharing the anxious
sentimentalities.
Before the test also involves creating a positive attitude, so mental
preparation should also be a point of concentration. There are many keys to
creating a positive attitude. Should fears become rushing in, make a
visualization of taking the exam, doing well, and seeing an A written on the
paper. Write out a list of affirmations that will bring a feeling of confidence,
suchas“IamdoingwellinmyEnglishclass,”“I studied well and know my
material,”“Ienjoythisclass.”Eveniftheaffirmationsaren’tbelievedatfirst,it
sends a positive message to the subconscious which will result in an
alteration of the overall belief system, which is the system that creates reality.
If a sensation of panic begins, work with the fear and imagine the very worst!
Work through the entire scenario of not passing the test, failing the entire
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course, and dropping out of school, followed by not getting a job, and pushing
a shoppingcartthroughthedarkalleywhereyou’lllive.Thiswillplacethings
into perspective! Then, practice deep breathing and create a visualization of
the opposite situation - achievingan“A”ontheexam,passingtheentire
course, receiving the degree at a graduation ceremony.
On the day of the test, there are many things to be done to ensure the best
results, as well as the most calm outlook. The following stages are suggested
in order to maximize test-taking potential:
Begin the examination day with a moderate breakfast, and avoid any coffee
or beverages with caffeine if the test taker is prone to jitters. Even people
who are used to managing caffeine can feel jittery or light-headed when it is
taken on a test day.
Attempt to do something that is relaxing before the examination begins. As
last minute cramming clouds the mastering of overall concepts, it is better to
use this time to create a calming outlook.
Be certain to arrive at the test location well in advance, in order to provide
time to select a location that is away from doors, windows and other
distractions, as well as giving enough time to relax before the test begins.
Keep away from anxiety generating classmates who will upset the sensation
of stability and relaxation that is being attempted before the exam.
Should the waiting period before the exam begins cause anxiety, create a
self-distraction by reading a light magazine or something else that is relaxing
and simple.
During the exam itself, read the entire exam from beginning to end, and find
out how much time should be allotted to each individual problem. Once
writing the exam, should more time be taken for a problem, it should be
abandoned, in order to begin another problem. If there is time at the end, the
unfinished problem can always be returned to and completed.
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Read the instructions very carefully - twice - so that unpleasant surprises
won’tfollowduringoraftertheexamhasended.
When writing the exam, pretend that the situation is actually simply the
completion of homework within a library, or at home. This will assist in
forming a relaxed atmosphere, and will allow the brain extra focus for the
complex thinking function.
Begin the exam with all of the questions with which the most confidence is
felt. This will build the confidence level regarding the entire exam and will
begin a quality momentum. This will also create encouragement for trying the
problems where uncertainty resides.
Goingwiththe“gutinstinct”isalwaysthewaytogowhensolvingaproblem.
Second guessing should be avoided at all costs. Have confidence in the
ability to do well.
For essay questions, create an outline in advance that will keep the mind
organized and make certain that all of the points are remembered. For
multiple choice, read every answer, even if the correct one has been spotted -
a better one may exist.
Continue at a pace that is reasonable and not rushed, in order to be able to
work carefully. Provide enough time to go over the answers at the end, to
check for small errors that can be corrected.
Should a feeling of panic begin, breathe deeply, and think of the feeling of the
body releasing sand through its pores. Visualize a calm, peaceful place, and
include all of the sights, sounds and sensations of this image. Continue the
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deep breathing, and take a few minutes to continue this with closed eyes.
When all is well again, return to the test.
Ifa“blanking”occursforacertainquestion,skipitandmoveontothenext
question. There will be time to return to the other question later. Get
everything done that can be done, first, to guarantee all the grades that can
be compiled, and to build all of the confidence possible. Then return to the
weaker questions to build the marks from there.
Remember,one’sownrealitycan be created, so as long as the belief is there,
success will follow. And remember: anxiety can happen later, right now,
there’sanexamtobewritten!
After the examination is complete, whether there is a feeling for a good grade
orabadgrade,don’tdwell on the exam, and be certain to follow through on
therewardthatwaspromised…andenjoyit!Don’tdwellonanymistakesthat
have been made, as there is nothing that can be done at this point anyway.
Additionally,don’tbegintostudyforthenext test right away. Do something
relaxing for a while, and let the mind relax and prepare itself to begin
absorbing information again.
From the results of the exam - both the grade and the entire experience, be
certain to learn from what has gone on. Perfect studying habits and work
some more on confidence in order to make the next examination experience
even better than the last one.
Learn to avoid places where openings occurred for laziness, procrastination
and day dreaming.
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Use the time between this exam and the next one to better learn to relax,
even learning to relax on cue, so that any anxiety can be controlled during the
next exam. Learn how to relax the body. Slouch in your chair if that helps.
Tighten and then relax all of the different muscle groups, one group at a time,
beginning with the feet and then working all the way up to the neck and face.
This will ultimately relax the muscles more than they were to begin with.
Learn how to breath deeply and comfortably, and focus on this breathing
going in and out as a relaxing thought. With every exhale, repeat the word
“relax.”
As common as test anxiety is, it is very possible to overcome it. Make
yourself one of the test-takers who overcome this frustrating hindrance.
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