How to get a good IELTS band score during this pandemic (5 things to do)

Studying abroad in a reputable university is something many students aspire to accomplish. In order to study in your dream course, the IELTS test is something that you will need to not just take but also score well! However, if this is your first attempt at the test, it can get rather confusing and downright overwhelming when you are confronted with the four different components and format of the test - Listening, Writing, Speaking and Reading. Additionally, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, it can get pretty difficult to get real-life practise in a centre or with family and friends, especially for the conversational part of the test where real-life interaction is valuable.

Thankfully, with modern technology and resources, you can access various effective ways to prepare for your IELTS test from the comfort of your home!

Wondering about the safety of taking your test at an IELTS centre? Let us dispel away any anxiety.

IELTS test centres today, from providers such as IDP, has taken various safety measures to ensure a safe testing environment during the pandemic that include:

- A maximum of 10 test-takers per session

- Sanitised rooms and equipment with hand sanitisers at the ready

- Test takers, examiners and invigilators are all required to be wearing masks

- Safe distancing of at least 1 metre observed at all times

This aims to ensure students are well protected as much as possible during their tests.

Now that’s covered, let’s dive into how to effectively prepare for your IELTS test in today’s pandemic setting!

5 ways to prepare for & ace your IELTS test during the pandemic

An effective way of starting your IELTS preparation is attending the free IELTS Masterclass which is a free 90-minute seminar conducted by an IELTS Expert.

This free resource will help you:

- Understand the 4 parts of the tests through sample questions and answers

- Learn about the common mistakes to avoid

- Learn about the assessment criteria plus tips and advice to score well

But that’s not all, during the webinar, you’ll get a chance to ask the IELTS Expert any questions you might have as well as gain clarity on any doubts you may have.

The next step is to take the online IELTS preparation course developed by Macquarie University that will help you learn and master the skills necessary for the IELTS Academic test.

Get free access to the course for up to 30 days when you book your IELTS test with IDP. You can to focus your study on one IELTS skill (Reading, Writing, Listening, or Speaking) and get access to all related study materials for 30 days. Or, if you want to cover all bases, you can choose to enjoy free unlimited access to all four IELTS skills for 14 days.  Depending on the free study package selected, you may choose from up to:

• 60+ expert guided tutorial videos 

• 100+ practice questions and quizzes 

• 150+ grammar and vocabulary lessons 

• 14 sample writing assessments with model responses 

• 7 speaking assessments 

• 8 mock tests with feedback 

What’s more, you can complete them according to your pace - as quickly or as slowly as you wish! In the meantime, you can download this IELTS preparation guide from IDP to get started!

Reading up on preparation guides might be helpful, but are you prepared to take the test in real-world conditions? You can do so with this collection of free IELTS practice tests!

These free tests allow you to simulate all of the conditions, especially the time limits, that you will be facing on the test day itself.

You will be able to practice all key components of the IELTS tests including the Listening and Writing components on both IELTS on computer and IELTS on paper options.

But that’s not all, you can also practice specific parts of the test such as Matching information and Flow chart completion!

The IELTS Progress Check is an official paid practice test you can take to take your preparation to the next level.

This paid test is available for both General Training and Academic tests and will give candidates an indicative band score together with an official feedback report delivered in 5 working days after completing the test.

You will:

- Get personalised feedback on all assessment criteria in your Speaking and Writing tests

- Understand how the real-life IELTS test work under examination conditions

- Have a good gauge of where you stand in your IELTS test abilities

You can choose to take the test under timed or untimed conditions - but we recommend choosing timed conditions so that you can simulate a more realistic IELTS test environment.

While taking sample tests and reading through preparation guides is invaluable, it also pays to gain tips from the Experts and test-takers that came before you. This collection of articles will help you with specific tips and debunk any misconceptions you might have about the IELTS test.

Once you are done with your preparation, these articles will help you with valuable insights into key parts of each test component through different perspectives.