I wanted to share a good news with the group about my IELTS score and the approach I took. I got 8.5 in my second attempt and Canada Visa Forum was really helpful in the journey, thanks to the group.
My Journey:
1. Once I decided to take the IELTS, first thing I did was the registration for the test in nearby center.
2. I didn't took the test very seriously and thought I will be able to crack in the first attempt. Since, I have had good score in TOEFL few year back, when I was preparing for Masters in USA.
3. I read about the sections and thought it should be a cake walk, but it wasn't for sure. As soon as I enter the exam center, I was expecting it to be less crowded, earphones for listening etc. but everything was different for me.
4. As a result, I didn't performed well in the Listening section and got 7.5. I though Listening would be the easiest section for me but because of lack of preparation, I lost the flow and missed some parts.
5. I was quite under-confident in writing section, but to my surprise, I did well in writing. I was an active blogger for quite some time, which definitely helped me in writing.
6. I couldn't get the score I wanted and was devastated. So, I took a step back and analyzed the gaps, and came up with a list.
7. Firstly, I took print outs of all the listening materials I could find and search for their audio. I wanted to hae a feel of real exam. I gave around twenty Listening exams in test like environment, which really helped me to figure out where I am lacking.
8. For writing, I used to pick random writing topics from different writing question types and used to publish my article here in the group for instant feedback. Prepared a blueprint for myself and some useful word list.
9. Lastly, lesson I learnt from my experience is that don't take long time to book your test date. I booked for the second test the day after I received my first day result, because I knew that I am only going to study if I have some deadline. Make sure you practice as much as possible to avoid silly mistakes during the test because it cost money and time.
I hope my experience will add some value in your test preparation, I wish all the best to everyone preparing. If you have any question, please feel free to ask. Happy to help!
My Journey:
1. Once I decided to take the IELTS, first thing I did was the registration for the test in nearby center.
2. I didn't took the test very seriously and thought I will be able to crack in the first attempt. Since, I have had good score in TOEFL few year back, when I was preparing for Masters in USA.
3. I read about the sections and thought it should be a cake walk, but it wasn't for sure. As soon as I enter the exam center, I was expecting it to be less crowded, earphones for listening etc. but everything was different for me.
4. As a result, I didn't performed well in the Listening section and got 7.5. I though Listening would be the easiest section for me but because of lack of preparation, I lost the flow and missed some parts.
5. I was quite under-confident in writing section, but to my surprise, I did well in writing. I was an active blogger for quite some time, which definitely helped me in writing.
6. I couldn't get the score I wanted and was devastated. So, I took a step back and analyzed the gaps, and came up with a list.
7. Firstly, I took print outs of all the listening materials I could find and search for their audio. I wanted to hae a feel of real exam. I gave around twenty Listening exams in test like environment, which really helped me to figure out where I am lacking.
8. For writing, I used to pick random writing topics from different writing question types and used to publish my article here in the group for instant feedback. Prepared a blueprint for myself and some useful word list.
9. Lastly, lesson I learnt from my experience is that don't take long time to book your test date. I booked for the second test the day after I received my first day result, because I knew that I am only going to study if I have some deadline. Make sure you practice as much as possible to avoid silly mistakes during the test because it cost money and time.
I hope my experience will add some value in your test preparation, I wish all the best to everyone preparing. If you have any question, please feel free to ask. Happy to help!