Flava of Life: IELTS - My Experience & Some Tips

Topik hari ni -IELTS - dengar je mesti ada yg tanya is there a way to be exempted, kan? Well, not everyone is lucky enough to be exempted. Takpe.... Don't worry, IELTS is not that difficult... think positive... Actually, taking IELTS can help to enhance your EAP (English for Academic Purposes) knowledge & skills. Plus, U wanna further ur studies in an English-speaking country, right? So, of course u need to prove ur ability to listen, read, speak n write in English.

Cheewah, kemain rationale nk kena amik IELTS tu kan? Sedapkan hati namanya... I myself did ask for exemption, but well, they said I left school more than 10 years ago, so I still have to take IELTS... Ok, fine.

So, what did I do after that?

Apa lagi, pulun cari info la. First, I get the background info of the test, the band descriptors, what the test format is and sample questions.

Ni antara website yg I refer to... (click on the links given)

Prepare for Your Test - Tips for Candidates

IELTS

Next, I pun siap sedia nk book date utk test... I need to sit for the exam bulan tu jugak, so I budget dalam 2 mggu lagi ke... sbb masa tu tgh ada training session dgn student Jepun... sekali tgk date, plg cepat ialah 2 hari lepas my training session with the Japanese students.... next ialah bulan depannya.......... Masak....

So, nak jadikan cerita, I only have about 2 days to really sit down n prepare for IELTS. Canggih, kan? Sgt menguji kesabaran....

Maka, lepas habis training session tu, zooommmm, drive ke MPH Bookstore. I bought Collins Practice Test for IELTS, RM64.90.

Other good books on IELTS Practice Test that u can buy are:
1. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Student's Book With Answers (with DVD-ROM)
RM 139.00 (agak mahal...)
2. IELTS Practice Tests: Four Tests for International English Language Testing System (With Key)
RM49.90

3. How to Master the IELTS: Over 400 Questions for All Parts of the International English Language Testing

System

RM74.90

For more reference books on IELTS, boleh refer @ MPH Website : MPH Online

My advice, kalau nak beli buku, beli satu cukup. Unless u have a lot of time to study all the books. No point beli buku tapi u don't have time to read it & jadi perhiasan je, betul tak?

Then, I subscribe to IELTS-Blog - this blog gives very useful tips and sample questions & answers for IELTS. Yg ni free sahaja.... Kalau u subscribe, they will email u some IELTS questions yg lepas drp pelbagai negara, so boleh la practice.

This ebook is also good, promoted dkt IELTS Blog tu... mmg useful (link kt bwh):

Target Band 7

Jadi, ini je lah reference I utk IELTS practice... Collins Practice test tu dgn IELTS-Blog. I only have 2 days je pun nk prepare... byk2 sgt pun xsempat nak baca... If u guys xbeli buku pun xpe sebenarnya, u can get a lot of online materials..

So, for 2 days, rutin harianku ialah, bangun pagi, read the tips & strategies... then proceed with the practice test, rehat, makan, tgk tv (sempat g...), tgk facebook japp (sempat gak), sembang2 dgn my aunt, keluar jumpa kwn kejap, then sambung balik... Guys, kalau study non stop pun xsesuai.. nanti tepu ;)

I manage to finish all the practice test on listening & reading drp buku Collins Practice Test but wasn't able to do much practice on writing & speaking. For writing & speaking tu, sempat baca tips je.. So, my advice, prepare awal & manage ur time...supaya ada masa nk practice semua skills tu... Walau sehebat mana pun anda, u might still panic or get nervous kalau xpernah langsung tgk format soalan exam yg u nk ambik...

Exam Day

Bangun awal, seboleh2nya, buat solat hajat... bertolak ke tempat exam awal, supaya tak kelam kabut. Bila sampai, kena register dulu. Make sure u bring all the documents. Lepas register, ambik gambar, proceed ke tempat duduk. Bila tengah jawap soalan, jgn pandang org keliling... it will only make u more nervous n panic.

Masa listening exam tu, time is given for u to read the questions first. So, make sure u do read...sgt membantu... plus, kalau dia ulang2 perkataan tu, it might be the answer ;) ... Reading tu, use skim and scan techniques... kalau u read slowly, setiap patah perkataan, takut tak cukup masa... skim the text, baca soalan then scan for answers... more tips boleh tgk kt ielts blog, ielts textbook or target band 7 tu..

I made a mistake by being overexcited in answering my Task 1 Writing. Sedar2, dh 25 minutes. Tinggal 35 minutes for Task 2. Then, I start to panic. Tgk org sebelah, tgh laju menulis. Apa lagi, makin panic la... So, u guys jgn buat mcm ni. Abaikan org sekeliling, n jgn panik. Tarik nafas dalam2, concentrate n plan ur essay. Panic ni tak kira usia & pangkat...

My speaking test was 30 minutes after I finished my writing paper. Soalan dia semua general topic and berkaitan dgn diri dan pengalaman kita, and also general knowledge. So, no need to panic or be too nervous. U just need to practice & enhance ur vocab. Yg plg penting, practice cth2 soalan tu.

Bila result keluar, Alhamdulillah... lulus cemerlang... cuma kesal la jugak, kalau xterpanik masa writing, might get a higher score... Cita2 nk dpt Band 9... takpe, dh hampir le tu... think positive... Then, my ex-boss mintak tolong design IELTS course for the university. So, I pun compile la all the tips, strategies, sample questions & answers, teaching materials etc...

Here are some videos & online materials on IELTS:

1. How to Succeed on IELTS Reading