LISTENING
- Don’t just glance at instructions; read them carefully. They can vary considerably.
- It often happens that the speaker will give you an answer and then correct what s/he has said – watch out for this ploy.
- Try to anticipate what the speaker will say. This requires concentration – easy in your own language, but more difficult in English !
- Although there are not that many IELTS books on the market, other Cambridge exam preparation materials can provide valuable practice; for example, FCE and CAE preparation books.
- Small errors can lead to a low score: spelling mistakes, omitting plural ‘s’ or incomplete time indications.
- Don’t panic if you think the topic is too difficult or the speaker is too fast. Take a deep breath, relax and tune in.
- Read, write and listen at the same time. Tricky, but worth practicing!
- Don’t leave blanks – you will not be penalised for wrong answers so you might as well guess ! Continue reading
