for those who have applied to study overseas, you might have encountered this requirement; to show your level of English proficiency, take IELTS and achieve certain band. Majority of the universities will accept 6.5 and some might be higher/lower, depending on your chosen course. Like my application for Manchester, they need overall score of 7.0 and at least 7.0 in writing test. oh hoo, nowadays, IELTS is required even to pursue in local Malaysia universities. So, get ready people, the fee is SOOOOO pricey(RM 650), so I don't think you want to take it twice aren't you?
Component of IELTS
basically, everybody knows that it is composed of 4 sections. Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Speaking test could be on the same day with the other 3 tests, or maybe 1-3 days before.
Remarks: test listening, speaking and writing dibuat secara berterusan. tiada masa rehat in between the section. Masa sebelum test, aku ingat dia akan bagi 3 papers terus, rupanya sangkaan aku meleset jauh. Mula dengan listening. habis dengar recording + masa tambahan 10 minit untuk transfer jawapan ke answer sheet, dia kutip balik. next, edar paper reading. 1 jam untuk Reading test dan tiada masa untuk transfer jawapan. cara selamat, jawab dan terus tulis pada kertas jawapan, sebab masa dia kutip balik kertas, tiada kompromi lansung untuk orang yang baru terhegeh-hegeh salin jawapan kat answer sheet. last section, writing, 1 jam, lepastu MERDEKA!!!
SPEAKING tips.
For speaking, it will be held 1-to-1 with the assessor. lucky you to have foreigner, since people said they are quite generous with the marks? the topic that will be asked are all predictable. you can stream YouTube, and search for speaking test IELTS tips by Emma. she listed out all the topics that usually been asked. Plus, if you have more time, try to practise all the speaking questions in the IELTS practice books (7-9). you will be surprised since later during the exam, you gonna get the same question. 100%.
READING tips.
The passages are just too long. you have 3 passages, and the last passage will be super hard (people said). Many suggest to look for the questions straight away, and find the answer later. you don't have to read and understand everything in the passage. practise skimming and scanning. and once you answer, please transfer the answers instantly, otherwise you might be panicked and forget to do so.
Remarks: Selama aku buat latihan, aku akan baca whole passage, then baru tengok soalan. tapi pada hari kejadian, aku ubah strategy, sebab 1st passage aku tu tak menarik, pasal history. so aku bace soalan, aku bace passage cari jawapan, baca solan seterusnya sampai abes. alhamdulillah, passage no 3 tu berkaitan memory and neuroimaging, tajuk fyp aku dulu. jadi smooth aje process nak jawab sebab memang faham passage tu. Maka, banyak2 berdoa, moga dapat passage yang senang.
WRITING tips.
keys to get a high mark: answer the question, meet the word limit requirement, NO grammatical error. For Task 1, get familiar with all types of questions. it could be comparing bars/graph/charts or explaining the process. Practise/ read the sample answer for each type. Do the same thing for Task 2. If you have limited vocabulary, just trying to write a grammar-error free assay. and please divide your time wisely. Task 2 carries higher mark, so make sure you have a plenty of time to write 250 words. Don't even think to write less, or else Au revoir band 7.
Remarks: Kalau baca sample answer untuk band 6/7, tak adelah ayat die bombastik kebabom. tapi memang sangat sikit grammatical error. aku vocabulary kelaut. jadi, harap tak buat kesalahan tatabahasa. kalau payah sangat, hafal je contoh essay. Study setiap jenis soalan yang dia akan tanya, then baca sample answer, hafal macam mana nak buat introduction. selalunya, setiap perenggan isi tu kene ade 1 ayat untuk pengenalan isi, 1 ayat untuk explain isi, 1 ayat untuk bagi contoh, and 1 ayat untuk simple conclusion isi tu. itu cara saya, rakyat marhaen yang English baru nak up.
LISTENING tips.
Remarks:Yang ni memang tak ada cara lain, prektis ajelah banyak2. aku buat latihan listening hari2. kalau nk dapat band 7, boleh salah 9 je. Dari mula2 xdapat lansung ape yang dorang cakap especially kalau accent Australia, Scotland, lama-lama dah boleh adapt. Familiarkan telinga anda dengan accent2 mereka. Test ni sangat laju. takda ulangan recording. kalau tertinggal, terus pergi soalan lain. untuk section yang isi2 form tu, dengar betul2 nombor, nama tempat. selalu jawapan bagi tempat kosong tu, speaker tu akan cakap tekankan sikit suara dia. part yang selalu orang tak boleh nak catch up, part 3&4. Sebab die cakap sorang, seolah2 tengah bagi lecture. jadi kena bagi full attention sebab non-stop dia cakap. yang ni cari recording dia dekat You tube. soalan semua ada dalam buku.
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| buku latihan ielts akak. akak download je, nak beli malas. mahal. |
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| Baca semua tips dalam ni. membantu sungguh |
after all, pokok pangkalnya, PRACTICE. semua orang boleh. pergi exam tu, target siap2, 'aku tak nak lagi bagi duit kat orang putih ni untuk ambik exam lagi sekali.'. InsyaAllah, semua dipermudahkan.
aku ekstreme sikit. kalau aku tak dapat band 7, maksudnye Allah nak kate aku tak layak nak pergi study oversea. Alhamdulillah, He said YES!
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| Jangan percaya pada gambar, mungkin rezeki akak terlebih sikit waktu ni. Alhamdulillah |
Siapa nak softcopy buku-buku ni, email shahieda.ney@gmail.com. Jangan lupa letak subject: Nak dapat band 7 kak!. Moga-moga membantu. Halt.
