How can I prepare for IELTS at home for free?

Planning to take the IELTS test? Skeptical about the details and the courses you are getting in the market?

So, finally, decided to prepare for the IELTS exam at home? Looking for free sources but not sure how to do so?

Well, both the online and offline market is flooded with a plethora of learning materials when it comes to IELTS exam preparation. Hence, to help you understand how to prepare for the IELTS exam at home, we have prepared a list that you can follow while preparing for the IELTS exam.

So, let’s first understand what to expect from the IELTS exam.

IELTS(International English Language Testing System) is the most recognised English language test that evaluates the English language skills of aspirants who wish to pursue their higher education or wish to work and migrate to English-speaking countries.

IELTS exam consists of two modules

IELTS Academic: It is mostly for the aspirants who wish to pursue their higher studies in English-speaking countries.

IELTS General Training: It is mostly for the aspirants who wish to work and migrate to English-speaking countries.

IELTS exam comprises 4 sections:

• Speaking
• Listening
• Writing
• Reading

Marking Criteria of IELTS exam

• Task Response (Fluency in Speaking section)
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy
• Coherence and Cohesion

Each marking criteria contributes 25% to each section of the IELTS exam. The overall band score is an aggregate of the 4 sections. Each section of the IELTS exam is allotted a separate band score from 0 to 9, where 0 is the least, and 9 is the highest band score.

So, how to prepare for the IELTS exam at home for free?

1. Read! Read! Read!

One of the most effective ways to enhance your writing and reading abilities is to read. It assists you in becoming familiar with a variety of sentence structures, vocabulary, and grammar. Moreover, reading helps to form a rhythm which is very important for the IELTS exam. Another advantage of reading is that it helps you improve your knowledge. For example, in the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay, you are given a topic on Artificial Intelligence, and you have already read about it in magazines, journals and so on. You might be surprised at how easily ideas for writing about the test come to you during the actual test.

2. Expand your vocabulary

You need to know a range of vocabulary and expressions to explain your thoughts and ideas clearly. But that does not only imply being able to use lots of words. It also implies being able to use them correctly and appropriately. Therefore, you should not only focus on learning advanced vocabulary but also learn transition words like ‘but, although, otherwise, however, and so on. This way, you can show your English language skills to the examiner.

3. Record yourself

Recording your answers and listening closely to your pronunciation is the simplest approach to discover your errors. While listening to your answers, if you can identify your errors, make a note of them, compare them with an expert speaker, and search YouTube and Google for the right pronunciation. In addition, there is a plethora of free software accessible on the internet that may assist you in learning how to pronounce certain words.

4. Speak in English at home

Consistent daily efforts can assist you in effectively cracking the IELTS exam with the highest possible band score. It is not necessary to practise speaking about IELTS Speaking topics, rather anything and everything you like, but only in English. This practice can help you gain confidence in your English speaking abilities as well as enhance your fluency and pronunciation.

5. Practice authentic papers

The IELTS exam is not tough, but it does need a great deal of practice to get your desired band score. Sample papers are available on a variety of websites. However, it would be best if you only practised from recent actual papers because they assist you in getting familiar with exam themes and forms. Moreover, some questions/topics often get repeated in the IELTS exam. Hence, by practising these papers, you are getting familiar with the topics, and there is a high possibility that you might get a question in your actual test. One such website that we are aware of that provides recent actual IELTS papers as practice tests on their website is IELTSMaterial.com. This website not only provides free practice tests but also provides a plethora of free IELTS study material to assist you in enhancing your English language abilities.

6. Look for free grammar guides online.

Even though the IELTS exam has no direct questions on grammar, it plays a significant part in determining your band score. You can improve your English writing abilities by practising grammatical structures. Your thoughts also get conveyed in a better way if you use the proper grammatical structures. There are several grammar books on the market that you can buy for a reasonable price to brush up on your fundamentals.

7. Make an everyday study plan.

A study plan is necessary, especially if you are doing self-study. It aids in the tracking of time and development. Furthermore, sticking to a regular routine allows you to make progress while studying. Self-studying may be tiresome; it may take a lot of time and effort, which is why creating and sticking to a timetable may help you stay focused. Lastly, making a study plan is not enough. The best practice is to follow it rigorously.