This is the time of the listening component of the test. You have a booklet and an answer book and you are holding the pencil as if your life depends on it. Suddenly, the invigilator hits the CD player's play button. For the first five to ten minutes, you focus as much as possible and write the answers. But at some point, maybe halfway through or after the recording, your mind seems to be gone. By the time you get back to reality you missed a few answers, at that point, your brain goes into overdrive and you have no idea what to write and you miss one or two more answers.
This happened to me and a lot of people while taking the exam. Sometimes it’s hard to concentrate for long in that kind of artificial environment.
Other reasons for missing answers are:
- The test site is close to the road and the traffic sounds are suddenly louder than the recordings. Test organizers will usually do their best to make sure this doesn't happen but they can't stop an ambulance or fire truck from rushing into an emergency.
- Other test-takers around you are coughing or sneezing or making noises.
- You have heard a word that you are not familiar with and your brain is suddenly struggling to decipher its meaning, even if it is not connected to any question.
These are things we can't control, so you shouldn't let them come to you. Getting angry or upset on the day of the test will not help you get a good score.
What can you do before the test to prepare?
- Practice some listening and listen without headphones to get used to the surrounding sounds. If you don’t have practice books with CDs you can find a lot online these days.
- Watch news or documentaries on TV (without captions) or listen to the radio, but not when you're doing something else. Take some time for this activity just to see how much time you can focus on getting a summary. You need to be able to do this for 20 minutes or more.
What can you do during the test?
If you missed some answers, re-read the text or question and try to guess. Mostly it will be everyday words and in some cases, alternative answers can be accepted as true. You will not lose any points if you answer incorrectly.
If you need more help with the IELTS exam, you can find more information about its format and types of questions in the second edition of Adriana Mucha's ebooks, The IELTS for Beginners and The IELTS for Beginners. They were written for first-time examinees and draw on her experiences as an examiner and teacher. learn more visit IELTS Classes in Ahmedabad
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