How to prepare for the IELTS and TOEFL exams
Passing the exams is always accompanied by excitement, because assessing your knowledge somehow influences the future fate. Relying on luck is a deliberately losing strategy. The only correct decision is competent preparation for the exam, especially if you are going to take a test of knowledge of a foreign language.
IELTS and TOEFL: where to start?
Admission to a foreign institution of higher education, employment abroad or immigration to the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand requires a certain score – the result of passing the international standardized IELTS or TOEFL exam. First of all, it is necessary to understand that good conversational English skills or the ability to perceive written text are not a guarantee of a high score. In addition to speaking and reading, you should not overlook the letter and listening, which equally affect the final result.
IELTS or TOEFL certificates will be required after you have chosen a university and prepare the documents. Each university in its requirements for foreign applicants indicates which result of the language test should be sought. Agree, it’s a shame if your result is half a point short of the pass-through. Therefore, we recommend that you pre-insure yourself and take a test. If the result of the test exam is lower than necessary, be sure to pay attention to careful preparation.
Secrets of effective training
If you think that you will get a high score for the exam in English by the stroke of a magic wand, then such a trick will not work! It is necessary to start preparing well in advance: for a year or for several months, depending on the existing level of the language. You can try to learn English on your own or practice with a tutor. However, it is better to sign up for specialized training courses for IELTS and TOEFL.
Preparatory courses will help to understand the specifics of a specific test (IELTS or TOEFL), systematize knowledge, practice in the passage of each block of tasks. With an understanding of the format of the exam and the practice in solving such tasks, you will get more chances to achieve the desired result.
Courses for exam preparation in the UK, USA, Canada and other countries where there is an opportunity to plunge into the English-speaking environment will be most effective. Together with a teacher who already has experience in IELTS and TOEFL, you will significantly improve your writing and speaking skills in four weeks, prepare for reading and listening. This is the best option, allowing you to develop exactly the language skills that are assessed when passing a specific exam, and invaluable practice.
Remember that the result is above all, and do not neglect preparation!