IELTS Advice: "the method isn't working"

One of the main aims of this blog is to give people a method for tackling each aspect of the IELTS test.

I hear from many people who have been successful after following my advice, but I also hear from people who haven't passed yet. And when people are stuck on the same score, they sometimes think that "the method isn't working". But this is the wrong way to think.

Methods / exam techniques will only help you to get the score that reflects your current level of English. If your English level is 'beginner' or 'intermediate', no method will suddenly give you a band 7. Exam techniques don't increase your vocabulary knowledge or your grammatical accuracy.

Remember that we're working on 2 things here:

1. Methods e.g. knowing how to write an essay.
2. English language e.g. expressing your ideas using good vocabulary and without making mistakes.

If you've been following my advice but you're stuck on the same score, don't change your method! Instead, work on point 2 above.

Comments

[Pachu]

Thank you sir for advice.I am one of them. I feel that it requires lots of practice.Only practice will help in such 'timed' exam.Improve vocabulary takes time , improving grammar takes time but knowing right method or technique improves fast the band score even by 1 band.So,most of us watch lots of you tube video and they all tell unnecessary information or tips, tricks which do not work.We are in confusion which way should we do ? although most of the said information is not working in practical way.Being a perfect in English takes lots of time even more than ten years.It depends on how much some one is devoted time to learn key features of language.It requires lots of motivations and also good English teacher to point out errors and give feed back to improve language.English is limitless.We do not want to be perfect but yes we have to focus what we need to pass the exam .Again thanks sir for remembering and guiding us to fulfill our dream

[Zoe]

Pachu

If you persist in your belief that practicing and practicing IELTS test will get you the scores you need, then you are doomed to frustration and failure.

One practice session is quite enough if the level of your English good enough. IELTS tests your English level, not your exam technique. You will need to radically change your approach to succeed.

[Pachu]

Ok Zoe.but Why most of the teachers say that do practice, practice and practice ?

[Zoe]

Pachu

Private schools are interested in making money, so the longer you study, the more money they will make. It is actually not in their commercial interest for you to pass the exam. If you do, they lose a paying customer. Simon does not charge for this blog, so is more likely to give you honest advice.

Language schools in particular are often in a competitive situation, and sometimes promise more than they can successfully deliver in an effort to outdo the opposition and attract more customers.

Some students compound the problem by insisting that they only wish to study IELTS rather than general English. This sometimes has two consequences.

Firstly, there are students in the IELTS class that are below the required level, and do not have the necessary background knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. This drags the level of the class down, and makes it difficult to teach what is actually needed.

Secondly, by insisting on a narrow syllabus of IELTS material only, some students exclude the opportunity to teach the necessary grammar and vocabulary, as that is seen as "general" English. There are students who will not do anything outside IELTS practice tests, so there are language schools and teachers that cater for this, and just take the money. Caveat emptor.

It is all part of the "race to the bottom", where much of the ESOL industry has seen pay for teachers halve over the last two decades, with the resulting decline in teacher quality. Capitalism ....

Pachu, you are wasting your time questioning what Simon says. Your time would be better spent fixing your grammar and pronunciation errors. There at least six in the following sentence:

Ok Zoe.but Why most of the teachers say that do practice, practice and practice ?

[Pachu]

Thank you so much Zoe.I will do best in my capacity.