(This post was originally published on 23rd November 2016. It was added to my blog by taking permission from the writer. Thank you, Dr. Misha Malik, for allowing me to add your post to this blog)
Finally , I can share it with you. I’m absolutely elated ,..buzzing mate 😉
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Reading : 8.5 Speaking :8.5 Writing : argh 7 Listening : 8 ( hated the maps) Overall : 8 .
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Thank God ! I’m not complaining . ,
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TRUST ME ! I understand the pain ,struggle ,helplessness and sulkiness .The desperation towards this totally nonmedico exam . but don’t lose FAITH .
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Let me tell you few things that nobody told me and nobody will tell you ..
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Being a British citizen , I took IELTS like a piece of cake .. My first attempt was a huge eye opener when I failed to achieve the required score .. I needed a minimum of 7 in each module ..and overall 7.5 . My second attempt went well . But again I failed to get the required score .. I was disappointed 🙁
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1. Starting from the scratch . Yes ! No matter on what Level you are , start with the basic grammar ( I loved Simon IELTS and IELTS buddy grammar section ) . Go through the several sentences and their types .
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2. Focus more on task 2 !! The worst mistake I did was spending so much time on task 1 .. TASK 2 carries twice as many marks . So , focus on it .
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3. PROOFREAD :
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P : punctuation
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R: reread for spelling errors
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O: overall link with the topic
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O: overwriting
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F: fragmented sentences
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R : reread every sentence
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E : extra information
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A : articles
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D : do I make sense ?
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I : increase vocabulary
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N : noun
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G: grammar
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4. The worst mistake , I used to incorporate too many ideas in one paragraph . I kept thinking it’s the test of my intelligence .
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Ouch .. Not really .. You just have to expand the idea .. Stick to one concept per idea and expand it . Yes literally .. exaggerate .
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Intro , Paraphrase , Personal opinion .
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1st paragraph ; Topic sentence . Example . Explanation .
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2nd Paragraph ; Topic sentence, Example , Explanation. Lastly , conclusion .
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5. Make examples up !! Please go through the columns and studies and just make any .
examples up .. for example, My task 2 was about the companies and employees / customers !! Make surveys up ., That there was blah blah increased shown or according to UNICEF , there will be 33 percent increase in obesity by 2020 or blah blah .. Google some reports and studies , you’ll know what I am on about .
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6. Be coherent . Big question ; how ?? Read the first sentence and keep asking yourself am I linking it up with the previous one .. Make sure you keep repeating it .. don’t write until you are 100 percent sure .
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7. Stay on topic . Keep reading the question and ask yourself ? Am I being irrelevant ?
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8. Rough plan about what to write . List of a similar/ related vocabulary . I even wrote the linking words and whatever fancy words I could remember or use.
TIME MANAGEMENT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
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9. I always say this , you have to be fake !! I.e ; make sure you have at least one sentence starting with *ing* , one respectively sentence , one with the relative clause , dependent or independent . Few simple sentences , and few complex ones . Few sentences starting with *if*.
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10. Last but not the least , get yourself a study partner . Discuss it with THEM 🙂 go through the notes together .
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SPEAKING: be confident , make things up .. watch seasons , movies or whatever you want . Familiarize yourself with how a native would speak n answer . Please don’t memorize the answers . They won’t judge you .. Give your opinion .
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Reading ; I love reading novels so I just followed the general advice on reading lessons ( esp Liz’s video on reading ) . Learn to cram .. Make a circle around the important dates , figures , names . Relax . Usually the first and last line technique work for some people but I always ended up reading it all .. practice reading / newspapers / magazines .
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Listening : practice . I abhor maps and unfortunately I got one this time :@ I listen to the narrator and try to write down the points whilst listening , It is a bit tricky but it does help . It helps you remember the whole thing .. I know it’s not that easy .. Helped me, though .
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GOOGLE SOME ONLINE LESSONS AND START PRACTICING.
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Best of luck 🙂
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If I can do it , so can you 🙂
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TIPS / SITES I FOLLOWED ;
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IELTS Simon
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IELTS buddy .
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IELTS blog .
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IELTS advantage / IELTS Liz for overall ideas ( esp reading ) .
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Ryan band 9 essays .
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And my favorite IELTS material for lessons direct to your mailbox.
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Cheers 🙂
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SORRY FOR BEING LATE AS I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO UPLOAD STUFF FROM MY PHONE (CRINGE)
P.S ; I just took PLAB ; 15 NOV 16 .DO PRAY FOR MY RESULTS !!!!!!!!
