Here are some simple things that you can do from home to maintain your general English level.
1. Test yourself with practice questions
Alternate between doing timed practices and allowing yourself as long as you need to really understand the questions and texts. If you have any of the IELTS Authentic Practice Tests, there are model answers and examiner comments to help you analyse your own work.
If you don’t have access to the Cambridge IELTS practice tests series don’t worry, you can find official IELTS sample test questions on the IELTS website.
2. Record yourself doing an IELTS Speaking test
If you have a friend who can practise with you, either at home or online, why not take turns being the examiner and the candidate. Listen back and evaluate your own performance. You could also try to note down everything you said, like a transcript, this will help you to identify any mistakes that you made. If you want to understand the IELTS Speaking test do read my recent blog.
3. Test out computer delivered IELTS
Even if you have no intention of taking a computer-delivered IELTS test there are some really helpful practice materials available on the internet. The test is the same whether you take it on a computer or on paper so these activities will be useful to you. Perhaps you will decide that you would actually prefer to take your IELTS test on a computer.
4. Check your bookshelf
Have a look on your bookshelves and see what old textbooks you have. Now might be the perfect time to finally work through that grammar book you got when you were 16 and didn’t ever complete! If you have test preparation materials then why not do the questions. Even if you’ve already completed a reading comprehension task, the text itself is a really valuable resource which will be full of vocabulary that you can learn.
5. Take some time to learn all about the IELTS test
Download the Official Guide for Candidates and make sure you read through carefully.
Find out more about each skills:
- Reading
- Writing
- Listening
- Speaking
6. Join in as much as you can online
Write comments, answer and ask questions, do tasks and get feedback or just feel like part of a wider community of learners. You may even find some new friends along the way. On our Facebook page we are offering a range of live sessions, please do join or check back for recordings.
7. Keep your general English level up
Do some fun stuff and don’t just focus on IELTS. If you want some ideas of what you could be doing, check out my blog post about ways to work on your general English at home.
8. The Academic Wordlist
It was developed by Averil Coxhead at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. The list contains 570 word families which were selected because they appear with great frequency in a broad range of academic texts. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have a great, free resource that you can access to learn these important vocabulary items.
9. Sign up to our newsletter
We’re working hard to make great content for you and the best way to find out about what we’re doing is to sign up for our newsletter. Keep checking this website for new blog posts and other materials. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page as well as our Instagram and YouTube channels so that you don’t miss any updates.
10. Stay positive
Last but not least, in these uncertain times when nothing seems to be normal, we hope you are able to stay safe, stay strong and stay positive.