Gaurav Rajaram IELTS Tips Last updated 23/3/2019 Bangalore

Computerised (CBT) or Paper (PBT) IELTS?

I recently wrote my first IELTS attempt on March 11, 2019 from IDP Bangalore and scored
9 in listening, 9 in reading, 8 in speaking and 7 in writing. I chose the CBT format (IDP) because I'm
extremely comfortable with typing and can definitely write a better essay while typing when
compared to writing on paper.

If you feel any of the following applies to you, choose CBT

1. Your work or studies involves a lot of typing and you can type faster than you write

2. You haven't written anything substantial on paper for a long time

3. Your thoughts flow better while typing than while writing

4. Your handwriting is not very good

5. You want your results very soon

6. You find that you need to edit your essay a lot (for example, modify the introduction completely,
modify the thesis statement etc)

Part 1- Listening

Listening may prove to be difficult for you in CBT unless you practice. With practice, however, you
will find that listening is very easy. Note that you will not get additional time to transfer your
answers and you have to type as you listen. The time gaps between sections are quite similar to PBT.
Total time allotted is 30 mins.

Part 2 - Reading

Reading is definitely easier in CBT. The passage appears on the left half of the screen and the
questions on the right. You can simultaneously read and answer as well as highlight parts of the
paragraph if you wish. Total time allotted is 60 mins.

Part 3 - Writing

This is the key factor to decide whether you want to opt for CBT or PBT. CBT gives you the freedom
and flexibility to change any line, word or paragraph, whenever you wish. For example, I changed my
introduction paragraph to read better after I finished my essay. I could not have done this in PBT.
Total time allotted is 60 mins

Part 4 - Speaking

Speaking is the same whether you choose CBT or PBT.

In India, BC offers CBT only in Delhi whereas IDP offers it in more locations. The cost as far as I know
is the same. I got my results online and by SMS exactly 5 days after I finished the test (Test on
Monday, result on Saturday)

PS: Paper and pen given for rough work, NO Spell check, NO search option, Highlighting available

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Listening - How to maximize your marks?

I gave my first shot at IELTS and scored a perfect 9 in Listening. The exam wasn't very difficult for me
because of my practice. I did have to guess a couple of answers as I got mixed up in between, but as
it turns out, I probably got that right. So here's my take on what you should do to achieve a good
score in Listening.

1. How many Listening tests are required before the main exam?

I would say at least 10-15, to get a feel of all question types and to get a fair idea on where you
stand. Anything lesser would probably be risky. More than 15 is required if you are weak in English.
More tests don't necessarily mean more marks. It's just that you get a chance to make more
mistakes before the exam, which is a great thing if you manage to rectify it.

2. How much should you get in the Listening practice tests and is that something you can expect in
the IELTS exam?

I did about 15 tests and except the first few ones, I constantly achieved at least 8, with 9 in a couple
of tests. The main exam was quite similar to the Cambridge practice tests, so do as many as possible
and be very strict with the corrections. If you manage to score 8 constantly, you can definitely stand
a good chance to get 8 or even 9 in the IELTS exam, provided you get a reasonably easy Listening
session.

My IELTS Listening Practice Test Results

3. What resources are available for practice?

If you are opting for PBT, stick to the Cambridge books. If you are opting for CBT, bad luck, because
there is no website I found which is very similar to the actual exam. I used www.ieltsonlinetests.com
but please note that their format is not similar to the IELTS exam. However, it is still excellent
practice and you should do it. Try to achieve 8 in 90% of your practice tests.

To get a feel of the User Interface in the IELTS exam, IDP and BC offer a few sample questions which
you can check out on their websites. Sadly, I don't think they offer full-fledged tests, yet.

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4. Tips to score high in Listening

A. It is needless to say that you should listen extremely carefully. Practice in a quiet room with no
noise.

B. If you miss a question, just move on to the next one. I've noticed that sometimes the first
question of every part itself is quite tricky as you aren't oriented yet and will not realise it when the
answer comes. Once you identify the first question/answer, just keep following the conversation.

C. While doing practice tests, let's say you get 35 out of 40 which is an 8. Don't be satisfied with it
and investigate why you lost 5 marks. Note the question types where u went wrong (map based
questions, multiple choice questions etc) and try to correct it in the next few practice tests. This way
you eliminate the mistakes as you practice. I would suggest you to try to find a pattern for your
mistakes as it helps you get a higher score in the next test. My issue was mainly with maps, so I knew
I had to be very careful in the IELTS exam in case it came in Section 2. Thankfully it didn't.

D. To get maximum marks, note the instructions very carefully. Is it "only one word" or "three words
and/or a number". Most people lose marks due to their ignorance of the instruction. Words with a
hyphen in between are considered as One Word.

E. Marks are given for grammar as well, so be accurate. For example, if the question is a fill in the
blank as follows:

__________ are the new target of poachers.

The answer to the above should be in plural. For eg, Elephants, Tigers and NOT Elephant or Tiger

F. Even though it is a Listening test, the sentence formation should be proper. "a", "an", "the" play a
crucial role here.

For example, if the question is as follows:

Accuracy has ______ on your marks.

The answer should be "an impact" and not "impact".

But if the question is as follows:

Accuracy has an ______ on your marks.

The answer should be "impact" and not "an impact" since "an" is already part of the question.

In my first three practice tests, I wasn't very aware of points D, E and F. Once I was, my scores
jumped drastically from 30/31 to 35-40 which was my desired score.

On the day of the IELTS, Sections 1, 2 and 4 turned out to be very easy but Section 3 was slightly
tricky, since it consisted of choosing answers from multiple options given. At the end of the test, I
was confident of achieving an 8.5 but as it turns out, I got 9. All the best to you!

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Reading - The easiest part of IELTS

Reading can be your trump card, provided you are reasonably good at English. If you aren't, I suggest
you read books, magazines and anything you get your hands on to improve your reading skills.

In my IELTS test, I scored a perfect 9 in Reading. Achieving this score is a big deal because, in General
Training, a score of 9 indicates 100% accuracy. I will try to share a few of my strategies which you
may use during your preparation.

1. Develop and master your reading skills

My main skill in reading was my ability to scan a paragraph quickly and assimilate and gather what
the paragraph talked about. This is known as "skimming and scanning"

Skimming and scanning are reading techniques that use rapid eye movement and keywords to move
quickly through text for slightly different purposes. Skimming is reading rapidly in order to get a
general overview of the material. Scanning is reading rapidly in order to find specific facts.

If you can develop that skill, you will be able to finish the entire test in less than 40 mins and you can
use the remaining time to check your answers.

A lot of people spend time on each line, which of course is useful, but is not the most important
attribute to get the correct answers for most questions in the reading test. I find that speed is more
helpful than careful reading for most parts of the reading test.

If you are able to complete the entire test in 40 minutes, it means your reading speed is fast. If you
take the entire 60 minutes to finish it and have no time to check your answers, it probably means
you need to increase your reading speed. Start working on it!

2. Understanding question types

Similar to Listening, Reading also has its own question types. Solve at least 10 tests to ensure that all
question types are covered.

Normally 7-8 questions may be True, False, Not Given or Yes, No, Not Given type of questions. So if
you struggle at those, then the chances of you getting a band score of 7+ is ruled out. I've noticed
that most people find this type of question difficult.

3. Understanding your mistakes

If you analyse your wrong answers, I'm quite sure you will find a pattern. Personally, I used to make
mistakes in True, False or Not Given questions. Over time, I learnt to read more carefully and analyse
better. In fact, I would use my entire remaining time only on those questions I expected to make
mistakes in. This definitely helped me achieve my perfect score.

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4. Instructions for questions

Similar to Listening, read the instructions carefully and type your answer appropriately based on the
instruction given.

5. Sources of practice tests

Although you can develop reading skills from various sources such as newspapers, magazines, online
blogs etc, for testing your skill, I would just recommend you to practice the Cambridge reading tests.
If you are opting for CBT, you can use www.ieltsonlinetests.com and their format is pretty similar to
the actual tests (unlike Listening).

The practice tests should be very similar to the actual IELTS and will help you get a fair idea on what
you can expect on test day. Remember to try to finish it within 40 mins at home and be strict with
the corrections.

In terms of videos for practice, both listening and reading do not require too much of external help
unless you are weak in English. But I did see some videos to understand T, F, NG type of questions. I
used to get about 32-34 initially but could get between 35-38 once I ironed out my flaws. It was only
twice that I got a perfect band 9 in my practice test. Here are my practice test scores. Notice how I
haven't gone below 7 after the first couple of tests. It means I learnt from my initial mistakes.

5. On test day

Questions 1-15 were surprisingly easy and I finished them within 10-15 mins. Then the real test
started. The most challenging part of the test was not T, F, NG but choosing the correct description
for a paragraph from a given list. So yes, be ready for surprises but it's nothing you can't handle.

But since I had over 15 mins remaining, I used that time to check that part properly. I did change a
couple of my answers which in hindsight was a great decision.

I did have to take a guess for a few questions since it was very tricky. But in the end, it was the extra
time I spent to analyze the answers again which saved me. Hope this helps you achieve your desired
scores in Reading. All the best!

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Tips to scoring well in Writing Part 1

In this, I will talk about Part 1 of Writing. In Part 1, you will be given a situation based on which, you
need to write a formal, informal or a semi-formal letter.

My tips to get a good band in Part 1 of Writing

1. Read and understand the topic well

Take 5 minutes - read and carefully plan the structure of your letter.

In the first practice letter I wrote, I made a crucial mistake of not following my own advice which I'm
giving you. The topic of my letter was:

You recently received a letter from a friend asking for advice about whether to go to college or to try
to get a job. You think he/she should get a job.

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter,

- say, why he/she would not enjoy going to college

- explain why getting a job is a good idea for him/her

- suggest types of jobs that would be good for him/her

Begin your letter with Dear ________,

I wrote a wonderful letter about how my friend lost her job and she was confused about whether
she had to go to back to college or try to get a job. My letter sounded great, but it was lacking a
crucial element - an appropriate Task Achievement. I would have got a Band 3 for this, as I
completely missed the point of the letter.

So why would I lose so many bands for Task Achievement? I wrote a letter about a friend "going
back to college" which was not mentioned in the topic. The topic (in hindsight) was actually about a
friend wanting to go to college to study further or get a job. So I actually modified the topic without
realising it. Bad idea, so be careful to understand the topic clearly. Thankfully, I made this mistake at
home and not in the IELTS test.

2. Choose the appropriate tone for the letter

Once you have understood the purpose of the letter, plan what you have to write. When you are
doing so, choose the tone of your letter - Formal/ Informal/ Semi-formal.

If the letter is to someone in office (like the HR or your boss), then choose a formal tone. If it is to a
friend, choose an informal tone. If it is to a neighbour, you can choose an informal tone. But if you
are writing to complain to a neighbour, it would be better to mix the informal tone with some formal
tone.

Getting the tone right is an extremely crucial part of your letter.

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3. Maintaining the tone throughout the letter

A lot of people lose marks for not using a consistent tone. If the letter is a formal one, you should
use the same tone throughout. If you writing to your boss, you CANNOT end your letter with "With
Love". Save the love for a loved one!

4. Word count

What's a perfect word count? Sadly, there isn't one. Don't try to stick to 150 words. If you need 200
words to express yourself, go ahead and do it. In CBT, you have a word count, so you don't need to
spend any time counting the number of words you write.

5. How much time should you take?

Although it is recommended you take 20 minutes, try to finish in 13-15 minutes. Use 5 minutes to
review, correct/modify as required. Practicing at home is crucial to know the time you are taking for
this task.

6. Should you do Part 1 (letter) or Part 2 (essay) first?

Honestly, there is no right answer to this. It all depends on your preference. I personally prefer to
finish the letter within 15-20 minutes and give my entire concentration to the essay, which definitely
involves a lot more mental effort.

7. The topic I got in my IELTS exam

I was a new student and I had to write a letter to the college principal to give feedback on an
information booklet that all new students (including me) received on the first day of college. My
letter had to cover:

a. What was missing in the information booklet.

b. How it affected me.

c. What should the college do about this feedback.

I took about 15 minutes to write the letter and 4-5 minutes to review it. Since I had planned the
structure well, I did not have to change much while reviewing.

Work hard on your writing skills! All the best

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A sample letter I wrote

You recently attended a meeting at a hotel. When you returned home, you found that you had left
some important papers at the hotel.

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

- say where you left the papers

- explain why they are so important
- tell the manager what you want him/her to do

{Formal Letter}

Dear Sir or Madam,

I trust you will recollect that a large group of individuals had booked the conference hall for their
monthly staff meeting, last Thursday, between 4pm to 5pm. I was part of that large group and
unfortunately left a large brown envelope containing some papers, on the conference hall table, in
my hurry to leave.

The envelope contained reports from a medical test I had taken earlier that week. I have to submit
them to the Visa Office to enable them to process my application for my travel to the UK next
month. I am extremely worried as a fresh medical appointment would take at least a month to
obtain, by which time, my travel date would have passed. Also, the medical lab from where I got the
tests done, is not willing to issue a duplicate report, adding to my stress.

I will be grateful if you could kindly let me know, at the earliest, if you have been able to trace the
abovementioned envelope with the reports safely inside. You may call me on 095634 51232, my
mobile number, and I will come and collect it from you personally, in case you have managed to
located it.

Looking forward to a quick response from you, considering the urgency of the matter at hand.

Yours faithfully,

Gaurav Rajaram

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Writing an essay to score Band 7 and above

I've seen so many posts of people doing extremely well in L, R and S but not being able to score a 7
in writing. This is one of the biggest hurdles you need to cross, to get your desired CRS points.

I am no expert on IELTS Writing or even IELTS in general, but I managed to get a band score of 7 in
Writing in my first attempt. Some things that you should be aware of, which may have helped me
get my score:

1. I have studied English right from my first day at school, so I have a good background in English.

2. I am a trainer (NOT IELTS) and I teach my subjects using English, so that probably makes my
English skills slightly better than someone who does not speak English on a regular basis.

3. I think in English and hence my thoughts flow more easily than someone who converses in a local
language mostly and uses English only occasionally.

I specifically mentioned the above aspects because a lot of people think that you can achieve a high
band score in Writing if you simply write a few essays or copy someone's writing style. Most people
do not realise that writing a meaningful essay requires good language skills, which takes time and
practice, and cannot be drastically improved in a matter of days or even a month for that matter. So
if you are stuck at Band 5.5 or 6 for a while, I strongly suggest that you get professional help from a
qualified English teacher (need not be an IELTS examiner) to improve your language abilities. Do not
rely on strangers online to give you feedback as most people aren't qualified to give feedback in the
first place.

Having said that, here are some of the things I did which may have contributed to my score.

I'm going to cover Part 2 of General Writing first

1. A good introduction is essential to score a good band in Writing Part 2. A good introduction
consists of a line linked to the essay topic + a thesis statement

The introduction is like a guide to your essay and if you don't get your introduction right, then you
probably have already lost a few bands. So work on this crucial aspect.

The thesis statement is probably the most important part of the introduction. It sets the overall tone
of your essay. If you write your thesis statement incorrectly, you have lowered your chance of
getting Band 7.

2. Understand what is expected of you in the essay - Is your opinion asked or do you have to simply
discuss some issues or talk about advantages or disadvantages? If you miss this key element, then
your ultimate score will be Band 6 or lesser.

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a. If the essay asks for your opinion (do you agree or disagree/ to what extent do you agree), you can
use the following structure IF YOU AGREE or DISAGREE with the view stated in the essay topic.

Intro (two lines) - One line to introduce your topic + Thesis statement giving your opinion clearly

Paragraph 1 - Speak about your opinion and justify it

Paragraph 2 - Speak about the other view and justify why you don't agree with it (makes your case
stronger)

Conclusion (two lines) - Summarise your intro, Para 1 and 2 briefly

b. If the essay is a double question type, then use the following structure:

Intro (two lines) - One line to introduce your topic + Thesis statement without an opinion

Paragraph 1 - Speak about the first question

Paragraph 2 - Speak about the second question

Conclusion (two lines) - Summarise your intro, Para 1 and 2 briefly

c. If the essay is a problem and solution type, then use the following structure:

Intro (two lines) - One line to introduce your topic + Thesis statement without an opinion

Paragraph 1 - Speak about the problem and give some reasons for it

Paragraph 2 - Speak about the solutions to solve the problems stated in Para 1

Conclusion (two lines) - Summarise your intro, Para 1 and 2 briefly

4. Don't use complicated words without reason. Instead, focus on grammar and sentence formation.

5. Once you are perfect with grammar and sentence structures, try to see if you can modify a few
words to increase your chance of getting a high band in vocabulary. You need a few good words to
make your essay better, so don't go all out changing every word in each line.

6. Instead of using linkers like "first", "second", "furthermore" etc, use creative ones like these
(marked in yellow)

Speaking from the point of view of employers, the benefits are two-fold. One aspect is the savings in
rent, which normally accounts for 10-15% of the total expenses of a business.

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7. Use a few complex sentences (4-5 per essay) or at least 1 per paragraph.

For example, instead of writing the below lines

"This argument fails because the British Government has a well-established scheme of social
security. The purpose of this was to provide for the care of its citizens contributing to the scheme."

It is better to write

"However, this argument fails since the British Government has a well-established scheme of social
security, the purpose of which was to provide for the care of its citizens contributing to the scheme."

Hope this helps you do better at Writing Part 2.

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A sample essay I wrote

Topic

Some people believe that everyone should be free to make their own lifestyle choices, even if those
choices are unhealthy. Other people think that the government should intervene to influence
people’s choices, for example by putting high taxes on unhealthy products.

Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.

My Essay

There are differing opinions on how people should lead their lives, especially with respect to lifestyle
choices. Some people believe that the government should adopt measures to curb wrong lifestyle
choices, whereas others think it is should be left to people themselves to decide. I am of the opinion
that the government should not interfere in the lifestyle choices of people and should instead let
people make decisions as they wish, even if it is considered unhealthy by some.

To support my argument that the government should not interfere in the lifestyle choices of people,
I put forth two critical points. First, there is no universal rule on what is healthy and what is not. So
then, who is the one to decide that a particular product is to be labelled unhealthy? What is deemed
unhealthy for some, may in fact, turn out to be healthy for others. For instance, chocolates are
considered unhealthy for people suffering from diabetes, whereas for others, it is recommended to
be consumed in reasonable quantities every day. Second, the taxes in most countries are so high
already, that burdening the common man with additional taxes merely for his personal choices is not
desirable.

On the other hand, some people believe that the government ought to tax lifestyle choices which
are considered unhealthy. For instance, consumption of alcohol is considered as a social evil in India
and is therefore expected to be taxed at an exorbitant rate. The rationale behind this thought is that
by putting a high tax on such products, the interest of people in these products come down, thereby
eliminating the problem. However, time and again, research has shown that this is not true and is
therefore, not the most efficient solution.

To conclude, although some lifestyle choices seem unhealthy, people should be given a free hand in
making their own choices and intervening in their lives is not what the government should be
focussing on.

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Speaking tips for IELTS

Things to remember

1. Speak slower than your usual speed.

2. Take one to two seconds after the examiner asks the question to start answering and don't forget
to speak in a moderate speed.

3. If you need to clarify something, ask. For instance, one of my questions was "Why do siblings not
exhibit similar traits?". I asked the examiner whether the question pertained to their childhood or
adulthood or generally at any point of time in their lives. The examiner said "at any point in time in
their lives". This helped me buy time plus gave me direction.

4. Smile at the examiner, it helps to get a good impression.

5. Check out "Oxford Online English" channel on YouTube. I personally felt the other channels which
most people use/ recommend were slightly over the top and I found the above channel to be
extremely balanced in their videos, without excessive marketing and impractical ideas to confuse
you.

Part 1 - Introduction and general topics for about 4-5 minutes based on a script

Part 1 of speaking deals with giving some information about yourself like what your name is, do you
work or study etc, and some random questions on hobbies, movies, sports, city, hometown etc.
There is seemingly no pattern here in terms of what they can ask. So do you prepare for it or not?

What I suggest is not to really memorise, but to develop some basic ideas about things around you.
Read up about your city (Wikipedia will give you a couple of lines to talk about) , identify a couple of
your hobbies and try to talk about it, think of two things about your work you enjoy/dislike etc. For a
general list of topics which have been asked check this link out http://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-
part-1-topics/

My test experience

I was asked about my work, then suddenly the topic shifted to cinemas, and then to parks. So
definitely, not something I could have prepared myself for. My thoughts, exposure and presence of
mind certainly helped answer these questions.

Part 2 - 1-2 minute speech on a given topic for which you will receive 1 minute to prepare

For this part, identify what types of topics they can give and try to practice. For instance, in this part,
they usually ask you to talk about a person, an object or a place or an experience or something
abstract like a piece of advice you received.

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So, if you want to practice talking about a person, make a list of the possible questions:

1. A person you admire most

2. A person you would like to meet
3. A person who has had influence over your life
4. A person who is a famous entertainer in your country
5. A famous sports person

The best part is you don't need to have to think of different persons for each of those. You can fit
one or maximum two persons you know into all those questions (MS Dhoni and Amitabh Bachchan
maybe?). Basically, be smart about preparing for your Speaking Part 2 as there are too many things
they can ask you about.

My test experience

I had expected the question types and had built some ideas in my head already. My topic was to talk
about a person who I had never met but wanted to meet in the future. I had already thought of
Roger Federer as a sportsman I wanted to talk about. I just used those thoughts and fit it into the
topic at hand.

My tip is, when you are given one minute to prepare, in addition to a few pointers for your speech,
also write a couple of fancy words you can use. I wrote the words charismatic, exceptional and role
model which I used in my speech at various places.

Part 3 - Questions related to Part 2 (could be based on hypothetical scenarios or abstract concepts)

I doubt you can really prepare for this. But remember, this is the last part of your speaking test. So
even if you have not done very well in the first two parts, you can actually use this part to impress
your examiner. And since this part is related to Part 2, you will have some advance notice about the
topic. Plus some of the questions in this part are very abstract so go ahead and express your
thoughts and don't be scared that they will judge you for it.

My test experience

The questions I got were slightly crazy and unexpected. One question was "Why do you think people
feel lonely in a city, even when they are surrounded by so many other people". I'm sure this sounds
like something you can answer easily (sitting comfortably at home), but try answering these kind of
questions in a test scenario.

So my answer to this was, "I don't think people around you make you happy or cheerful, it's
something which comes from within. I feel there are many reasons for people feeling lonely even if
they are surrounded by other people, but according to me, the most important reason would be
clinical depression and a lot of people today are suffering from it". So if you notice, I used a term less
commonly used. Promptly, as I expected, the examiner asked me, "Why do you think more and more
people are depressed today?". I could actually expect her follow-up question even before she asked
it and I was ready with my answer. In part 3, they don't follow a script so you can use that your
advantage.

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Speaking questions (March 11, 2019 IDP Bangalore)

I scored an 8 in Speaking. The examiner was friendly and very pleasant throughout. Here are the
questions which were asked. I remember almost 80-90% of the questions quite accurately.

Part 1

What kind of work do you do?

Do you like your job?
Is there anything you would like to change at your workplace?
Do you like going to the cinema?
Do you like going alone or with other people?
How has your taste in films changed from your childhood till now?
How many movies have you watched this year?
Why do you think you go to the cinema less?
Do you go to parks often?
How have the parks changed in your city over the years?
When was the last time you went to a park?
Do you think parks should have more open space or leisure facilities?

Part 2

Talk about a person who you have never met but would like to meet.
Explain how you heard about that person.
Explain what you would like to ask him/her.

Part 3

Why do you think in today's world, a person who is surrounded by other people feels lonely?
Why do you think siblings do not exhibit similar personality traits?

A final piece of advice for you

Remember to seek professional help if you are stuck at Band 6 for a while. Do not waste money by
giving another IELTS attempt without first working on your mistakes. The three golden steps for
self- improvement are:

REVIEW - what you have written or spoken

IDENTIFY - your errors

CORRECT - your identified errors

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