Common fears about the IELTS exam
What if I… Well, fear is a common problem everyone faces during exams. What if I go out of time? What if I lose focus? If I don’t build ideas? etc, etc, etc… Whether you have a master’s degree or Ph.D. A student pursuing any course is always getting nervous during the exam time. How much study he/she did, the examination hall looks like the slammer. So, if you do suffer from such fears then this article is beneficial for you.
Read the common fears about the IELTS exam and how to overcome them below.
Fear is our foe that brings the side effects that could affect your mind and body. Side effects like hesitation, nervousness, lack of focus, anxiety, etc. Such a side effect makes you lose focus that results in a thoughtless mind.
The most common fear that an IELTS candidate tends to have
Today, we’ll discuss the most common problems students suffer while giving the IELTS test. In which, every problem is created by a lack of concentration, fear, stress, carelessness, etc. Every kind of problem has one solution i.e., practice more for a particular module you fear about. Now, check out the fear people face during the IELTS exam. Also, how to defeat them?
What if I skipped the audio?
Listening is all about concentration and this game can only be won if you focus until the audio clip is stopped. This is where you find it difficult to stay focused and avoid distractions that may cost you marks because if you skipped the audio, the other questions get affected as well since it will take time for you to get back on track.
Practice more and more listening tests to know your weaknesses. Every time you complete a listening test, check your answers and analyze your mistakes also. Then the next time you complete a listening test, be more conscious and attentive.
Put more efforts and try to give your 100% in staying focused throughout the test. Be positive and do not think of the worries or tensions if you may have at home or work. Just focus on your exam!
What if I lose focus during the IELTS listening audio test?
When you’re taking the IELTS listening test and you suddenly lost in thoughts. This happens during a lack of focus and creates fear. Further, you lose the important part. Due to this, you try to answer more quickly which results in incorrect answers further.
The only way to handle such kind of situation is to leave all your problems at your home. Focus on one thing at a time is must be your aim. Hence, practice the test materials and build your focus.
What if I run out of time in writing?
Running out of timer is the biggest disadvantage you suffer when you don’t practice your subjects. You might suffer this during the reading and writing module. Unfortunately, you experience such an issue when you’re not well-aware of the concept in both. Because building ideas for the pattern you’re not well aware of requires more time to understand and giving proper definition.
That is why the academic institutions told you to read more newspapers and articles. It provides you more ideas and pattern; also you’ll get to know more vocabulary words and grammatical errors.
What if I don’t complete reading test on time?
The biggest fear in reading module is to complete all the questions within 1 hour which also includes transferring answers. Hence, you are afraid if the time may not get over and your sheet may not be snatched by the examiner before your transfer your questions to the answer sheet. From start till the end of your reading test, this notion is there in your mind haunting you like anything.
Time management is the utmost important skill that you need badly in the reading test. Managing time implies dividing the time properly for the three passages.
Keep on looking at the timer so that you can track your pace level of solving questions.
Do not spend a lot of time on one particular question. Instead, guess it and move on to the other question. You may also mark this kind of question so that if you get some time at the end, you may give a closer look to that question again.
What if I have nothing to write about?
This is a fear of writer’s block. Many students are afraid of getting a topic for the essay and having nothing to say about it. The easiest way to get over it is to read a lot of essays on different topics and to absorb other people’s ideas. The truth is that IELTS examiners don’t care about the source of the information; it is the way an essay is written that matters.
What if I go blank in speaking test?
This is a fear of interaction with the examiner. In general, the Speaking module often makes people feel uncomfortable because there is little or no time to think. What if they ask me a question and I have no idea what to say, no opinion? To make this fear go away people need to build up confidence. Practicing speaking for a couple of weeks with a list of topics can do wonders; after you’ve proven the ability to speak to yourself, it becomes much easier to demonstrate it to the examiner.
Whether it is the problem of hesitation, lack of content or fear of speaking without grammatical errors, practice will make you perfect.
The best solution is to speak on a cue card and record your voice when you prepare for speaking test at home.
Analysing your mistakes will help you gain stability and confidence in speaking; making you attentive enough that you avoid grammar mistakes or hesitation the next time you speak.
Importantly, there are no shortcuts to get good bands in IELTS test. Instead, all you need to do is practice more and focus on every module. Therefore, we hope the aforementioned study will help you to defeat your fear and give the IELTS test confidently.
