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Fear is a common problem each candidate faces during exams. Fear brings the side effects along with it that could affect your mind and body such as lack of focus, hesitation, anxiety, nervousness, etc. Such a side effect makes you lose focus that results in a thoughtless mind which may result in getting low bands in IELTS. So, if you suffer from fears regarding IELTS then this article is beneficial for you. We have mentioned some common fears about the IELTS exam and how to get rid of them below.
Common fears about IELTS students have:
- What if I skip the audio while listening?
- What if I lose my concentration during the IELTS listening test?
- What if I couldn't write during the writing test of IELTS?
- What if my reading test of IELTS remains incomplete?
- What if I become blank during the IELTS speaking cue card test?
- Is it fine to make hand gestures while speaking?
- Is it fine to pause while talking to the examiner?
- What if I fail to please the examiner?
- What if I fail in my first IELTS attempt?
- What if I fail to reach the IELTS test centre on time?
Tips to overcome these fears
What if I skip the audio while listening?
Skipping the audio during the listening test is caused by a lack of concentration. This fear troubles you while answering quickly and you don't focus. The best solution to overcome this fear is to do practice more with the help of practice test materials before the official test. Improving concentration totally depends on you. As you listen carefully, you will get to find the answer quickly. Hence, it will build your confidence and attention power while practising. You can make use of the listening practice materials of IELTS online. The more you practice, the more you will be able to control your fear of skipping the audio while listening to the IELTS.
What if I lose my concentration during the IELTS listening test?
When you are taking the IELTS listening test and you suddenly get lost in thoughts. This happens during a lack of focus and creates fear when you lose some important part. The only way to deal with this situation is to leave all your worries at home, and focus on the exam. Your aim is to keep the focus on one thing at a time. Practising test materials is the ideal way to overcome this fear which will not only build your confidence but also helps you to be focused.
You should follow this to score high: Tips and Advice for the IELTS test day
What if I couldn't write during the writing test of IELTS?
This is one of the most common fears every IELTS candidate has. Students who do not have a habit of reading or writing might find themselves in this awkward situation when given a topic to write. Many students find it difficult to put their words on paper, struggling to give proper construction to their thoughts. If you are worried about writing a bad essay, then you should keep writing as many copies as possible until you get rid of the fear. Often students worry about grammar, they think using advanced words might take them far. But if you are not sure of using a particular word, don't use it.
Get full information about writing section here: Complete Guide for the Writing section of IELTS
What if my reading test of IELTS remains incomplete?
The IELTS reading section is of 1 hour. Are you worried that you may not complete this section on time? IELTS is one of those exams that teach you the management of time. So while you are working on the reading section, why don't you set a time limit for each question by yourself? Many IELTS experts say that one should not spend too much time on one question. If you find it difficult to answer any question, try to keep that particular question aside and get back to it later.
What if I become blank during the IELTS speaking cue card test?
The IELTS Card task of speaking section wants you to talk for 2 minutes until the examiner asks you to stop. It might be a little scary for people who don't speak much. They may have fear of What if I go blank during the cue card test. There are many ways to overcome this fear of speaking in public. One way is to practice speaking a lot with any family members or friends or with yourself before the mirror. There is plenty of online material available for the IELTS cue card, for free, which you can use to gain confidence. If you are not sure about any answer, it's better to say 'I'm sorry I don't have enough knowledge on this topic, but…' Saying nothing before the examiner might result in getting a low score.
Get you all your doubts clear about IELTS Speaking section here: Complete Guide for the Speaking section of IELTS
Is it fine to make hand gestures while speaking?
Some students feel that examiners might find it offensive if candidates make use of hand gestures while speaking. The making of hand gestures while speaking is quite common with some people, and examiners do not really bother about it. Another important question that students ask us if they can use contractions like wanna, gonna, etc. during the speaking test. It can be informal so it is better to avoid using such words during the test that you normally tend to use with your friends.
Is it fine to pause while talking to the examiner?
IELTS doesn't test your behaviour pattern. You can pause and think then speak if you are comfortable with it. Examiners will evaluate your speaking based on the words you choose while speaking, though it requires you to think and answer. The examiner doesn't expect you to be an excellent speaker. You should speak clearly using proper English words.
What if I fail to please the examiner?
Examiners are teachers, and they are at the test centre to do their job. As a student, your duty is to be focused on your test rather than the examiner. You should not be concerned about pleasing the examiner with your words or actions. Some students might feel that if they don’t agree with the opinion of the examiner during the speaking test, they might lose points. But that's not true. Examiners are concerned about how well you speak your thoughts clearly, and not about your opinion.
What if I fail in my first IELTS attempt?
You can appear for the IELTS test number of times as there is no limit to it. So if you fail in your first IELTS attempt, you can simply go ahead with another attempt. Each year has 48 test dates for the IELTS Academic test.
What if I fail to reach the IELTS test centre on time?
The night before your test could be stressful filled with anxieties, try to keep all your uneasiness away. Make sure you get a good and tight sleep the night before, keeping all your gadgets away, and try not to think too much about the test the next day. You will surely reach the IELTS Test centre on time.
In addition to the above questions, a student might have the following questions in their mind:
- I want to get admission at X University, for which I need overall 8 bands. How should I achieve that score?
- Can I get band 7 in IELTS?
- What if I get 5.5 bands in one section and 6.5 in other sections of IELTS. Will I still get admissions abroad?
- I keep getting 6.5 bands in IELTS, which is really frustrating for me. Should I give up?
There is no shortcut to getting a high band score in IELTS. If you feel nervous about taking the test, the best thing you can do is to speak to someone who knows everything about the test, and remember it's equally important to be free from fears.
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