2024 IELTS Preparation Tips by Experts to Study in Canada

Conquer the IELTS exam and make your study in Canada a dream come true. This comprehensive guide offers expert tips and proven strategies to help you ace the test and kickstart your study abroad journey.

Canada is one of the top-ranked countries that attract international students because of its vibrant, multicultural, and dynamic environment. It has a world-class education system, a welcoming culture, and a breathtaking landscape. However, there is a vital challenge that students need to overcome before setting out on their thrilling study abroad journey: the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam.

 IELTS is a standardized test that evaluates your skills in the English language in four main areas: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. While study abroad consultants can help you along the way, a well-thought-out and successful preparation plan is a great source that will make the difference. 

 This detailed guide will provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to ace the IELTS exam and set the stage for a great study abroad experience in Canada. This guide has expert tips and useful resources that you can utilize in your preparation for better results.

Understanding the IELTS and Canadian immigration requirements

The first step when planning to study in Canada is to get familiar with the format of the IELTS test and its specific band score (overall and sectional) that your preferred Canadian educational institution requires. Band scores between 6.0 and 7.0 are usually required for Study in Canada programs, depending on the university and program level. Learn about these prerequisites in advance so that you can customize your preparation.

The four pillars of the IELTS exam

The objective of the IELTS is to assess your proficiency in communicating with others in an academic setting using English. Below is a summary of every section, along with practical advice to ensure your success:

1. Listening

The Listening section evaluates how well you understand the language. It comprises 40 questions that need to be completed within 30 minutes. Make sure your headphones are working efficiently.

• Focus on comprehension and not transcription. Develop your listening skills to understand the main ideas, minute details, and supporting arguments. Make notes of important dates or numbers, if necessary. 
• Recordings are played only once. So, put in as much practice as you can. Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and lectures to improve your familiarity with accents and spoken language structure. 
• To save time and be more efficient, you can read the questions before the recording starts. 
• Proofread your answers to ignore grammatical errors and spelling mistakes before submitting. 
• Use official IELTS practice tests and other reliable resources to familiarize yourself with the format and question types. Time yourself during practice.

2. Reading

The Reading section evaluates your reading skills. There will be a total of 40 multiple-choice questions, short answers, matching information, and sentence completion questions over three tasks that have lengthy articles. The General Training test is generally considered easier than the Academic Writing test. 

• Underline the crucial information, make annotations, and paraphrase complex sentences to ensure understanding.
• Build a strong vocabulary to understand complex academic texts. You can use flashcards, explore online vocabulary-building tools, and create mind gaps.
• Study abroad consultants recommend students expose themselves to different academic writing styles to enhance adaptability. Explore practice materials that cover topics relevant to a university.
• Ensure you are grammatically correct and not beating around the bush.
• Use scanning techniques to save time. Scan specific details, and if you are not able to answer a question, skip to another one.

3. Writing

The Writing section comprises 2 tasks that need to be completed within 60 minutes. In this section, your English writing skills will be assessed as you will have to write an essay expressing your opinions and describe a chart or graph.

• Pay close attention to sentence structure, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. Eliminate grammatical errors to ensure clarity and professionalism.
• Create a well-structured answer. Use introductory paragraphs, clear sentences, facts or supporting arguments, and a conclusion.
• Practice makes the man perfect, which is absolutely correct when it comes to writing. Write regularly on trending topics related to study abroad. Time yourself and get feedback from your teachers or the online IELTS preparation community. 
• Avoid repeating words, phrases, and passive voice. Use an active voice and a variety of sentences to demonstrate your writing ability. 

4. Speaking

In the Speaking section, you will need to interact with the examiner, who will assess your spoken English language skills. This section is divided into three parts and takes around 11 to 14 minutes. You need to be confident, fluent, and spontaneous while answering the questions.

• Speak fluently and slowly so the examiner can understand you.
• Present your thoughts and ideas clearly and logically.  
• Avoid taking long pauses.

Essential resources and strategies

To conquer the IELTS exam, equip yourself with the right resources and strategies. Here is how you can boost your preparation:

1. Visit the official website: Visit the official website of the conducting body to get the correct and latest information. Download practice tests and examine the format to prepare efficiently.
2. IELTS preparation book: A wide range of excellent IELTS preparation books are available in the market. Grab the best books from reputed publishers like Oxford University Press or Cambridge University Press.
3. Join online communities: In this technology-dominated world, there are online forums and communities where students preparing for IELTS connect to share their experiences, ask questions, and seek feedback. Join a relevant group.
4. Take online IELTS courses: Enroll yourself in online IELTS courses by study abroad consultants or esteemed institutions for expert guidance, structured learning modules, and access to experienced instructors.

MSM Unify: Your partner in achieving your study abroad dreams

The MSM Unify team understands the complexities of navigating the study abroad process. So far, 186,000 students have made their overseas education dreams a reality. MSM Unify has access to 50,000+ programs across 1,500+ campuses in 21 destinations, and it is one of the leading study-abroad consultancies.

If you are an ambitious student looking to study in Canada, their counselors can help you create a personalized path for your journey, from program selection and application aid to pre-departure support. To help you prepare and increase your chances of success, they can also connect you with their IELTS specialists and help you hone your preparation plan.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)