Assumption # 1
People assumed that Task 1 in the Academic IELTS
will be a chart or a graph – and when they were given a diagram, it
came as a complete shock. As a result, it took them longer to get their
heads around the task and they spent over 30 minutes only thinking what
they are going to write in their reports. Then it’s a chain accident –
if the first task takes you longer, you don’t have enough time for your
essay and you are stressed, so the performance goes down the drain.
This
could have been easily solved by practicing beforehand. Guys, when you
practice – don’t choose just graphs, prepare for diagrams as well, it’s
important to be prepared for whatever they throw at you and not things
you think are likely to appear. If you’re under time pressure and have
only a week to study – that’s fine, do just one or two diagrams, but at
least try yourself at it.
Assumption # 2
I
don’t know why, but people assume that IELTS questions never repeat –
when this blog is a proof to the fact that they do, and quite often.
I’ve got an email from a student that said: “You know what is really
ironic? I saw my speaking question the night before my exam on
IELTS-Blog, but thought I will never get the same question and didn’t
practice it.”
Do yourself a favor – go through the list of recent
exams and familiarize yourself with the latest questions. The best
chances to get the same questions as before are, of course, in the
Speaking test, however in the Writing test we too have seen that the
questions were repeated over time.
