23 - How to Study for the IELTS in One Month

11/26/18 • 9 min

Magoosh IELTS

In this episode, Eliot and Naomi talk about how to study for the IELTS in one month. They'll cover:

What you should study
How much time you should spend studying
Our 1-month study plan

Episode resources and links:

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com

Episode 23 Transcript - How to Study for the IELTS in One Month

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 23. In this episode, we’re going to tell you how to study for the IELTS in one month. Afterward, you can check the show notes for direct links to Magoosh’s one month IELTS study plan, and links to recommended IELTS prep materials.

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Part 1

Eliot: If you need to study for the IELTS, you may wonder exactly what you should study, and how much time you should spend studying.

Naomi: That really can be tricky. I mean, obviously, you want to practice for all four sections of the test. But is there anything else students should focus on, Eliot?

Eliot: Well, Naomi, studying IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking does cover a lot of the bases. But yes, there are a few other general things students should study. Vocabulary is a big one. A good English vocabulary will help you in every section of the test. And it’s good to study skills that are test specific.

Naomi: Now, what do you mean by test-specific? Can you give me some examples?

Eliot: Sure. Let’s take pacing, the skill of finishing your tasks at the right speed. This skill is really specific to timed exams like the IELTS. But it’s not specific to any one section. It’s not really even a language skill, per se. As another example, it helps to understand the question types you’ll see in each section.

Naomi: It sounds like you’re saying IELTS Prep should focus on language skills, but also include some test-taking skills?

Eliot: You got it!

Naomi: So what does that balance look like? How much time should be spent on language lessons versus skills lessons?

Eliot: Well now, that’s a tricky question. You really do need to strike a careful balance between language learning and skills building. It helps to have a good plan.

Naomi: But how can students put together a really good study plan? It sounds like making a study timetable is a difficult task in and of itself.

Eliot: It really can be tricky. I know this first hand, because I actually wrote some study plans for our blog. That way, students don’t have to put in that kind of hard work, and can focus more on their actual test prep They can use one of the Magoosh IELTS study plans. Our one month IELTS study plan is especially popular.

Naomi: I’ve seen that plan on the blog. So that one month timetable-- it tells tells students how much to study vocabulary, and how much time to spend on each language and testing skill?

Eliot: That’s right. And in addition to covering the kinds of things you need to study, our one month study plan includes a checklist of the resources you should use--the right books, websites, and apps for the perfect 4 weeks of IELTS prep.

Naomi: So what materials do the students need for this plan?

Eliot: It’s a surprisingly simple list, actually. Almost everything comes from just one of t...

In this episode, Eliot and Naomi talk about how to study for the IELTS in one month. They'll cover:

What you should study
How much time you should spend studying
Our 1-month study plan

Episode resources and links:

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com

Episode 23 Transcript - How to Study for the IELTS in One Month

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Part 1

Eliot: If you need to study for the IELTS, you may wonder exactly what you should study, and how much time you should spend studying.

Naomi: That really can be tricky. I mean, obviously, you want to practice for all four sections of the test. But is there anything else students should focus on, Eliot?

Naomi: Now, what do you mean by test-specific? Can you give me some examples?

Naomi: It sounds like you’re saying IELTS Prep should focus on language skills, but also include some test-taking skills?

Eliot: You got it!

Naomi: So what does that balance look like? How much time should be spent on language lessons versus skills lessons?

Eliot: Well now, that’s a tricky question. You really do need to strike a careful balance between language learning and skills building. It helps to have a good plan.

Naomi: But how can students put together a really good study plan? It sounds like making a study timetable is a difficult task in and of itself.

Naomi: I’ve seen that plan on the blog. So that one month timetable-- it tells tells students how much to study vocabulary, and how much time to spend on each language and testing skill?

Naomi: So what materials do the students need for this plan?

Eliot: It’s a surprisingly simple list, actually. Almost everything comes from just one of t...

Previous Episode

22 - How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2

In this episode Eliot and Naomi talk about how to prepare for the Academic IELTS Writing Task 2. They'll cover:

organization
structure
tone
example questions
scoring

Episode resources and links:

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com Episode 22 Transcript: How to Prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 2

Translations: (Tiếng Việt)

Intro:

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 22. In this episode, you’re going to learn about IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. We’re going to discuss everything you need to know about this second essay, including organization, structure, tone, example questions, and scoring.

Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

And now, for the show!

Body Part 1:

Eliot: Today Naomi and I will discuss IELTS Writing task 2, and talk about some tips and tricks for writing a really good second IELTS essay.

Naomi: Eliot, what would you say is the first thing students should know about this essay?

Eliot: They should know that this is a bigger essay-- one that takes more work and time than IELTS Writing Task 1. The IELTS recommends you spend 20 minutes on Writing Task 1, but 40 minutes on Task 2.

Naomi: So most of your IELTS Writing section time should be devoted to the second essay? Why is that?

Eliot: There are a few different reasons, actually. One of the reasons comes down to scoring. Task 2 makes up two-thirds of your writing score. And you’re expected to write more-- they need to state an opinion and defend it with examples and details. That’s why there’s a 250 word minimum for the second essay versus the 150 word expectation for that first task.

Naomi: Wow! How can students write all that in just 40 minutes?

Eliot: The key is careful time management for each stage of writing. IELTS Task 2 Essay planning should take 2-10 minutes, then the actual writing should take 25-32 minutes, with 5 minutes left over to go back and proofread.

Naomi: So how exactly should you organize things?

Eliot: In both your outline and your essay, there are a few rules you should follow. Obviously, you’ll want to start with the introduction. Keep that part fairly short. Just restate the topic, and add your thesis. That’s where you state your position and your main points. After that, you can move straight to the body paragraphs. Body paragraph 1 will give supporting details for thesis main point 1....

Naomi: ...And body paragraph 2 covers thesis main point 2?

Eliot: You’re getting the idea! Then, after the body, end with a conclusion, where you restate and review the main points. The conclusion should be short and sweet--like the introduction.

Naomi: What about the writing style? Any special words or sentence structures students should use?

Eliot: The writing will be academic--formal. So we want sentences that are complete, and sometimes compound and complex.

Naomi: So there should be sentence variety.

Eliot: Definitely. And you don’t just need sentence variety. Top scoring Task 2 essays also have word variety. Students should avoid using the same words and phrases over and over. Oh, and keep the tone formal and academic.

Naomi: OK, I think I can almost picture what a good outline and essay look like. But how can I know for sure that I’m picturing the right thing?

Eliot: Well, fortunately for you and our students, Magoosh has some sample materials for that. If you go to our Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2, you’ll see a sample question for the second IELTS essay, and a model outline. Our gu...

Next Episode

24 - Where to Find IELTS Practice Tests (and How to Use Them!)

In this episode, Eliot and Naomi talk about IELTS practice tests. They'll cover:

Why it’s important to study for the IELTS using practice tests
Tips on where to find high quality IELTS practice tests online
How you can use practice tests as part of your IELTS study routine

Episode resources and links:

Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com

Episode 24 Transcript - Where to Find IELTS Practice Tests (and How to Use Them!)

Translations: (Tiếng Việt, فارسی)

Intro

Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 24. In this episode, you’re going to learn about IELTS practice tests, including what makes a good IELTS practice test, where to find them, and how to use practice tests as part of your IELTS test preparation. First Eliot and I will discuss why it’s important for students to study for the IELTS using practice tests, then we’ll give you some tips on where to find high quality IELTS practice tests online. We’ll end by talking a little bit about how you can use practice tests as part of your IELTS study routine. Check for a link to the free Magoosh IELTS Practice Test in the show notes.

And don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep!

Okay, let’s get started!

Part 1:

Naomi: Today we’re going to talk about IELTS practice tests, where to find them, and how to use them. So Eliot, why is it important to take practice tests when preparing for the IELTS?

Eliot: On test day, you won’t just do a handful of problems at a time—you’ll have to answer many in a row. Taking practice tests helps you build endurance and get comfortable with the format of the test.

Naomi: Okay, that makes sense. When you’re studying for the IELTS, practicing specific skills—like vocabulary—is important...but you won’t know if you’re fully prepared for the exam until you take a full-length IELTS sample test.

Eliot: Exactly. Building endurance is an extremely important part of your IELTS exam practice, so practice tests should have a big role your study plan.

Naomi: So how many practice tests should students be taking to prepare for the IELTS?

Eliot: Ideally you should take one practice test every week.

Naomi: That’s sound like a lot of practice tests!

Eliot: Yes—it is a lot, but if you stick to this schedule you’ll be extremely well prepared for the real exam.

Naomi: So what are some of the benefits of taking practice tests, besides building endurance?

Eliot: Taking an IELTS practice test will teach you what to expect on test day. The sample exam can also show you your strengths and weaknesses, so you can focus your studying on the areas you need to improve the most.

Naomi: What about if you’re already in the middle of your IELTS preparation?

Eliot: If you’re in the middle of your IELTS prep, taking an IELTS practice test can show you what’s working in your preparation and what’s not.

Naomi: And if the exam is only a few days away?

Eliot: If test day is around the corner, taking an IELTS practice test will give you an idea of what score you can expect to get on the real thing—that way you can go into the exam a little more relaxed.

Naomi: Sounds great! So where can students find these practice tests?

Eliot: Well, a quick Google search will pull up tons of IELTS practice tests. But the trick is to find IELTS sample...