Many Indian students may perceive the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as a difficult test with strict parameters due to its name. This perception may create doubts in their minds about the difficulty level of the exam. But, is the IELTS exam really tough for Indian students? Let’s explore and find out.
Challenges in the IELTS examination for Indian students
India, with its vast expanse, is home to 21 regional languages. For students preparing for the IELTS exam, English, being a foreign language, can pose a challenge. Depending on the region, an individual might have a different mother tongue, which can add to the difficulty of mastering the different modules of the exam even with IELTS online coaching. In this context, let’s explore some of the key challenges that Indian students face while preparing for the IELTS exam.
Presenting views in the speaking test:
When it comes to the speaking module, most students struggle with responding to the examiner’s questions. Many report knowing what they want to say, but struggle to find the right English words to articulate their thoughts. Additionally, some students attempt to translate their answers from their regional language to English in their minds, but end up spending too much in the process. As a result, it creates long pauses which hinder the overall fluency.
Yet another challenge that students face in the speaking module is preparing to speak on the cue card topic within the allotted one minute. With a lot of information to jot down in a short period, this can be a daunting task even if one is preparing with the support of the best online coaching for IELTS
Understanding the accent in the listening module:
In the listening module, students have to hear audio presented in different accents and answer the questions. It involves different types of speakers, each having a different accent and sometimes a different pace and voice modulation, which makes it difficult for the Indian students to comprehend the topic and at the same time find answers to the questions asked. The listening module demands a deep understanding of questions and multi-tasking, which can again be a challenge for some. Even if a test-taker is taking top online IELTS coaching, the issue of unknown accents still persists among students.
Having good vocabulary:
The passages present in the reading module are full of keywords which are paraphrased in the questions. It demands a student to have a good hold on vocabulary to understand the paraphrased keywords. Additionally, if there is a unique word which is new to the student, it becomes quite difficult for a student to infer the meaning of it by understanding the context.
In the writing section, they have to write an essay which requires them to use a range of words. Without sound knowledge of the different words and their meanings, it is very difficult to answer such questions well.
How to overcome these challenges?
For Indian students when it comes to preparing for a formal language test, with constant practice and the best online IELTS coaching, they can overcome these challenges and get their desired band score. Let’s gain some insights to overcome the challenges :
The right sources – best IELTS study material
It is extremely important that you practice from an authentic source and material. To ensure this, you must look for the best IELTS study material and enrol in top online IELTS coaching, so that you always learn the insights and concepts from the right source.
Spend time listening to different speakers
To understand the speech and accents of different speakers, you should try to listen to a variety of podcasts, speeches or TED talks given by international speakers. This will not only help you to understand the different accents but also help you to adjust to the pace of different speakers. Also, watching youtube videos of English speakers without the captions can also be an excellent method to improve your listening skills. Lastly, you should try to practise as many listening tests as you can, which will make you efficient in this module. To attain this, you can even access resources or practice tests from the best online coaching for IELTS.
Read more
To excel in the reading module, try to read books, journals, newspapers, and articles. This will enrich you with the required vocabulary. As a result, it will also increase your reading speed which will again help you during the exam to solve all the questions in the given time. In addition to this, always use a pen or pencil to skim across and down the page while you read and underline the main points or keywords in the passage.
Expert insights
You should make sure that you take expert insights and gain a deep understanding of the strategies and skills required to score well in all of the modules. Some of the skills that you should enhance for the IELTS exam are :
- Paraphrasing words in the reading module
- Scanning and skimming for specific details
- Speed reading long paragraphs
- Following a proper structure in writing
- Using connectors and linkers to maintain coherence
- Adding relevant examples to support your view
- Following a proper structure in the speaking module for all parts
Practice mock tests
It is imperative that you practise all the modules separately as well as together. This will allow you to manage your time well and at the same time will make you understand how to manage your time under exam-like circumstances. IELTS online coaching greatly helps students to practice mock tests from the comfort of their homes.
Final thoughts
Considering all the challenges, it can be undeniably said that IELTS can be tough for Indian students but with the right guidance and resources, students can attain their desired score. You should always choose the best IELTS online coaching in order to prepare yourself with authentic and reliable study material and achieve your desired band score.