We are human beings and we feel relaxed and comfortable only with the familiar. What scares us is the shadow of the unknown but still we should try to remain calm and composed so that the irrational fear vanishes in no time and the doorway to our success remain clear and intact.
The majority of people dislike tests and examinations because they could be anxious and uncomfortable. Students’ self-confidence could deteriorate due to the high stress and in most of the extreme cases, people simply fear and lose the ability to think clearly.
IELTS is also one of the English tests that could be a big problem for many people all around the globe. There are many parts of IELTS that can be intimidating unless you know how to handle them. The actual way out is to get acquainted with all the frightening facets of the IELTS exam. These fears and uncertainties will certainly cease to exist if you take the element of surprise out of IELTS.
Please note, the IELTS exam may not be the only option for you. You may qualify to sit a different english exam. Read more about english exam options. This article is useful in any case for all english exams.
Here are the 5 things people are afraid of the most about IELTS:
1. What if I miss the answers in the Listening module?
One could lose attention and concentration when it comes to listening. If you ask any IELTS candidate what they fear regarding Listening module, most of the reply will come this way: “I am afraid to miss answers. I am afraid that I won’t be able to follow the recording”.
Practice and more practice is only the key to the solution. Practicing boosts confidence and gradually you will learn how to recover or progress even if you’ve missed a couple of questions; how to move on and get all the rest done. The weaknesses within you are revealed through the practice, the most difficult task start turning easy for you, and you will start gaining more points. If you devote yourself more to those task, it will certainly spring out the best result. The dedication will help you improve the overall band score.
2. What if I don’t have enough time?
The most common fear in the Reading and Writing sections is to not finish on time. People are often seen complaining about the shortness of time-length. The best way to deal with this fear is to take control of the time and manage it carefully. The students are given several passages but they should balance the limitation of time and carry on with calm and relaxed mind and make sure one passage doesn’t eat up all the time.
“Divide and Conquer” is one of the best time management method or technique. Before you start working on each passage, divide the given period of time in the very beginning of the test. No matter what, you should stick to the self-made rule of time-division. Even if you have questions unanswered, move on to the next passage. Consider this a damage control system – it will make sure that even if some questions were missed, most of the questions will be answered.
3. What if I have nothing to write about?
Many students feel that they have nothing to say or they don’t even have the ounce of knowledge regarding the particular topic. Reading a lot of essays on different topics is one of the easiest ways to get over it. Try to absorb other people’s notions and ideas. The truth is that IELTS examiners don’t care about the source of the information; what really matters is the way or a manner in which an essay is written.
4. What if I say the wrong thing?
The fear of conveying the “inappropriate” ideas is always hovering all around one’s mind. The concept of right or wrong ideas is nothing more than a mere thinking emerging out of mind as a result of fear and suspicion. As long as the student is speaking on topic and expressing their thoughts in a logical way, no idea can harm their score.
5. What if I have nothing to say?
Since there is always a shortage of time, the Speaking module often makes people feel uncomfortable. A fear of interaction with the examiner is always present and there is little time to think and speak out. What if they ask me a question and my mind goes blank, nothing to say at all? To make this anxiety exit the mind, people need to build up confidence. Who says wonders won’t happen? Indeed it will if you practice speaking for a couple of weeks with a list of topics; after you’ve proven the ability to speak to yourself, it becomes much easier to make it evident to the examiner.
Some students get nervous about being recorded. Surprisingly the reason for this procedure is to evaluate the examiner, not the examinee. There are cases when students are not happy with their score and demand re-assessment, which can only be done if there is a recording of the exam.
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Article contributed by Simone Braverman, IELTS-Blog.com
Source: examenglish