How to prepare for IELTS at home without coaching - Your Guide

How to prepare for IELTS at home without coaching? Before we hold an in-depth discussion on this topic, it is necessary to understand why the examination is so important. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is considered one of the primary tests of English language proficiency across the world. It is a must for those looking to get admissions into higher education institutions in English-speaking countries or even those seeking job opportunities and future residency prospects in the same. 

IELTS scores are also important for visa/immigration authorities in several countries. While many people choose group coaching or other professional coaching, it is possible to prepare for the test at home.

How to prepare for IELTS at home without coaching? 

Here are some tips that will help you prepare for IELTS at home without any coaching: 

• Do your basic homework- Download the official candidates’ guide and read it carefully. Learn more about the reading, listening, writing and speaking sections in detail. 
   
• Keep testing yourself- Keep alternating between practice sessions which are timed and also giving yourself optimal time for understanding texts and questions. If you have ever appeared for actual practice tests, check out examiner comments and model answers for assessing your performance. 
• Record your mock Speaking test- Get a buddy for practicing online or at home with you. You can both play candidate and examiner. Record your mock speaking tests and see how you are performing and where there are gaps. Try and note down everything you said in the form of a transcript, this will help you identify errors faster. 
• Online IELTS training- You will find online IELTS training workshops, podcasts, guidance sessions, resources and other materials in abundance. 
• Bring out those books- Check your older textbooks, especially your previous grammar books and English study material. They will aid you immensely in preparing for the IELTS. 
• Keep examination time restrictions in mind- You should have a clear understanding of the entire framework of the IELTS examination. You should keep practicing with timed tests as mentioned. Keep in mind the time limit of the examination and the time limits for every module or section. If you cannot complete your modules within their respective time limits, or you lose focus all of a sudden due to time pressures, you may lose vital marks and miss multiple questions. 
• Work on your English at home- You should not only keep practicing tests and reading through course material. Try and enhance your vocabulary more holistically. Watch English movies, go through videos and podcasts, watch English television channels, read magazines and books and enhance your vocabulary. Start planning and preparing at least 3-6 months before your date of IELTS exam. 
• Keep distractions away- The examination will have several distractions which you should take into account at the beginning. You should keep multi-tasking in English while listening. The listening portion is really tough and you will have to offer answers to around 40 questions for four recordings which will be played just once.  Questions usually include sentence completion, description completion, completing forms, and multiple-choice questions. During the conversation, it is easy to get lost at times but you should recover fast or you will miss all subsequent questions of the entire assignment. Prepare yourself for situations where there are distractions and train yourself to overcome them fast and come back to answer the questions. 
• Develop your reading skills with care- You will be tested on your reading skills for aspects like information, primary thought, gist, skimming, understanding of any rational argument and also knowledge of intentions, views and attitudes of authors. Read as much as you can. Read newspapers, books, blogs, and more. Any writing in English will do since you will have to be adept in giving smaller responses, matching facts, completing diagram labels, offering full sentences and matching headings during the test. Broaden the overall range of your test preparation material. You should be ready with a diverse array of answers and activities as much as possible.

Important Resources to Read for IELTS Exam: