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Why you are getting 5.5/6.5 in IELTS. And tips to get 7 in each band.
- May 1, 2020
- Posted by: Towhid Siddiki
- Category: Blog Immigration
Why you are getting 5.5/6.5 in IELTS
And tips to get 7 in each band.
If your IELTS test score or Mock test score is within 5.5 / 6.5 , and you are wondering why you are not getting 7 in IELTS, this write-up is for you.
Why you are getting 5.5 / 6.5 in Writing
Because
Test takers at this band can typically address all parts of the question, some more fully than others.
(AC) They can give an overview.
(GT) The letter has a generally clear purpose; the tone is sometimes not consistent.
- Key features and bullet points are covered. The point of view and main ideas are relevant but the conclusion(s) may be unclear. Some details might be irrelevant or wrong. Test takers can arrange their ideas logically, so that the writing has a clear progression from start to finish. They are able to use some linking words well, but others with mistakes.
- They can paragraph their Task 2 writing, although not always logically. They have enough vocabulary to answer the question. They try to use some less common words. They make some spelling mistakes, but the reader can still understand. They can write a mix of simple and complex sentences. The grammar and punctuation mistakes do not usually cause difficulty for the reader.
What to do
Follow these 7 tips
- Practice writing to give information and make arguments.2. Make sure you cover all the points that need to be covered, providing supporting ideas and details.3. Reread your work and see if you can make your points clearer.4. Is the ordering of your ideas logical? Sometimes, rearranging them can make things clearer.5. You can also try joining up or separating sentences, using the right connecting devices, and changing where you divide your paragraphs.6. Continue to develop your vocabulary. Words can be similar in meaning but differ in formality, in their tone, and in their implications. Focus on learning the best words to use for the writing task, the situation, and what you want to say.
7. Challenge yourself by producing sentences that are more complex. If you make mistakes with them, don’t worry too much; just check and see how you can fix them.
Why I am getting 5.5/6.5 in Speaking
Test takers at this band can typically keep speaking, but there may be frequent repetition, self-correction, slow speech, or hesitation to search for words or grammar.
Speaking is not always clear and well linked, often with overuse of certain linking words or phrases. Although they can talk fluently on simple topics, there may be problems with less familiar topics and language.
They have enough vocabulary to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics, but the range is limited, there are frequent errors, and there may be limited ability to paraphrase. They can use simple grammar structures, and these are quite accurate.
There are not many complex grammar structures, these usually have errors, and may be difficult to understand. Pronunciation can be clear and effective, but there are often problems, and these may make test-takers difficult to understand at times.
What to do
Follow these 5 tips:
1. Think of topics you don’t know about, including some abstract ones, and learn as many English words related to them as you can. Then talk about one of the topics using as many of the words as you can.
2. When you speak, try to group words that go together in ‘chunks’ of meaning. This will make your delivery sound better.
3. Notice words you find hard to pronounce and repeat these until you get them right. After you have finished speaking, try again, but this time talking longer and saying things in a different way.
- If you can, find other English speakers you can speak with. Talk about the topics you have worked on, ask each other questions, and have a discussion. While discussing, if you don’t know words or grammar structures for something, try to say it in a different way using different words. Afterwards, note the words and structures you don’t know so you know what to learn next.
- Listen to English programmes to help improve your pronunciation
Why I am getting 5.5/6.5 in Reading
Test takers at Band 5.5/6.5 can typically deal with a range of factual and opinion-based texts that may be relatively complex and dense with information.
They are good at using their vocabulary knowledge to create meaning, both within and across sentences, on a range of general topics and some specialised ones.
They can understand implied meanings, and have some ability to understand somewhat complex opinions and arguments.
They can generally use reading strategies such as skimming and scanning, and can generally synthesize information and draw inferences.
What to do
Follow these 4 tips:
Try to read different types of texts, including general and academic texts, and not just in your subject area.
In general interest articles, the main point may come in a different place than you expect.
In academic texts, there will be fewer opinions, or they may be harder to spot. On the other hand, they can be dense with information. Be aware of the differences, and adjust the reading strategies you use depending on the text you’re reading.
Decide when to read carefully and when to read quickly. In any case, you may want to give yourself a set amount of time, so that even your careful reading is done more quickly and efficiently.
Why I am getting 5.5/6.5 in Listening
Test takers at Band 5.5/6.5 can typically follow extended speech and understand detailed instructions.
They can generally understand directly-stated facts, attitudes, opinions and purposes.
They can also generally pick out main ideas, and relevant and irrelevant information; and can also generally infer implied meanings.
They can do this without having to process individual words and structures and can remember enough of what they have heard to understand references such as pronouns.
They can understand most vocabulary relating to a range of topics, including some terms typical of academic English.
What to do
Try these 4 steps:
Continue to develop your vocabulary by reading widely.
Listen to as much English as you can so that your understanding becomes more automatic.
Listen to longer recordings such as interviews and films, with and without English subtitles, pausing and repeating the recording when necessary. Note the words you didn’t understand immediately, so you can review them.
Try to understand those times when the speakers don’t directly say what they mean. What are the clues you use to understand these in your own language? Use the same strategy to understand them in English.
And, if you want, you can join our team of learners to overcome your barrier of IELTS within the shortest possible of time.
IELTS & Canada.