if your IELTS exam is fast approaching and you're wondering what to expect on the big
day you've come to the right place over the years I've taken this test a number
of times both on a computer and on paper and I've gathered a few insights that are useful
for you to know in advance so you can take your exam with confidence it's Asiya let's get started
first let's talk about what you should bring with you and what's better left at home the
most crucial document to carry on the exam day is your passport or national ID you use to register
for the test remember you can't use any other form of identification and this same ID is required for
your speaking test as well if you're taking the paper based ILS consider bringing your own pencils
and erasers while the testor will provide pencils you might prefer using your own trusty tools and
a good soft eraser can be a lifesaver if you need to correct something in the listening or reading
sections without one you're out of luck for I writing you might want to bring a pen I find
that I write a bit faster with a pen than with a pencil and if you want to correct something
you can simply cross it out and write on top instead of wasting time on using the erasor
when I took my exams in London I was allowed to bring my own pen for the writing section and the
official rules allow pens however I've heard that some candidates in other countries were told to
use pencils only when it comes to Refreshments you can only have a clear bottle of water with
you in the exam room and make sure to remove any stickers from the bottle beforehand it must be
entirely clear or you won't be allowed to bring it inside as for your personal belongings your
watch is a noo in the exam room you have to leave it outside other valubles like keys and wallets
should also be stowed away in a designated room or a locker so it's a good idea to leave things
you don't need at home dealing with stress is a key part of successful exam performance so here
are some tips to help you cope with the pressure first of all stop studying and relax the night
before the test you've put in the hard work so allow your knowledge to settle one thing
you can do instead is immersing yourself in an englishspeaking environment watch a movie in
English and listen to your morning news in English if you don't understand everything
don't stress out about it your brain is still at work and not having enough sleep can affect
your performance so try to go to bed early and have a good night's rest in the morning have a
hearty breakfast to Fu your brain but be cautious about consuming too much caffeine or energy drinks
combined with stress they can lead to Jitters and difficulty concentrating there is another reason
to avoid large drinks before your exam there are no breaks from the moment you go through
your ID check you're expected to stay in the exam room for about 3 hours and if you really need a
bathroom break you must take time from one of your sections and bear in mind that you're not allowed
to go out during the instructions or in the last 10 minutes of the section I did it once so first
you must raise your hand and en vigilator will show you to a table where they record your name
and the time you leave the room then they take you to the restroom my vigilator was extremely nice
and he was almost running along the corridor to help me get back quickly but despite his efforts
it still took me more than 5 minutes plus all the distractions after you arrive at the test center
get your passport checked and have your photo taken you might wonder about the order of the
sections it depends on the test provider if it's the British console or an IDP computer-based test
you tackle listening then reading and writing for an IDP paper based test you do writing followed by
reading and finally listening your speaking test may take place on the same day as your
main exam or up to 7 days before or after and it's a face-to-face interview with an examiner
during the test invigilators will provide clear instructions just follow their lead they tell you
when to start and finish tasks don't linger after they tell you to put your pen down or your last
few answers may be disqualified so always transfer your listening and reading answers in plenty of
time as for turning pages in your question booklet you can do that at your convenience for example
after you finish the first part of your listening test don't wait for instructions to go to part
two Turn the Page and start reading new questions immediately similarly in I writing you can freely
switch between task one and task two if you prefer you can start with task two and then do your task
one that's something I personally prefer in which order to tackle the tasks is up to you
but I recommend finishing both before proofreading any of them don't start proofreading your task one
before you even start writing your task two you see what I mean what about taking notes if you're
taking aots on paper you can write on the question sheets these notes won't be reviewed you can take
notes by hand even in I's own computer just use the instruction sheet and pencil provided now
let's talk about time management a very important part of your exam as I mentioned before you're
not allowed to have a watch in I on paper there will be a clock on the wall at the beginning of
your reading and writing sections don't forget to check what time this section begins to know
how much time you have left I suggest writing it down invigilators will tell you when you have 10
minutes left and either five or 2 minutes if you take iots on computer the countdown
will be right on the screen in front of you in the listening section on paper you have extra
10 minutes for transferring your answers but on computer it's just 2 minutes and in I El reading
there is no no extra time you must transfer your answers within the looted 60 minutes so to be on
the safe side I suggest transferring your answers after each reading section in iots on paper answer
sheets will be provided before each section and invigilators will guide you through the process
of filling in your personal information including your name and candidate number before you time
begins but there is one point to keep in mind in I's writing you'll get one answer sheet per
task depending on your handwriting that may not be enough for your task too and if you need the
next sheet you have to raise your hand and ask for one if you do don't forget to fill in your
details again otherwise your second sheet won't be marked marked and obviously it takes a bit of
time so I suggest trying to fit your essay on a single sheet now let's discuss iel speaking
which requires a bit of special preparation your speaking test may take place on the same day as
your main exam or on a different date and if the first word you say that day in English will be
in the exam room you may discover you're feeling a bit trusty that's not good you should warm up
in advance speak aloud in English no matter the topic outside the test center or at home before
you leave this will help you articulate better and speak more fluently I know that a lot of
candidates feel anxious about the speaking exam and to be honest I feel nervous myself every time
I take it don't beat yourself up over it instead take deep slow breaths which have proven to calm
noes another exercise that is also proven to work and is used by artists and professional sports
people is visualization picture yourself taking the test and that it goes the best possible way
you're sitting in the corridor feeling confident and ready for it then you enter the exam room and
you feel calm and friendly you answer each question freely smiling at the examiner and
handling any unexpected hiccups with ease most examiners I've seen were really nice and really
try to make me feel comfortable but one seemed grumpy and a bit argumentative it almost felt
like he enjoyed interrupting my answers and the whole experience felt quite intimidating
and you know what I received the same score I got with nice examiners 8.5 my students taugh
me about examiners not maintaining eye contact or looking out of the window irrespective of
where they're looking they're perfectly capable of assessing your answers correctly just don't
let that affect your performance do you your part be friendly and talkative the whole experience of
taking the IRS exam may feel a bit daunting but remember that millions of people successfully
pass it every year and I hope this information helps you feel better prepared for the test and
I wish you the best of luck as the same goes break a leg but I mean that figuratively I hope you do
exceptionally well well and thank you so much for watching me today good luck with your exam
bye that was my lamp I think it's time to finish