How do I Prepare for the IELTS® Online?

The International English Language Testing System® (IELTS®) tests your English skills in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Colleges and high schools often use the test to see if you're prepared to study in the English language, but some countries also use it for immigration purposes. The test comes in both a general version for high schools and an academic version for universities and higher-level training. You can use online practice tests, study guides, practice exercises and videos to prepare for the IELTS® online.

Many websites offer online practice tests, including audio samples for preparing for the listening part of the IELTS® online. While some websites have downloadable test booklets and answer keys, other sites give instant feedback and offer the test online in a multiple-choice format. Although it can be difficult to get feedback on the speaking component of the practice test, the booklets do provide example topics you can try out with a native English speaker. IELTS® tests can gauge your level of preparedness for the real exams.

Before you start working on practice exams, you can take advantage of the online study guides offered by several schools and independent websites. You can find study guides for the IELTS® online that cover all the exam topics and specific areas. Study guides for the listening portion of the exam may include links to audio files you can download as you use the guide. Reading and writing study guides usually include sections on grammar topics and the vocabulary you need to know for the exam.

After you feel comfortable with the material covered in the study guides, you can use some of the practice exercises for the IELTS® online. Popular topics for online exercises include filling in a blank word in a sentence, answering questions about a passage, putting sentences in the correct order and using the correct vocabulary words. These exercises will give you an idea of how well you're progressing. For even more practice, you can try taking IELTS® online courses.

When you prepare for the listening and speaking IELTS® tests, you may find it useful to view videos online to get a better idea of the English skills required for the exam. These resources can range from videos posted by schools to videos posted by other students preparing for the exam. You may also want to try out your speaking skills using voice conferencing software.