Understanding why students fail in the IELTS exam is a major concern for those planning to take the test. Students who have failed may be interested in learning the common reasons for failure to avoid making the same mistakes.
What is IELTS?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a standardized test that evaluates the proficiency of non-native English speakers. Students commonly take this test to study in an English-speaking country or seek work opportunities abroad.
Every year, thousands of students take the IELTS exam to pursue higher education or explore career prospects abroad. Designers carefully create and monitor the test to ensure fairness for all test takers.
There are two types of IELTS:
· IELTS Academics
· IELTS General
The IELTS academics is for the people who aim to study abroad. The students dreaming to enroll in any English-speaking country have to give IELTS. On the other hand, the IELTS general is for people who wish to live and work in an English-Speaking country. The test assesses a person’s proficiency in language in daily situations.
Around 11,500 organizations in 140 countries recognize the IELTS exam. Its wide acceptance by colleges, universities, schools, and professional bodies contributes to its popularity.
This blog discusses the common reasons for failure in the IELTS exam. If you are preparing for the IELTS, this article can provide insight into the typical mistakes students make, helping you prepare more effectively for the test.
First, it is important to understand that you can never fail the IELTS exam. The IELTS scoring does not include a pass or fail, rather the scores are from 1 to 9. Let’s first dive into the details of the scoring system of IELTS.
Understanding the Scoring of IELTS
On the test report of IELTS, you have the score in the form of bands. The test report provides the overall band score and the score of each section. The overall band score is calculated by averaging the four section scores and rounding to the nearest half band. The scoring system reports scores either in whole or in half bands.
There are four sections in the IELTS exam.
· Listening
· Reading
· Writing
· Speaking
The listening and reading sections of the test have 40 questions. Each question carries 1 mark. The scores out of 40 are then converted to the band scale of 9.
Marks out of 40 for Bands Score:
· 5: obtained marks 15
· 6: obtained marks 23
· 7: obtained marks 30
· 8: obtained marks 35
For the writing section, the examiner assesses the candidate on the specific criteria set by the testing body.
Why Students Fail In IELTS Exam?
Every institute or organization abroad has its requirement of a minimum score to be eligible to apply. Usually, the organizations have a requirement of around 6.5 to 7 band scores. Achieving this score this not always easy, especially for the non-natives who are not familiar with the language.
Many students who desire to take the IELTS, often cannot get their desired score. There are several reasons Why Students Fail In IELTS Exam. Here are some of the major reasons candidates do not achieve their ideal score:
Lack of Practice
The primary reason people fail the IELTS exam is that they think it is just a language test. They believe the test will not include technical questions and that they can rely on the English they learned in school. If you are planning to take IELTS, keep in mind that it’s not as easy as most people think.
Successfully completing the exam requires a good amount of practice and preparation. Test takers should prepare well, use available resources, and attempt maximum practice tests before the final exam day.
Study Resources
The candidates often do not take the time to look for the resources available. There are several resources available both online and offline related to the topics. Test takers should make use of different reading materials like newspapers and ielts books. The candidates should also make maximum use of the material available online.
Understanding the structure of the test is the first key factor that will help the student ace the exam. The students often ignore the technical aspects of language tests which leads to losing a lot of marks. The test takers confuse the grammatical rules or make errors in the use of North American or British English. Hence, lacking proper understanding results in poor scores.
Time Management Skills
When discussing why students fail in IELTS exam, time management is very important to consider. Although time management plays a significant role in succeeding in any test for IELTS, time management is a must.
Poor time management skills often lead to students scoring less than they desired in the test. Make sure you plan out how much time each question will take before starting the test. Be aware of the allocated time for each section.
Overconfidence
Another major reason for why students fail in IELTS exam is that they overestimate their abilities. Sometimes the test takers also underestimate the level of difficulty of the test. Overconfidence leads them to ignore the important aspects of the test which they need to consider otherwise.
Overconfidence makes students not do enough practice and prepare well for the exam. The students need to be realistic when preparing and setting expectations for the test.
Weak Listening Skills
Non-native students often face a hard time in the listening section and this is another reason why students fail in IELTS exam. This section of the test requires good listening skills, and the test taker should be able to understand immediately. Candidates do not receive a replay of the audio during the test. Students should do a lot of practice, especially in the listening section before taking the test.
Exam Anxiety
Another major reason why students fail in IELTS exam is that they have exam anxiety. Taking the test negatively affects their performance. The anxiety especially kicks in when taking big tests like IELTS. This occurs when the examinee’s pay focuses a lot on the negative outcomes of the test rather than being optimistic.
To avoid this test anxiety on the final exam day, the students should familiarize themselves with the test. Attempting a lot of practice tests reduces the fear of the unknown and makes students confident. This helps reduce the anxiety on test day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding why students fail in the IELTS exam helps in better preparation. Focus on practice, study resources, time management, and listening skills. Avoid overconfidence and manage exam anxiety to achieve desired scores.
