IELTS mock test is an exact replica of the actual IELTS exam where timing, difficulty, format and marking are the same. Even examiners are the same certified people who mark the actual IELTS exams worldwide. In a nutshell, IELTS mock test is a simulation experience that prepares you for the real exam.
If you haven’t taken any mock tests so far or have your doubts about it, in this article, I will give you seven good reasons why you should definitely take an IELTS mock test.
Why do you need an IELTS mock test?
You already have a very good reason to take IELTS, be it immigration to your dream country, studying in a top university or securing a high paying job in a far land. Getting the band score you need is your goal, and to achieve that goal, you should be willing to do whatever it takes in terms of preparation.
We believe that taking a mock test is the best way to prepare for your real exam. Here is why:
1) Getting to know the actual IELTS structure
There is nothing more important than knowing what the test looks like. The time it takes to complete the exam, the order of sections, types of questions and how the test will be marked. A mock test gives you all that knowledge, plus much more!
2) Getting ready mentally and emotionally
Your score is more about you than the structure and marking of the test. Your mental and emotional state determines what the outcome will be. Anxiety is a natural response to every exam, but how you manage that anxiety is critical. Anxiety might inhibit your skills and your thought process. It distracts your mind with irrelevant thoughts, and you become more stressed. This vicious cycle repeats itself over and over.
The only way out is to sit for a mock test, so by knowing the exam isn’t the real IELTS, and the result will not determine the fate of your goal, you stay calm. This way, you will be truly assessed and the results will clearly match your current state.
Anxiety can also crush your confidence. You might think that you are too far from your target band score and lose hope. A mock test, on the other hand, can assess your actual skills when you are not stressed. It will then show you the path forward to your desired score. By working on the strategies that you receive from examiners, you become confident that success is attainable.
Taking a mock test eliminates emotional surprises that you don’t even know are possible. You get a feel of the experience and how your reaction will be. You get to see the test environment and how it affects your thought process and your emotional response. So next time when you sit for the actual exam, you already know how to be and what to do.
There is also the critically important factor of time management that you should master to get a high score. If you run out of time in even one section, you will lose a lot of marks. A mock test helps you evaluate your time management in real-time to know where you lack efficiency and what to focus on for improvement.
3) Getting an objective assessment of the four skills
When you take a mock test, you are marked against rigorous global standards by certified examiners that evaluate your fluency in 4 skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking. The result will reveal your weakness and strength. You will see your mistakes clearly and the repeating patterns that lower your marks.
4) Getting a chance of speaking with an actual examiner
No matter how many reading and listening practise tests you take at home, you need someone else to listen to you when it comes to the speaking section. Someone who is an experienced examiner to ask relevant questions and assess your speaking skill accurately. Taking a mock test gives you that speaking chance which can make a big difference in your score.
5) Getting tips on practice and progress
In addition to your band score report, you are given an analytical report that explains it all for you. It points to your pattern of mistakes. It also provides tips and tricks for fixing this pattern and improving your weaknesses while maintaining your strength. Your examiner also recommends a practice strategy based on their several years of experience.
The tips and tricks in your feedback also reveal what is important to examiners in marking the tests. Something that is not known to everybody!
Depending on your available time until your exam date, taking a mock test each month or each week maps your progress toward your desired score. Each attempt allows you to adjust your preparation plan and work on areas that you have not mastered yet.
6) Saving time
Time is of great importance when it comes to university admission and visa. You will go through a long process that will be delayed if you can’t get the required score in your IELTS exam.
Preparation for the test is time-consuming too, because you want to make sure you are truly ready.
So repeating IELTS until getting your desired score will take a long time from every aspect.
But with a mock test which gives you the result in just 48 hours, you get a chance to know if you are ready and to see how much practice you need and when is the best time to take the your actual IELTS.
7) Saving money
IELTS exam is expensive, especially in the COVID economy that everything is uncertain. Having to repeat the test over and over again is truly a waste of money when you can just sit for a much economic mock test. You can even repeat the mock test several times and pay only a portion of the price you pay for one actual IELTS exam!
The mock test gives you a chance to save your hard-earned money for living in your new country.
Conclusion
Most IELTS experts believe that you need to take an IELTS mock test to achieve your desired band score easier, sooner and cheaper. These tests introduce you to the test format and give you a chance to be assessed by certified examiners. These tests also stimulate your mind and body by providing the same test environment so your mental and emotional response is freely expressed and your fear and anxiety are safely released. They also help you see your true weaknesses and strengths and show you the path forward and give you a detailed strategy on how to resolve your mistakes.
From: https://takeielts.net/
