I started Practice9 IELTS in September 2022 with one purpose to provide free IELTS practice tests for people. As a first-time entrepreneur, I struggled a lot, but at the same time, learned a lot, too. There are 3 business lessons that I think are 3 important lessons for IELTS preparation (if not the most important ones). And I think you should know.
In this article, I will share with you these lessons for IELTS learners and explain why they are important. It’s just a 5-minute read. So, if you can’t read it full, maybe you won’t be able to do well in IELTS Reading.
Lesson 1: Set a realistic goal
When I started Practice9, I had a crazy idea that it would be immediately successful. I had a little over 100k followers on TikTok at the time and about 2k followers on Instagram. My Youtube channel and Facebook page were not functioning. And I was left with massive disappointment.
In the first 9 months, everything was very slow. I hardly had any visitors, let alone registered users. There were bugs and errors after bugs and errors. For a long time, I was really questioning my decision to invest in this website.
Now, as I write this, there are more than 12.000 users and there are more than 30.000 tests done on Practice9. I am now at almost 150k followers on TikTok and 6k followers on Instagram.
Looking back, I now know that my initial goal was unrealistic.
Just like that, when you start preparing for IELTS, you must have a realistic goal and this goal varies among people. Your friend’s goal is different from yours.
Your goal should be determined by Your Target Score (the score you NEED, not the score you want), Your Currently Level of English, and Your Time Availability.
For example, if you are planning to migrate to Australia, you will need 6.5 overall score IELTS General Training. In that case, you should sit down to assess your current level of English and make a study plan based on your availability.
Check your English level here 👉 Pre-IELTS Placement Test.
Setting an unrealistic goal will create a lot of anxiety for you and make you feel overwhelmed very quickly.
An unrealistic goal can be a score that is much higher than than your current level within a very short period of time such as aiming for 9.0 while currently level being at 4.0 in 1 month. I understand that we all want the highest score possible but IELTS is an exam to serve a certain purpose. As long as the purpose is fulfilled, why should anything else matter?
Lesson 2: Go step by step
It’s so common that we jump directly into the tasks that we are most excited about when we start something new. I, too, did the same when I started Practice9. I implemented many features at the same time, trying to do everything all at once. Most of the things I did in the beginning are not functioning now. I wasted my time and energy, which could have been spent on something else, such as creating more video content.
This is also part of lessons for IELTS. So, I understand that it is more exciting for you to start writing the whole IELTS Writing essay right away and less exciting (even boring) to learn the basics first. However, without the basics, you won’t be able to write a proper essay. You won’t know what to include and what to exclude in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. You won’t know how to structure your IELTS essays.
To get a good IELTS Writing piece, you need to learn about the assessing criteria, the structure of the writing, how to write an Introduction, how to form a Body Paragraph, how to write a Conclusion, how to connect ideas together, and so many more. Not knowing the basics will eventually take a toll on you because you won’t be able to pinpoint the mistakes you are making that are preventing you from getting the band score you need.
The idea is to Get A Plan then Stick To The Plan. After sometime, you can assess it and adjust it if needed.
Lesson 3: Get help when needed
Now I have a team of developers to help me with Practice9 but before that, I was on my own. I did buy a plugin from the developers but I was too…proud to reach out. I wanted to learn and do it on my own. And of course, I got overwhelmed and frustrated.
After I reached out to the head of the developers’ team, I realized that things were not that complicated. I just needed guidance. And that was exactly what I got. I am so grateful to have an amazing support team.
Just like that, if you are preparing for IELTS on your own, you may sometimes feel overwhelmed and frustrated. So, it is OK to ask for help, especially when you don’t know what to do next.
I had a client who had taken IELTS more than 10 times before he booked a consultation all with me. He needed 6.5 IELTS Writing but he consistently got 6.0. He was frustrated.
After one consultation call, he got 6.5 IELTS Writing. All he needed was the guidance to the right structure of IELTS Writing. His vocabulary and grammar were also good enough. And that was what he got.
Many people think that it will cost a lot to take preparation courses just to get what is free online with one Google Search and I don’t blame them. There are a lot of people selling silly courses that don’t contain the information you need to achieve your IELTS target.
This is why I strive to give cost-effective preparation packages with top-notch support. This is what Practice9 IELTS is about.
In case nobody has told you, you are one step closer to your IELTS goal when you have a proper plan. Life is too short to spend too much time on IELTS.
These are hard-earned lessons for IELTS preparation. The sooner you accept them, the sooner you will reach your target score.
Need some help?
Tell us more about you by submitting the form below.
Responses