Many ambitious students decide to take English proficiency exams like IELTS, PTE, or CELPIP well in advance. These students have a valuable advantage—time. With proper planning, this extra time can be a game-changer in their preparation. However, without the right guidance, this precious resource often slips away, leaving students feeling unprepared despite having started early.
This is where regular, consistent practice comes in. When you start early, you not only have the opportunity to thoroughly understand the curriculum but also the flexibility to choose the right test for you based on your strengths.
Having this time advantage allows you to map out a solid plan, one that incorporates consistent practice while keeping the process enjoyable. With the right planning and mindset, preparing for your English proficiency test doesn’t have to feel like a chore. In fact, incorporating the following seven daily habits into your routine can make a significant difference—not only in boosting your score but also in keeping you relaxed, confident, and ready to take on the exam. These English proficiency test tips are designed to work across IELTS, PTE, and CELPIP, ensuring that no matter which test you’re taking, you’ll be prepared to perform at your best. Since, no matter which test you’re taking, you’ll be evaluated on four fundamental skills: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking
Now, let’s explore the seven daily habits that will help you prepare for these sections.
1. Engage in Close and Leisure Reading
Reading is an essential habit for success in any English proficiency test. However, it’s important to distinguish between two types of reading: close reading and leisure reading.
- Close Reading: This involves deep analysis of the text, underlining key ideas, identifying problems, and analyzing arguments. This kind of reading practice helps in sections that require critical thinking, such as reading comprehension or essay writing. Try to spend time each day focusing on the underlying themes, structure, and vocabulary of complex texts.
- Leisure Reading: On the other hand, leisure reading can help improve your overall understanding of the language, tone, and flow. This includes novels, magazines, or online articles that you can read more casually. It’s particularly helpful for listening and reading sections where understanding context and main ideas is key.
Both types of reading are important, so make sure to integrate both into your daily routine to enhance your comprehension across different sections of the test.
2. Practice Writing Daily
Many students excel in speaking but face difficulties in writing. They often make common mistakes in tense usage, spelling, and grammar. Additionally, they struggle to expand on their points and provide detailed explanations. In conversation, short answers or one-word replies might suffice, but in a writing test, you need to express ideas clearly and in detail.
Daily writing practice is crucial for your success. Dedicate time to writing short essays, summaries, or even journal entries. Focus on stretching your points, adding explanations, and improving your sentence structure. This will help you avoid common writing mistakes and build the skills needed for the exam’s writing section. For more insight into writing effectively, you might want to check our blog on how to prevent mistakes that reduce your PTE score.
3. Listen to Native English Accents
Students often underestimate the listening section, thinking, “What’s there to practice?” But listening is not just about hearing; it’s about understanding various accents and contexts. In these exams, you’ll encounter speakers from different countries, each with their own way of pronouncing words. For instance, something as simple as “tissue paper” could be referred to as “toiletries” or “washroom supplies” depending on the country.
To prepare, make it a habit to listen to a variety of English accents. Watch international news, listen to podcasts, or watch YouTube videos featuring speakers from different regions (like the UK, Australia, Canada, or the US). This will train your ear to pick up on subtle differences in pronunciation and word usage, making it easier to understand diverse speakers during the exam.
4. Practice Speaking Regularly
No matter how strong your writing and grammar skills are, speaking fluently in English presents a completely different challenge. In fact, speaking is the only way to truly master any language. Daily speaking practice is a must. Engage in conversations with different people—whether it’s your friends, classmates, or family members.
Try to communicate in English with people from various age groups and backgrounds. Your ability to convey a message should be clear to everyone—from a child to an expert in English. Building a wide vocabulary for different contexts and learning how to adjust your speech based on who you’re talking to is essential for the speaking section. Make sure your practice includes speaking confidently in both formal and informal settings.
5. Make a Timetable
Creating a study timetable can be incredibly helpful in ensuring consistent preparation for your English proficiency test. However, it’s important to keep your timetable flexible and realistic. Avoid making it overly ambitious; instead, build in some leeway for when things don’t go as planned. A rigid schedule can lead to frustration if you miss a day, so keep it dynamic.
Allocate specific times for each section of the exam or dedicate a day to one particular skill. Even if you can only fit in 10-15 minutes of reading or writing practice on some days, stick to the habit. The goal is to create a routine where no skill is neglected, even when time is short.
6. Take Timed Practice Tests
Daily practice tests are non-negotiable when preparing for IELTS, PTE, or CELPIP. Taking a full practice test each day might not be feasible, but at the very least, aim to complete timed exercises from different sections. Consistent practice will improve your time management, familiarize you with the exam format, and boost your confidence.
When you practice under timed conditions, you’ll get better at pacing yourself and managing anxiety during the actual test. It also allows you to predict your performance in advance, giving you the opportunity to focus on areas where you may need improvement.
7. Find Relatability in the World Around You
Learning isn’t confined to books or practice tests. The world around you offers many opportunities to improve your English. Look at billboards, road signs, advertisements, and graphics—these teach you a lot about language usage in real-life contexts. For example, a billboard with an image might help you think about how to describe a picture in the writing section.
Participate in activities like plays, public speaking, or even casual conversations in English whenever you can. The more you expose yourself to the language in everyday life, the more natural it will feel when you’re tested on it. Relating your exam exercises to real-world situations makes studying feel less like a chore and more like an engaging part of daily life.
Conclusion
Scoring well in your IELTS, PTE, or CELPIP exam isn’t about overnight success but about cultivating the right daily habits. By consistently practicing reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as well as taking practice tests and finding language cues in the world around you, you’ll steadily improve your English skills. Remember, steady progress—not shortcuts—is the key to cracking English proficiency tests!