Learning English

Rob
Exams are important; exams are stressful and exams make you study hard and as a result tend to improve your English! It's good to be prepared to minimise your stress along the way. Listen to our top tips to help you.

Firstly – if you have a choice, consider which exam you want to take – is it the right one for you? Examiner and EFL Trainer, Mark Shea, has some good advice…

EFL Trainer, Mark Shea
Perhaps the most important thing is to make sure you’re doing the right exam. It’s very easy to sign up for an exam which is either much too easy or much too difficult for you. You need to get some good advice perhaps from your teacher and maybe do some practice exams before you sign up for the exam.

Rob
So choose the right exam that suits your needs and your language level. Also, make sure that the exam you chose is suitable for your needs. Is it for a job? A university entrance?  A visa application? Or is it for your own private purpose? The answer to these questions may determine which exams you choose.

Whichever exam you chose to take, it’s important to be prepared. One way to do this is look at past exams papers and try out some practice material – this is often available for free on the exam provider's website. Once you've tried this practice material, it's important to get feedback – ask a teacher or look at the answers and notes on the website you used.

Once you've made your choice and you know what you have to do in the exam, what next? This is what language expert, Karen Adams suggests…

Language expert, Karen Adams
When you enrol on an exam course, the first thing to find out is: When is the exam, how long have I got to study? So that can actually help you plan your study time. It’s very important to think about planning how you’re going to work

Rob
So plan your work right from the start and make sure you practise the right kinds of exercises right up until the time you take the real exam. Good luck and good revising!