Reading this will be a bit of a shock if you live and work in a place such as Australia and have a high opinion of your English. You converse with coworkers, interact with customers, attend meetings, send emails and do all the things without a second thought. When you choose to take the IELTS, it can come as a surprise if your practice test scores are not as you hoped.
The reason is simple: you can know English and you can know how to use English in IELTS. Everyday English enables you to communicate in life. The IELTS is a test that requires specific language skills with certain conditions.
Workplace English Is About Communication
When communicating at work, the key is often to ensure that your message is delivered. It could be a task to a colleague, a question to the manager or a thought or idea to a customer. Not everything you have to say has to be in the form of a sentence or express it perfectly.
You will have context when you speak. You know the people, the circumstances, and the topics. That allows you to have natural dialogue.
The IELTS test does not give you that luxury. It is not a conversation. It is a test.
IELTS Tests More Than Conversation
The IELTS tests four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. There are guidelines, time limits, question types, and scores for each skill.
For instance, you may be able to speak for two minutes easily with your colleagues, but be unable to speak (whenever someone asks you to speak for two minutes on a subject you did not hear before). You might be able to write clear work emails but find it difficult with IELTS Writing to create an argument, organize your ideas effectively and answer the prompt directly.
This isn't a reflection on your English, as it is. It involves the type of English that the IELTS expects you to use, as opposed to the language you use at work.
Why Speaking Can Still Be Hard
The IELTS Speaking test is perhaps one of the most unexpected tests for working students. Even though you speak English throughout the day, you might still be quite anxious during the test.
As far as work is concerned, they happen naturally. Whenever someone says something, you respond, they respond to you, and it goes on and on. In the IELTS Speaking test, you need to give answers to certain questions and also expand upon them.
The pronunciation, fluency, and grammar of vocabulary need to be planned. The quality of your explanations regarding your answers. Just by speaking English every day won’t prepare you for such a test format.
Writing Requires a Different Approach
The purpose of writing in the workplace is different from that of writing in IELTS.
In the workplace you may write an email that reads: “Please include the attached report” or simply verbally summarize a problem to the manager. These messages are short due to the fact that the person reading is already acquainted with the situation.
IELTS Writing desires extended and structured responses. Know the question, structure your answer correctly, present your ideas, employ vocabulary and maintain grammar.
Effective communicators can sometimes require targeted training to prepare for IELTS Writing.
Knowledge of familiar English can cover up your shortcomings.
Another is that with normal communication you can stay away from your weaknesses.
If you don’t know a word you can use any one. If your sentence isn't grammatically correct the other person still understands. Conversations keep moving. No one is interested in your grammar and your words.
The IELTS is based on explicit criteria. The small things that didn't bother you at work start to become apparent in the test environment.
You Need Exam-Specific Practice
This is the exact reason why preparation for IELTS shouldn’t only be based on using English on a daily basis. It is crucial to know more about the test itself and to practice English according to its principles.
Practicing tests will help you learn more about the time frame and various questions. The Speaking Practice will assist you in forming clear responses. You’ll notice such problems as grammar organization or task response in your writing feedback.
The aim of all this isn’t to change your English but to transform the way you use it in the context of IELTS.
Personalized Preparation Makes a Difference
Everyone does not face problems when it comes to learning things. One person may have excellent fluency in speech. They could have problems with their grammar. Another one may know words well but could have trouble structuring their writing. Another may be someone who understands spoken English.
That is where customized IELTS preparation is extremely useful. If you spread your time among all of them, then you could actually concentrate on what is wrong.
The customized teacher would be able to spot the pattern in which you make mistakes. Continue changing your study plan as skills improve.
How Online Class Nepal Can Help
At Online Class Nepal, the preparation process for IELTS test is always learner-centered. Our one to one online sessions ensure attention to learners rather than a group activity.
Flexible scheduling allows those students who study and work in Australia to accommodate IELTS preparation activities in their schedule. We will guide you through IELTS Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening sections and help you make your own plan in order to know your strengths and weaknesses.
We provide you not only with questions, but also give you an opportunity to understand what obstacles stand in the way of achieving your goal and how to overcome them successfully.
The Value of Everyday English Skills
You already have some basic knowledge of IELTS as your work experience gave you that. You are familiar with language learning and usage of English in conversations. The problem is that these skills need to be adapted in an exam format.
There is no need to start from scratch. You should just know what IELTS requires and apply the English that you already know.
Final Thoughts
It's an achievement to be able to communicate in an Australian workplace. The IELTS requires you to demonstrate your English in a particular manner.
Workplace English is a preparation for communicating in life. IELTS English enables you to express yourself effectively in exam situations.
When you know the difference, you know what your preparation should be. You can concentrate on the skills, strategies and habits that the test is looking for by asking yourself why your everyday English doesn't automatically give you the score you want.