Encourage students to use their knowledge of conceptual word groups to predict the missing word(s)

READING: SECTION 4 - Gap fill multiple choice (Levels 3-5)

Students at levels 3-5 are developing their knowledge of appropriate vocabulary for different topic areas. Remind test takers to use this knowledge to predict the idea represented by the missing word, before they look at the options.

Once they have done this, they can then consider whether any of the options match their prediction.

Get your students used to hearing a range of voices and accents

LISTENING: All tasks (All levels)

The recordings for the listening sections are made using a range of voices and accents of spoken English. Your students may be used to hearing one type of spoken English accent and may need sensitizing to a broader sample of recorded material. Test takers may also hear voices of speakers of different ages, and in different relationships to each other.

Draw students’ attention to the format of the spoken part of the test

SPEAKING: All Tasks (All levels)

Knowledge of the test format can enable test takers to manage their language production more effectively because they know what to expect at each stage.

In terms of format they need to know
•    how many parts there are to the test
•    the objectives of each part
•    the instructions for each part
•    the task types for each part and the type of language they are expected to produce

During their preparation for the test, give students plenty of practice in addressing each section of the test and participating in the activities. This will encourage a calm, confident approach during the live test.

Teach students the importance of identifying the audience

WRITING: SECTION 8 - Write correspondence (All levels)

Tell your students that all correspondence is a form of communication that has a ‘reader’ (known or unknown). Instruct them to look closely at the task and underline the words that tell them what they are writing, and who they are writing to. 

In addition to providing information about the form of the writing, this will also help them to identify the level of formality that is required.