How I crushed IELTS test in 2008? Two at least 7.0, all above 5.0

January 12, 2019

Introduction

It is my personal finance research. I came cross my 2008 IELTS test paper work and I like to write an article to share my experience, and also I need to write down lesson I learned from the challenges.

Case study

Let me first to write down three IELTS test results, and one appeal case.

                         Listening     Reading   Writing   Speaking    Average
2008 June           6.5             7.5           5.5          6.5                 6.5
2008 July            6.0             6.5           5.5           6.5                6.0
2008 August       7.0             5.5           6.0          7.5                 6.5

Lessons learned - No. 1

My writing scores are not so good comparing to other three sections. Two times are scoring 5.5, last one is 6.0. I need to work on my writing skills. One thing I can do is to keep writing until I feel tired.

I need to push myself to write every day. There is no job in the world requiring me to write every day. No one will spend time to read what I read. But I need to push myself to learn and communicate with myself, how I can think and work better in the business world.

That is one of reasons I push myself to write blogs every day in English. Also I learn to document my journey for me to figure out how to find my own weakness in thinking process. I like to remove biases in my thinking process and analytical process.

It is a lonely journey but while I am staying at home office learning personal finance, it is also good chore for me to write a few blogs to share the world.

Lessons Learned - No. 2

I did not take any tutoring in 2008. What I did is to work on past exams every day. I practiced full time in three months. I was reminded in the last test, and I was friendly reminded to take training course through test center.

From other viewpoint, I need to reduce the risk and seek advice at the very beginning from the test center. One thing I have to push myself is openly to communicate what I want and what I like to do. Immigration is biggest decision, I should take it more seriously and work with the test center. It is so important for me to show my determination, but sometimes I need to learn how to work with professionals as early as possible.

I surprised the test center since I went to test center every month to take a test. I also spent $160 dollar to appeal for the test result of speaking after the second test.

I need to score two four, two three in IELTS test result for immigration purpose. Score above 7 counts 4, score above 5 counts 3.

I had this challenging to get minimum points for immigration to Canada as a single person, no relative in Canada, no education in Canada.

Lessons Learned - No. 3

I was lucky to get 7.5 in speaking, since I had good communication with the test center. But in other viewpoint, I have to be gratitude to the people in my life. Sometimes I did make it to Canada by luck to have one highest IELTS test with score 14 points. Later, I had to file appeal for leave from Jan. to Sept. 2009.

I learned that immigration to Canada is no longer to make money and have a better life, it is something more I can do. I need to find a place to accept me as an immigrant first, specially after I turned 40 years old. I need to hold on my education, my investment, my family planning, and my mom and my relatives behind.

I should treat people with respect, no matter what they do. Be a good citizen, saving my money, and treat people with fairness.

Follow up 

July 28, 2022

I did a good job to write down this blog. I just could not believe that I had dedication of ten months to work on Canada immigration process. Three months to prepare for IELTS test, and then another nine month for Canada appeal case for denied application. 

I did learn so many things from my blogging experience. I used to be an engineer, and a teacher, and self-employed, and also full time programmer last 12 years in Canada. 

Blog writing - aiming for good writing talent

August 27, 2016

  It is a nice journey to write a lot of blogs in last 12 months. Julia learns to handle a lot of stress, spend a lot of time to proofread, feel headache about the content, organization of ideas etc. Sometimes, she notice that she writes something she does not know, she does not have best solution, since she is still developing, in the cooking process. Or she just pushes herself, just do it. It may be an interesting topic, start first, come back to work on.

  What is about good writing talent? It is not just English writing, also about communication skills, inspiration to share, good language skills.
  A true short story about her personal experience:

  She went through 3 IELTS test in 2008 from June to August in order to score 2 of 7/ 9 on English (reading, writing, speaking, listening) - apply Canadian immigration. She did 3 tests in 3 months, because Fort Lauderdale test center only gives one test a month. She even filed an appeal against the scoring result after 2nd test, costed her $160 dollars, same amount as the test fee. She practiced old tests in the time range of 3 month - 3 hours for one test, she did again and again.

More detail about IELTS:
http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-results-competition-winners-2008/
  End of the true short story.

  And then, in 2015, Julia learned that in order to
get best result of
build up some writing talent continuously in long term,
grow up from a junior software developer to talent programmer,
she has to write down her coding practice everyday, speak out her unique experience, ideas/ practice log, show her progression, weakness, highlights, one step a time, one practice a time. There is no way to avoid hard work, embrace it. She learns from her favorite tennis sports. 

  So, she try to push herself to work on writing. Being a good software programmer, writing code is much more challenging. 

Here are some ideas:

  From blog - how to improve your blog writing skills 

 1. Make writing a habit
As the old saying goes: Practice Makes Perfect.
 2. Get back to basics
 3. Proofread your articles
 4. Remove the filler - tighten your article and make it easier to read
 5. Evaluate your writing
 6. Be an avid reader
 passionate writer should be a passionate reader.
 7. Establish good writing habits

Google search keyword:
blog writing help English writing

Second blog - Improve writing skills


Notes:

1. Brush up on the basics

2. Write like it's your job
Keep practising, writing is no exception.
diminish your fear of the blank page (or blinking cursor)
develop a unique style
even if nobody reads it, keep writing.

3. Read like it's Your Job
reading on a regular basis
pay attention to sentence structure, word choice, and how the material flows.

4. Find a writing partner
a solitary activity - writing?
cast an eye over your work?
spot mistakes that you may overlooked

5. Join a workshop or take a night class - not applicable right now

6. Dissect writing that you admire

7. Imitate writers you admire
use humour to spice up dry topics?
use pop culture references to make their work entertaining and useful?

8. Remember that outlines are your friend - outline?
solid outline plan? When, who, what, where, why, how? 7 W

9. Edit your work ruthlessly

be your own harshest critic?
editing is a tough skill to learn for beginner?
writing or rewriting?
the cold, hard eye of an editor will serve you well?
discipline to eliminate extraneous words?
resist the temptation to wax lyrically and get to the point?

10. Accept that first draft are almost always crap

write down on paper first, clean up later. Iterative process. Do not beat yourself up.

11. Find a good patient editor

12. Eliminate unnecessary words

13. Take a stroll down memory lane

14. Don't be afraid to say what you think

15. Do your research

16. Don't take weeks to finish a post

Actionable items:

Try 3 ideas first:

14. Don't be afraid to say what you think
testimony:
Share personal IELTS test experience in 2008