4 reasons people fail English Language Proficiency (ELP) Tests and how to avoid them

4 reasons people fail English Language Proficiency (ELP) Tests and how to avoid them

An ELP test is designed to assess your English language proficiency, i.e. your ability to prove your Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking skills, as you plan to relocate to a native English Speaking country. It is usually required of applicants from non-native English Speaking countries to write ELP tests for their study or work applications. Examples of ELP tests include the IELTS, , TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo English tests, OET, CELPIP, CAEL. A lot of persons, Nigerians and others have continually re-written these tests, wasting a lot of valuable funds in the process on test booking, test prep, mobile data, travelling to test venues and test prep centres, accommodation and what have you. It has even become a norm for many to attempt these tests 3 to 5 times before they finally achieve the scores they need for their migration plans. A lot of persons bank on luck and try as many times as possible till they become frustrated and look for alternative ways to avoid such tests. It is not that it is impossible to score high on these tests, but many have refused to accept to take the responsibility required to get their desired scores.

So, that you do not make the same mistakes thousands have made, I have decided to share these four actions to avoid if you must pass whichever test you choose to write and five things you must do to achieve your desired score.

Four don’ts you must know about your ELP test

1. Don’t underrate the test – The assumption that every ELP test is just another English test is a misleading one. One thing to remember is that these tests are designed to see if you can communicate effectively using the four communication skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking – with a native speaker in his or her own country. So, never expect that the test will be designed according to your local country’s standard of testing. For instance, as a Nigerian, comparing the IELTS or TOEFL with WASSCE English or your local university’s Use of English exam is calamitous. Each of the proficiency tests are designed according to international standard and not according to the standard of a particular country.

2. Don’t overestimate your English level – Another wrong assumption I have discovered is the belief that because you can speak “good English”, you can write, listen or read excellently in English. That is far from the truth. The Speaking module or test is just one of the four tests any of IELTS. CELPIP, TOEFL, PTE, OET or Duolingo assesses and passing only your Speaking test will never guarantee you success in any of these tests. You need to prove your proficiency in all four skills and not just in Speaking. Sequel to this is the assumption that the Reading tests checks your ability to read passages or texts aloud. While this may be true with some parts of Duolingo English test or PTE, it is not applicable to IELTS or TOEFL. In these tests, you need to read through short or large texts to skim and scan for useful information that are largely paraphrased. In the process, your vocabulary range is tested. Even DET and PTE have such questions.

3. Don’t book a test date before you are ready – The high degree of impatience among test takers is a major factor responsible for the mass failure in ELP tests. These tests are not like your medical tests or biometric tests that can be registered for at short notice and require minimal preparation, as long as you have the required documents. The IELTS and co require you to get used to the test formats, understand their question types and to practice adequately under exam conditions. Like I always tell my students, there is no magic with any of these tests. If you can’t get a high score during practice, you cannot get a high score on test day. So, no matter the pressure from your travel agents, or friends and family handling your applications, don’t buckle in. Take your time, decide on the right test to write, design your study plan and prepare adequately. Once, you are sure you are ready to write your test, you can book your test. In fact, make sure you have gotten your desired score during your practice before you book your test. You stand a very high chance of passing your test when you do this.

4. Don’t try to avoid any of these tests if you plan to study or work abroad. Except you are travelling as a tourist or for business or travelling to a non-native English language speaking country, do not try to scout for study or work routes that would not require a language proficiency test. It is a waste of time and resources. While you may be successful in getting such routes, these days many schools and immigration bodies are requiring a language proficiency test result from applicants. There have been recent cases of universities requesting for such results at advanced stages of application leaving their applicants running from pillar to post because they taught they had bypassed such tests. Besides, research has shown that applicants who submit their ELP test results get preferred over those that do not during schools’ selection processes. It is even better to write the test and not use it than to avoid it and later need it.

 Having known the four main mistakes to avoid, what should you do to pass any of these tests with ease?

1. Determine the right test for you – Enquire from the school you are applying to or the agency in charge of the work route you are interested in for the acceptable test and minimum test score required.
2. Determine the length of time for your preparation – Depending on your schedule; give yourself a realistic timeframe to prepare. A full-time office worker with family responsibilities will require more time than a young secondary school leaver, who is at home all day.
3. Get the right study materials for your test – There are loads of study materials available on the internet for any ELP test you want to write. Make sure you go for the ones approved by the testing organisations. For instance, the Cambridge IELTS Official ebooks are some of the best materials for the IELTS and the Official Guide to TOEFL and PTE are highly recommended books for TOEFL and PTE.
4. Get a coach if you are not good at self-study – Do not compare yourself with your friend who studied for his test independently and scored high in one attempt. Your backgrounds are not the same. You may need an experienced coach to guide you through some intricacies in the test you need to write. When choosing a coach, go for results. Get reviews from friends or from the internet about a coach before you invest your money in his or her lessons. At ABSEED EDUTECH, we have prepared over 300 test takers on the IELTS, CELPIP, PTE and TOEFL in the last five years. So, we can categorise our insitute as one of the best coaching centres you need.
5. Be deliberate with your English language – Beyond studying the test materials and practicing past questions, pay attention to improving your English Language. Your scores will remain low no matter the number of practice tests you attempt, if you do not read English texts frequently, listen to English delivered podcasts, news or other audio materials or write essays and letters regularly. Also, have a trusted coach correct your essays or test your speaking skills. Day-by-day, converse with friends and neighbours in English language as frequently as possible. That way, you become more confident with your English language, as you prepare for your test.

  In sum, an ELP test is not difficult to pass except you are not prepared. While numerous persons have re-written these tests countless times, many have succeeded in them in their first attempt. The secret is doing the right things and avoiding the mistakes many make.

Do you need tutorials or help with booking any of IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, PTE, DET or GRE? Send me a reply or a message and I’ll gladly respond.

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