5 Ways to Improve Your English Language Skills for a Postgraduate Application

#1 Consume English-language media

There’s no shortage of TV shows, films, podcasts, books and music to choose from if you’re looking to immerse yourself in English media.

You could choose a TV show to watch over several months (the US and the UK are famed for their long-running sitcoms and soap operas). Start by watching episodes with subtitles in your native language, before swapping them for English ones. Eventually, you should be able to wean yourself off subtitles all together!

Listening to audiobooks or podcasts can be a good way to fit in some extra test-prep while you travel, exercise or run errands. Podcasts in particular can help you get used to real-life, conversational English.

Several scientific studies have shown that music can be a helpful study aid – set words to a tune, and we’re more likely to remember them. It’s well worth expanding your music library to include a wide variety of songs in English. Make sure you include a mixture of genres to widen your vocabulary as much as possible!

#2 Get your news in English

If you’re already in the habit of keeping up with current events, getting your daily news update in English can be a low-effort way of squeezing in some language prep. Even a quick browse of the day’s headlines can introduce you to short, snappy English phrases you may be unfamiliar with.

#3 Change the language settings on your phone

Did you know that the average person spends almost five hours per day on their phone? But all that scrolling need not be a mere bad habit – most smartphones will allow you to switch your system language to English. This means everything from a quick check of the weather forecast to a late-night pursue of social media can be an opportunity to absorb some English vocabulary!

#4 Practice with friends or family

Speaking is an important component of English language tests. The exact format will vary – TOEFL candidates will speak into a microphone while those taking the IELTS will talk face-to-face with an examiner. But no matter which test you take, you’ll need to be comfortable speaking out loud in English.

Regular conversations with someone who’s comfortable speaking English, or with a fellow student, are a great way to practice for the speaking portion of your test.

#6 Do some practice tests

You can find free sample papers online for most English language tests including TOEFL, IELTS, the Cambridge English Certificate and Duolingo. You will also usually have the option to purchase test books if you want some extra practice. This will allow you to get familiar with the format of the test and give you an idea of the difficulty level you’ll encounter.

Hopefully this blog has given you an idea of how you can start prepping for your English language test! The most important thing is to start as far in advance as you can – IELTS estimate that students need to study for three months just to increase their score by 0.5 (the minimum score required for postgraduate study is usually between 6 and 7).

The sooner you start implementing these tips into your daily routine, the more confident you’ll feel when it comes to taking your test.

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