• Reading module

Fear: Time management

The biggest fear in reading module is the ability to complete all the questions within 1 hour which also includes transferring answers into your answer sheet. You must be able to complete three passages and answer the questions within one hour and this can be difficult without the right skills. Hence, test takers are always frightened of the ticking clock.

Solution: learn to find key words, learn to skim/scan, learn each question type

There are a lot of skills involved in time management on the reading module, however, learning to find key words is one of the most important, followed by learning to skim/scan and also knowing exactly what each question types demands of you.

• Speaking module

Fear: Nervousness

If you are sitting for the exam for the first time, speaking can be quite challenging and nervousness is one of the most challenging fear you must overcome. Candidates often complain of going blank and searching for content while speaking. Others complain of stammering, searching for the right vocabulary. And for many others grammatical errors and pronunciation might be affected because of the fear of speaking with a stranger coupled with the anxiety of being tested.

Solution: Build your confidence, learn to expand your answers

Whatever your error is as a result of being nervous, the best way to overcome it is by building your confidence, this you can do by constant practice. Try relaxing by talking more rather than less, you should avoid giving short answers by expanding on your answers but staying on point. The more you relax and speak the more you are accustomed to speaking. Try recording yourself and replaying to your hearing, also try conversing with strangers more. If you require more help, listen to foreigners speak, try watching BBC News, and also use enunciation dictionaries for pronunciations.

• Listening module

Fear: Lack of focus

The Listening tape will only be played once and this is a valid cause for alarm, however, all you need is focus. If you fail to keep up with the audio, or allow yourself any distraction, questions get affected and getting back on track can be difficult.

Solution: learn to make notes, learn to analyze questions and predict answers

Never lose focus, situate yourself in the conversations until the end of the last audio. Practice more and more listening tests to know your weaknesses. Every time you complete a listening test, check your answers and analyze your mistakes also. Then the next time you complete a listening test, be more conscious and attentive. Also pay attention to your spellings as this is also a major problem on the listening. When you listen make notes of what you hear and try to answer as you listen rather than wait till the end of the audio.

• Writing

Fear: Writing block/ punctuations

Test takers often complain of not knowing what to write or having enough words to complete the stipulated word count. Because of this they find it difficult to write sufficiently to earn them good points. Another most common fear is the fear of punctuations.

Solution: make a writing guideline

Take the first few minutes to make a paragraph by paragraph draft of what you intend to write up to the conclusion, this way you do not get stuck while writing and run out of ideas. As much as possible stick to true events or something you have experience on, this would reduce the stress of trying to make one up. Watch your tenses, spellings and of course your punctuations. Lastly, especially for part two, stop worrying about the validity of your points and focus more on your grammar, structure, spellings and tenses as this is a test of English not a test of IQ.