Have you ever wondered how to study for an English exam? Learning languages is not always easy, especially when you have to prepare for an exam which includes grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading and, in many cases, speaking.

Therefore, in order to improve your results, it is very important to know how to study English. Fortunately, you don’t need to have a special talent for languages or to study ten hours a day to succeed. What really makes a difference is the study strategy you follow.

If you feel like you don’t know where to start or that every time you sit down to study, you end up wasting time on exercises that lead nowhere, don’t worry. Whether you’re in primary education or high school, here are some tips on how to study English at home for an exam, so you can better structure your preparation and make the most of each study session.

How to study for an English exam

Studying English is not just about memorising grammar rules. The key is to organise your study material, divide the content into parts that you can cope with and set a clear objective for each session. This will help you reinforce your learning and prevent you from getting overwhelmed by so much material.

In addition, it is very important to be familiar with the type of exam you are taking. Is there a listening section? Do you have to write an essay? Do you have to complete an oral section?

Each of these tests has its own specific characteristics and understanding them will allow you to improve your study sessions. It is therefore advisable to adapt your preparation to the assessment criteria, identify the points on which you need to improve and look at examples from previous exams.

But it is also important to practise constantly. Reading texts in English, watching films or series in the original language and listening to podcasts are some of the most effective ways of improving your listening comprehension and expanding your vocabulary. Writing regularly also helps to improve grammar and textual coherence.

In addition, it is also good to maintain a positive attitude and trust in the learning process. With dedication and the right strategies, you can make progress and get good results in the exam. Consistency and making study an efficient and dynamic habit is the key.

Tips for an English exam

Here are some practical steps and tips to help you improve your study and get the best possible results in your exam.

Organise the content and syllabus

The first thing to do is to be clear about what topics you need to study and how the exam is structured.

If it is a school exam, check the syllabus and ask your teacher if you have any concerns. If it is an official exam such as TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge, download examples of past papers and analyse the structure of each section.

Make a list of the topics covered in the exam and divide them into categories: grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading and writing. Then allocate specific study time for each category according to your level of proficiency.

Create a specific strategy for your exam

Not all English exams are the same so it is a good idea to adapt your study strategy to the test you are about to take.

If your exam includes a listening section, spend time training your ear with podcasts and audiobooks. If there is an oral part, find a study partner or a teacher to practise speaking.

It is also important to set a study plan with dates and times. Don’t leave everything to the last minute.

You may find it useful to use the Pomodoro technique, which involves studying for 25 minutes without distractions, followed by a 5-minute break. This will help you maintain your concentration without tiring yourself out.

Use online resources

Don’t limit yourself to just one type of material. Alternate between videos, texts and interactive exercises. Fortunately, nowadays, there are plenty of free resources on the Internet:

  • Duolingo, Memrise and Quizlet for vocabulary review.
  • BBC Learning English and VOA Learning English for listening practice.
  • Grammarly for improving your writing.
  • Forums and online communities for interacting with native speakers.

Stick to your schedule right up to the day of the English test

It is important that you make a study plan and keep to it. If you can’t study what you had planned for one day, try to reorganise your time so that you don’t leave any subject uncovered.

Consistency is also key. It is better to study 30 minutes a day for a month than to do it all in a week.

Also, a few days before the exam, it is a good idea to do timed practice simulations to familiarise yourself with the pressures of time, so that you will feel more confident on the day of the test.

Always write in English while you study

When you write, you are actively reinforcing grammar and vocabulary. One of the most common mistakes when studying English is to focus only on reading and listening without practising your writing. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes at the beginning. The important thing is that you become increasingly fluent in expressing ideas in writing.

In order to do this, we recommend that you try the following exercises:

  • English diary: write a paragraph a day about your daily routine or a topic that interests you.
  • Rewriting sentences: take sentences from your exercises and change them using synonyms and different grammatical structures.
  • Writing simulations: practise writing sentences similar to those in the exam.

Expose yourself to the language as much as you can 

If you want to improve your English quickly, you should expose yourself to the language as much as you possibly can. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand everything at first. Your brain will get used to the language and gradually you will see how you improve without even realising it.

To integrate the language into your daily life, you can do the following:

  • Change the language of your mobile phone and computer into English.
  • Watch series and films in VOSE without subtitles.
  • Listen to podcasts and audiobooks in English while walking or doing exercise.
  • Read blogs, news or books in English on topics that interest you.

In short, finding out how to study for an English exam doesn’t have to be stressful. This is especially true if you organise your content, follow an effective study strategy and use different resources to reinforce your learning. So don’t let the time slip away, get your study plan ready as soon as possible!