You may be lucky enough to have access to a friend who speaks English and is ready to help you prepare for your IELTS* test. They may not have the confidence or time to train you with difficult things like spelling or pronunciation.

Here’s something fun and easy that most English speakers will be happy to spend some time helping you with: learn a song in english

It sounds simple. It is simple. But there are hidden pitfalls that you need to be aware of. If you do it the right way, mastering your own ‘signature song’ can become a real asset to your IELTS preparation. Learning a song in English works best if you approach the project as a 10-step process:

1. Select a song. Ask your IELTS coach for advice on song choice. Listen carefully to suggestions. Often a stranger will have a better idea than you do of the type of song that will follow your personality and which will be interesting or entertaining to listeners.
2. Locate the lyrics (the words of your choice of song). Easy. Simply go to Google and enter the word “lyrics” followed by the name of the song in the search box. You can write something like this: “Michael Jackson lyrics, this is it.” You may not know the correct title of the song. Don’t worry. Simply enter a line from the song you know, and smart Google will almost certainly be able to locate the song for you.
3. Print the letter. But DO NOT start memorizing them yet! There are four more steps you need to take before you start memorizing something.
4. Before memorizing any words, you must show the print to your IELTS coach. Ask him to review the letters and check that he agrees with them. You need to understand that lyrics posted on Google or any other search engine often contain errors. There may be several different versions posted on search engines. Here are two examples, both posted on Google, of the lyrics to the Carpenters’ classic “Yesterday Once More”:

Version A:

all my past memories

complicated for me

Something really makes me cry

Just as before

It’s yesterday once again

Version B:

all my best memories

clearly come back to me

Some can even make me cry.

Just as before

It’s yesterday once again

What is the correct version? Ask your coach. You may not agree with either version. She can make some additional changes. Here’s the bottom line: you need to work with the version your trainer is happy with. It will be impossible for her to train you using words that she thinks are wrong.

Some downloaded lyrics contain little question marks at the end of a line to tell you that the transcriptionist really isn’t sure about the words you heard. If the song you and your IELTS coach are considering has a lot of little question marks, be very cautious. Perhaps the best thing is to abandon that song and look for something clearer.

1. Highlight any new vocabulary in the lyrics. Get out your dictionary and check the meaning of each new word. Now go back to your IELTS coach and check that the meaning you have translated is correct. Sometimes, in the context of the song, the meaning of a word can be quite different from the meaning your dictionary has given it.
2. Clarify the meaning. Next, you should spend time with your coach to make sure you are clear on the meaning of each phrase in the song. Although you may have translated the words correctly, the songs often contain references to elements of the local culture, you may understand the meaning of words like “cheer”, “captain” and “stand”. But to sing “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift:

But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts

She’s Cheer Captain and I’m in the stands.

You’ll also need to understand what a “cheerleader captain” is: the social prestige of the role of cheerleader captain in American teen culture. You’ll need to know what “in the stands” means and what it implies about the singer. Your IELTS coach will be able to explain these meanings to you.

1. Work on pronunciation. Now it’s time for a pronunciation session. Try not to rush this part of the process. Take the time to master the correct pronunciation of each word and phrase.
2. Memorize the words. After all your careful preparation, the time has finally come to start memorizing the lyrics. This is something you can do at your own pace on your own time. You can set a goal to memorize one verse per day.
3. Now add the music. It’s finally time to put music to your song. You can sing along with your i-pod. You may be able to download a karaoke version of the song.
4. Submit and enjoy! When the big day comes and you perform your new song for an audience, don’t worry about your performance. Have fun!

And remember to acknowledge your coach. As the applause dies down, offer a short round of applause for your coach. She will appreciate your recognition!

Please note that your new song is another possible topic of conversation that you could present during your IELTS Speaking test. Good luck!

* **IELTS – International English Language Teaching System is the world’s leading test of English for higher education, immigration and employment.