Mental Preparation

Stress can be your worst enemy in exams if you do not know how to handle it — uncontrolled stress will eventually turn into fear and stop your brain from thinking critically in the test. Stress, however, can be turned positive, keep you on your toes, sharpen your senses and help you stay focused.

When you are actually in the test, instead of thinking about the consequences of failing to achieve your desired band score, try to pay attention to your time management and think about the strategies that you have prepared for the test. Making your stress work in your favor is actually quite similar to how race car drivers push their limit: you cannot slow down, and you cannot let your fear interfere with precision.

Give it time

If possible, it is always better give it at least six months before you re-take your IELTS test, especially when your actual band score is significantly lower than your expectation. The proficiency of a language is not something that you can vastly improve in a short period of time. More often than not, many candidates are well prepared in terms of exam strategies, but they overlook the importance of good grammar and vocabulary.

Make the most of your last test

The experience of taking an IELTS test already gives you a very big advantage. Let's be familiar with the test formats, the question-types and practice more at: http://ieltsonlinetests.com

Think these over, and you should have a clearer idea of what and how to prepare for your next IELTS test. Good luck!