Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Ielts - A Quick Rundown Of The Exam As Well As Where To Start



What is the IELTS?

The IELTS, or International English linguistic communication Language Testing System, is a linguistic communication proficiency essay out given past times millions of candidates the the world over. Teens together with adults conduct maintain the essay out equally business office of academy application procedures at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or to larn a visa, emigrate, move or train. 

Scores are given inward bands from 1 to ix (1 beingness the lowest, ix beingness the highest) amongst results available 2 weeks later the written business office of the essay out was taken (13 days to live exact). Scores are awarded for each of the 4 sections tested together with yous are equally good given an overall score equally a whole or one-half band, thence for example, yous tin score a 7.0 inward Listening, 6.0 inward Reading, 7.5 inward writing together with a 7.5 inward Speaking. Your finally score would live a 7.0 overall. What constitutes a passing score depends on why you're taking the IELTS essay out together with who's holler for to come across your results. 

Which module produce I need?

The essay out offers 2 modules. Which i you'll conduct maintain depends on the argue why yous demand to obtain the IELTS certificate:

  • For those who wishing to start or occur their academy studies at a higher level, or move at a professional person organization, the IELTS Academic Module is required. 
  • For those who desire to motion to an English-speaking country, study but non at grade level, start out vocational preparation or move inward sectors where academic cognition of English linguistic communication is non a prerequisite, thence the IELTS General Training Module is needed.


How many parts does the essay out conduct maintain together with what does each business office include?


Academic Module

Listening

  • 4 parts, xl questions inward full
  • questions: fill-in the blanks, multiple choice, matching
  • you hear it once
  • it lasts roughly thirty minutes
  • 10 minutes are given at the goal to transfer your answers from the query newspaper to the respond sheet

Reading

  • 1 hour
  • 3 texts (3 sections)
  • 40 questions inward full
  • variety of tasks (fill-in the blanks, multiple choice, true-false-not given questions, tally headings to paragraphs or statements to authors, summary or diagram completion)
  • no extra fourth dimension is given at the goal to transfer your answers from the query newspaper to the respond canvass

 or International English linguistic communication Language Testing System IELTS  - A Quick Rundown of the Test together with Where to Start
Click to come across sample essay questions

Writing

  • 1 hour
  • 2 tasks
  • task 1: study (summary / description)
    • report based on: 
      • graph, table, nautical chart (summarize the principal facts seen inward i or to a greater extent than graphs)
      • process (describe evolution or cycle)
      • device, machine (explain how it works)
    • minimum 150 words
    • recommended time: xx minutes
  • task 2: essay
    • types of essays:
      • opinion
      • for-against
      • problem-solution
    • minimum 250 words
    • recommended time: xl minutes
    • counts twice equally much equally chore 1
  • grading:
    • task achievement
    • coherence & cohesion
    • lexical resources (vocabulary)
    • grammatical hit & accuracy

 or International English linguistic communication Language Testing System IELTS  - A Quick Rundown of the Test together with Where to Start
Click to come across a useful listing of vocabulary words for the Speaking
Speaking

  • 11-14 minutes
  • the essay out is recorded
  • 3 parts
  • part 1: introduction & interview
    • personal questions
    • familiar topics
    • 4-5 minutes
  • part 2: long turn
    • task / cue bill of fare is given
    • on the bill of fare at that spot is a topic amongst points to cover
    • 1 infinitesimal preparation fourth dimension given for yous to brand notes
    • you verbalise for 1-2 minutes
    • extra questions are asked to circular off this business office of the test
  • part 3: discussion
    • general questions related to business office 2 topic
    • give your opinion, analysis, justification
    • 4-5 minutes
  • grading:
    • fluency + coherence (speech rate, organization, linking devices used)
    • lexical resources (vocabulary)
    • grammatical hit & accuracy
    • pronunciation


General Training Module

The Listening together with Speaking sections are just the same equally the ones described to a higher house for the Academic Module. It is the Reading together with Writing that alter a bit.

 

General Training Reading

  • total fourth dimension given remains the same
  • there are to a greater extent than than three texts, but the release of sections on this business office of the essay out remains the same
    • sections 1 together with 2 conduct maintain 2 smaller texts each, amongst i laid of questions next each text
    • section three has i longer text amongst 2 sets of questions next it
  • the types of texts candidates volition conduct maintain to bargain amongst is equally good different: they volition come upward from non-academic sources (for instance, a text could live taken from a company's handbook, a manual, or official document)
 
General Training Writing

  • the fourth dimension together with release of tasks stay the same
  • task 2 is an essay (no dissimilar from that seen inward the Academic Module)
  • task 1 is non a descriptive study but a letter
    • no addresses are needed
    • begin amongst "Dear..., "
    • letters are either to 
      • friends
      • acquaintances
      • organizations / professional person institutions
 or International English linguistic communication Language Testing System IELTS  - A Quick Rundown of the Test together with Where to Start
Click for tips on how to write missive of the alphabet of complaint

    • depending on the recipient of your letter, yous volition demand to write
      • formally 
      • informally
      • semi-formally
    • the types of letters yous volition demand to know how to write are:
      • letters of complaint
      • letters giving information
      • letters holler for for information

Where produce I start?
 
There are several places to start from.
 
  • Find out what the person, academy or scheme that wants to come across your IELTS certificate is holler for for. 
    • what module do yous demand to take?
    • what band score are they holler for for?
    • when is the deadline for yous to introduce your essay out results to them?
  • Search online for information from the academy yous wishing to apply to, specially the faculty / subdivision of studies which has the courses yous desire to attend. 
  • Contact the people you invention to educate amongst or move for together with come across what module together with band score is needed.
  • Join Facebook groups to larn feedback on questions yous mightiness have, read test-taker experiences or claw upward amongst speaking partners.
  • Join Google+ communities to observe information that could guide yous inward your efforts.
  • Sign upward amongst a proficient IELTS preparation pump or observe a tutor. There mightiness live competent people to care yous inward your area, but if at that spot aren't, find help online. 
    • I propose finding a proficient online service to right together with give yous tips on your essays, reports or letters. Although many candidates post their essays inward Facebook groups together with enquire for comments or an guess score, it is impossible to await proper together with thorough feedback (and well-nigh of the time, such posts are ignored). 
    • I equally good propose a professional person service to care yous ameliorate speaking. It's fine to conduct maintain a speaking partner who's the same aeroplane equally yous to exercise questions with, but if both of yous conduct maintain weak oral skills to start out with, how volition yous improve? Perfecting your speaking agency someone amongst sense preparing candidates to conduct maintain the IELTS tin give yous advice how to score higher together with betoken out your mistakes.
  • Use online blogs that bargain amongst the IELTS to larn help.
    • find sample essay questions together with answers, tips, useful vocabulary words for writing together with speaking, step-by-step ways to tackle the reading together with listening sections (you could start amongst this blog's IELTS subdivision here
    • find costless online resources from official IELTS websites (for example, observe exercise tests amongst answers to cheque how yous did here together with here
  • Focus on the areas that are graded. I mentioned the 4 sections that brand upward the grades for writing together with speaking to a higher house inward the Academic Module.These are the things examiners are paying attending to together with marking, thence it is vital that yous know what to produce good in, inward social club to score a higher grade.
    • for writing 
      • task achievement
      • coherence & cohesion
      • lexical resources (vocabulary)
      • grammatical hit & accuracy
    • for speaking
      • fluency + coherence (speech rate, organization, linking devices used)
      • lexical resources (vocabulary)
      • grammatical hit & accuracy
      • pronunciation
      Work on each of these sections together with observe out just what these sections mean, what band descriptors are (read my spider web log IELTS: How to Grade Your Writing) together with what marks examiners observe based on your answers.
 
  • Find a essay out pump nigh yous together with sign upward after yous conduct maintain done a exercise essay out inward timed conditions. If your scores inward the listening together with reading sections are passing scores for the establishment yous wishing to larn to or the employer yous volition move for, thence yous mightiness live able to conduct maintain the essay out quite soon. However, this all depends on whether yous are comfortable writing together with speaking, if yous invention on working past times yourself to create or volition sign upward to attend an intensive course of instruction offered past times an educational establishment which specializes inward preparing candidates for the test. What is of import to know is that the British Council together with IDP centers inward diverse countries offering costless access to an online 30-day preparation course of instruction the infinitesimal yous register to conduct maintain the essay out amongst them.
  • Organize a move schedule once yous know when you're sitting the exam. The ideal affair would live to head to English, exercise writing essays, speak amongst a partner inward English, together with read texts inward English linguistic communication on a daily basis, but if that's non possible, mensuration yourself until your essay out date. Make a schedule together with stick to it. The to a greater extent than yous occur your English, the higher the chances of getting the score yous demand the commencement fourth dimension round.