Reading Time: 11 mins | Publish Date: 12 Apr 2024 | Update Date: 14 Apr 2024
How to Prepare for IELTS Test
Preparation Guide for IELTS Test
Introduction
IELTS is jointly administered by three reputable international foreign partners: the British Council, IDP and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
The British Council is a British body specialised in international opportunities for education and culture. It operates in more than 100 countries: encouraging greater awareness of the United Kingdom and the English language; fostering collaboration with the United Kingdom on cultural, science, technical and educational issues.
IDP Education “International Development Program” is an international education agency providing student placements in Australia , New Zealand, the United States , the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. IDP has over 100 branches and 550 counsellors in 31 countries.
The largest of the three major review boards that make up Cambridge Assessment, a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge, is Cambridge Assessment English. Cambridge Assessment English designs and manufactures certificates, courses and assessments for Cambridge English, as well as IELTS, which is owned by Cambridge Assessment English.
Introduction to IELTS Test
The International English Language Testing System or IELTS exam is an international standardised test of English language competency for foreign language speakers. One of the world’s largest English-language tests is IELTS. Three reputable international foreign partners are overseeing it; the British Council, IDP and Cambridge English Language Assessment. Many Australian, British, Canadian, European, Irish and New Zealand’s educational institutions, more than 3,000 US educational institutions, and numerous professional companies around the globe recognise IELTS. IELTS is the only UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) certified Secure English Language Test for visa clients who apply for both within and outside of UK. It also meets Australian immigration criteria, where the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Pearson Test of English Academic are also approved. Every year, IELTS administers over 2 million tests worldwide and is the most common high-stakes English test for research, work and migration in the world.
Every year, IELTS administers over 2 million tests worldwide and is the most common high-stakes English language exam for research, work and migration in the world. IELTS tests are performed at more than 1000 research sites in over 140 countries over the globe. IELTS tests are offered up to four times per month. IELTS recognises international diversity and, irrespective of ethnicity, is equal to all those who sit the exam.
IELTS Certification Path
IELTS is a test for people who, because of immigration, schooling or practical training, are going to live in English-speaking countries. The test makes it possible to assess the understanding of english language of a non-native English speakers. If you are preparing to migrate to any English-speaking countries' institutes like United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc, you need IELTS certification. The number of organizations accepting the results of IELTS continues to grow worldwide. For 2 years, the IELTS certificate will be valid. When this time is over, the level of competence will again need to be tested. IELTS test is divided into four sections: Reading, writing, listening and speaking section; three of the four sections are completed on the same day while without any break between them, whereas in case of Speaking part you can either complete it up to a week before or after the other sections. After passing the test you will get the IELTS certificate after 13 days of the test.
What is the duration, language, and format of IELTS Test
There are two versions of IELTS test, General and Academic modules. Those looking to go abroad to study at the university has to give the Academic test whereas General test is a variant for those people looking to migrate to other countries for work or for permanent residence. Speaking and listening sections are same in both tests but the Reading and Writing tests are different depending on the test you take.
Listening Section:
This section consists of 40 questions
There is a time limit of 30 minutes for this section
Reading Section:
This section consists of 40 questions
There is a time limit of 60 minutes for this section
Writing Section:
This section consists of 2 tasks
There is a time limit of 60 minutes for this section
Speaking Section:
This section consists of 3 parts
There is a time limit of 11-14 minutes for this section
To pass the exam, there isn’t any passing score. All the candidates are scored from band 1 to band 9 where band 9 is ranked as the expert user. Each institute has different threshold for the selection process.
The validity of the IELTS Test is two years.
How much IELTS Test Cost
The price of the IELTS Test in the USA ranges between 215-250 USD, for more information related to the IELTS Test please visit IELTS website.
Topics of IELTS Test
Listening Section: This section tests the candidate’s listening skills. It is further divided into four sub-sections. The first section is a dialogue among two people set in a daily context. The Second one is a speech. The third section is a conversation among a set of upto four people set in an academic context and the last section is a speech on an academic subject.
Reading Section: This section tests the candidate’s reading abilities. In this section, candidates has to read the passage and then answer several different types of questions like multiple choice questions, summary writing, sentence completion, short questions etc. Various different types of questions are asked from the candidates to test different reading abilities for instance reading for gist, main ideas, information skimming, understanding the rational point, attitudes and intent of authors. This section is different in General and Academic Training IELTS.
Writing Section: This section tests the candidate’s writing skills. This section is divided in two tasks, both tasks are different for both versions of IELTS.
Academic Training: In task 1, table, graph or diagram will be given to the candidate and they have to write a description, summary or explain the given information in their own words. In task 2, candidates have to write an essay on the given topic, it can be an argument, problem or a point of view. Answers of both tasks should be formal and supported by relevant examples.
General Training: In task 1, a situation will be given to the candidates and they will be asked to write a letter requesting information or explain the given situation. In task 2, candidates have to write an essay on the given topic, it can be an argument, problem or a point of view. It can be somewhat more intimate in style than the Task 2 essay on Academic Writing.
Speaking Section: This section tests the speaking skills of the candidates. It’ll be recorded to evaluate the answers. It contains three sections that replicate a face-to-face oral interview with an examiner.
In first part, the candidate will be asked with the random questions about himself and a number of familiar subjects, such as home, family, job, study and interests.
In second part, the candidates will be given a card to speak about a specific subject. They will be given one minute to prepare before speaking up for two minutes. Then examiner will ask one or two questions from the subject.
In third part, the candidates will be asked more questions related to the topic from part 2.
How to Study the IELTS Test
If you are planning to go abroad either for study purposes, work or permanent residence you have to pass the IELTS test. The first step to make sure that is prepare for the exam so that on the day of the test you know what type of questions will be there in the test and prepare yourself to answer those questions beforehand. Preparing well before IELTS exam will get you acquainted with the format of the test and also boost your confidence when writing, speaking, reading and listening in English. We highly recommend that you study well for your examination, even if you believe you are a proficient in English.
First step in the preparation process is to familiarise yourself with the test format by reviewing the content of the test either from the IELTS website or any other authentic online resources. You should have a complete information of the different sections and the questions/tasks in each section.
For the Listening part, to get yourself familiarised with the foreign accent, practice as much as you can to listen and write at the same time. To enhance your attention and pace you should consider taking Cambridge IELTS Listening Tests that are available on Youtube for free. When taking these exams you should try to concentrate on the audio disconnecting yourself from the surrounding. If a certain portion of the audio could not be understood, let this one go & refocus otherwise it will distract you & you’ll miss out on more.
For the Speaking part, look for a buddy to practice your Spoken English skills, ask him to give feedback and point out your mistakes like grammer, tenses, phrase development, pronunciation, vocabulary etc. Examiner will also evaluate you on the basis of the same criteria. In part A, while answering short questions keep your answers to the point and brief but avoid giving single word answers. In part B, you will be given 1 minute to prepare after which you will have to speak continuosly for 2-3 minutes, utilize this 1 minute and note down the rough notes in the card given to you. In part C, your answers should be lengthier and expressive.
For the Reading section, you should practice your scanning and skimming abilities. You might not even have to read the whole essay, but look for the content that matches what is asked in the question. Read and understand the question before you start looking for the answer. Donot spend too much time on one question, if you are unable to find the answer to any question, jump to the next question and later once you have answered all other questions you can come back to this question again.
For the Writing section, you should practice by writing letters and essay. In this part strictly follow the word limit otherwise your answer will be marked incorrect. In case of essay never exceed from 300 words, your answer should be kept between 250-300 words and in case of letter keep your answer between 150-200 words. Letter should be structured in a way that it has 4 parts: Introduction & highlighting the purpose, body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2 and conclusion. Structure for essay should also be a total of 4 parts: Introduction & summary of essay question, body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2 and conclusion. For practice you can read good IELTS essays online. Several online platforms provide IELTS exam dumps can be accessed easily. In order to prepare the best for IELTS, as usual, we recommend IELTS practice exams to get yourself familiar with the exam format.
Difficulty in Writing of IELTS Test
IELTS is a tough exam, however it’s very rare to fail. Most of the candidates aim to achieve band 5 or higher which is not easy to achieve. Generally, time is limited to answer the questions even native english speakers face difficulty while completing the exam except when candidates has prepared well for this exam and has a very good command of the langugae. In the Listening and Reading sections, you will only get marks if your answers are 100% accurate in both grammar and spelling. In Listening section, the audio isn’t repeated so candidates have to listen carefully with full concentration otherwise they are gonna miss out several portions of the audio. In the end of the this section, only a short amount of time will be given to you to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. In the Reading section, time is very limited and it’s very difficult even for native English speakers to read and understand the complete paragraph, this section will assess the candidates' skimming abilities. There are different IELTS practice tests that are available for the candidates of IELTS test for their preparation of the official exam.
Who should take the IELTS Test
This exam is designed for those people who are going to migrate to English-speaking countries like Ubited States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand etc. either to study from foreign universities, work or permanent residence.
How to book the IELTS Test
There are the following steps for registering the IELTS Test:
Step 1: IELTS have more than 1600 test locations in over 140 countries. Look for the IELTS test location near you.
Step 2: You can either register and pay registration fee online or submit the form to your local test centre. Form can be downloaded from the IELTS website.
Step 3: You will receive a written confirmation of the date and time of the test once your application has been processed.
Benefits in Obtaining IELTS Certification
IELTS is an international standardised test of English language competency for foreign language speakers. The IELTS test will help you achieve your academic career or life goals if you intend to study at a college or university, apply to foreign organizations, or register for a visa from government agencies in English speaking countries like United States, United Kingdom, Australia , New Zealand, or Canada. You will get a certification after taking an IELTS test that is recognised and approved by thousands of institutions worldwide, including corporations, universities, professional bodies, and government agencies.