IELTS For Study IELTS For Work IELTS For Mitigation
IELTS is available in an Academic format for people applying for higher education or professional registration, and General Training for those that are thinking of migrating as mentioned above. IELTS concentrates on the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The cost of an IELTS exam marginally fluctuates depending on which country you decide to take the examination but roughly budget between $180 - $260. The cost and all the hard work you put in now will soon pay off with a rewarding future in life. It is not expensive!
IELTS has a definite pattern and the best way to understand the pattern of the test is by taking as many sample/practice tests as time allows you and it is not difficult if you have the right resources at hand, and a good tutor later down the line. By approaching things this way you have already done a lot of the groundwork by yourself and you will have saved on potential future tutors' bills when the time finally comes for the test.
IELTS is available at more than 1,600 locations worldwide , including more than 50 locations in the USA, and there are 48 test dates a year. The IELTS Test is different from other English language tests that are currently available on the market as it is more about communication in using the language and showing what people know about English rather than endless tests. It's more about completing a set task by understanding the English language behind the task. If that makes sense?
You have to read a number of articles or texts in the IELTS test and then answer questions based on those articles. You should forget about how good or bad your grammar and vocabulary is and focus more on the correct outcome or objective of the set task at hand.
An IELTS test will involve reading a number of texts and answering questions based on the text. You will also have to write essays, listen to dialogues or monologues, as well as having to speak to a native English speaker. Remember that the IELTS Test does not have grammar questions or questions specifically on vocabulary either so you should prepare yourself to be able to speak well, read well, write well, and be able to understand spoken English clearly.
These are the four main skills for which your performance is judged.
1. Listening (30 min.)
2. Reading (60 min.)
3. Writing (60 min.)
4. Speaking (10–15 min.)
You will have to research this further for yourself in order to get a competitive advantage but it is certainly worth the effort if you are serious about IELTS and the benefits it will bring you.
Registering for your IELTS test is a quick and easy procedure. Go to https://www.ielts.org and you be able to find a location near you. If not then why not treat it as a holiday and travel somewhere different? You can download an application form from here https://www.ielts.org/-/media/pdfs/application-form.ashx?la=en and once your application has been processed, the centre will send you a personally written confirmation of the allocated date and time of your test. It really couldn't be any easier.
Preparing and practicing for your IELTS test is a matter of preference and taste. Some people say it is impossible to prepare for and others have some great tips and hints. There are many websites and forums dedicated to this subject that share applicant's first-hand experiences of the test which you can check and draw your own conclusions from. Sample test papers can be officially researched here https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/sample-test-questions
As we mentioned previously, the IELTS test consists of four components: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. The Listening, Reading and Writing parts of the examination are all taken on the same day, and there no breaks between them. The Speaking part of the test is usually allocated to the afternoon of your test day; however, it can be rescheduled within seven days before or after that and if so, you will be contacted by your local IELTS test centre and they will inform you of the date and location of your speaking test https://www.ielts.org/
It’s very important to read through the IELTS rules and regulations in order to familiarise yourself with the test and try and complete some sample tests if you can in order to prepare for your test. These will give you a great insight into what to expect in the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking parts of the tests both individually and collectively.
A score of 0 (zero) means that either you didn't even bother to turn up for the test or didn't answer any of the questions whilst a score of 9 means you are an expert.Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking are all given a score for each part of the test and then these individual scores are averaged out in order to produce an overall band score. Please remember that you can also get a score ending in .5, for example, 6.5, 7.5., 8.5. Further information regarding band scores and validity can be sourced from https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/how-ielts-is-scored
A good score, we hear you ask . This can be a "bone of contention" among many applicants and academics. Each section of the IELTS test is meant to assess the four very different elements of your English skills and there is a plethora of information on the internet that you can research at your own leisure regarding this argument. The official IELTS band score and further information can be found here https://www.britishcouncil.org.tr/en/exam/ielts/calculator .
|
Band score |
Skill level |
Description |
|
9 |
Expert user |
The test taker has fully operational command of the language. Their use of English is appropriate, accurate and fluent, and shows complete understanding. |
|
8 |
Very good user |
The test taker has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriate usage. They may misunderstand some things in unfamiliar situations. They handle complex and detailed argumentation well. |
|
7 |
Good user |
The test taker has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings in some situations. They generally handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning. |
|
6 |
Competent user |
The test taker has an effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings. They can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
|
5 |
Modest user |
The test taker has a partial command of the language and copes with overall meaning in most situations, although they are likely to make many mistakes. They should be able to handle basic communication in their own field. |
|
4 |
Limited user |
The test taker's basic competence is limited to familiar situations. They frequently show problems in understanding and expression. They are not able to use complex language. |
|
3 |
Extremely limited user |
The test taker conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. There are frequent breakdowns in communication. |
|
2 |
Intermittent user |
The test taker has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. |
|
1 |
Non-user |
The test taker has no ability to use the language except a few isolated words. |
|
0 |
Did not attempt the test |
The test taker did not answer the questions. |
When analysing the IELTS test based on the four key segments, listening, reading, writing and speaking you can break down each one to find the "core score value" as some people refer to it. Personally, we found it to be very informative, although there appear to be some variables regarding this way of measuring the examination you can certainly have a look and judge for yourself here https://crushthegretest.com/ielts-scoring/ and it was written in 2019.
Here are 6 quick reasons why you should consider taking the IELTS test. That is if you really do need more convincing (and in no particular order because we are all different, aren't we?):
1) You will get into international universities easier.
2) It's a very good career move.
3) IELTS is fair and accurate.
4) It is widely accessible and highly accredited.
5) It covers American and British English.
6) Your command of the English language is good, so why not take advantage of that!
Having collated all of your own research notes, bought the books, taken sample tests/tasks online, opted to have some private IELTS preparation tutor's help, you will want to speak to others and get their opinion.
A staggering amount of contradiction surrounds the IELTS test and how
difficult or easy people found the whole process to be from beginning
to end. Please feel free to contact us if you need more specific
details regarding your personal situation.
If you dig a little deeper for yourself, both on the internet and face-to-face, you will unearth honest opinions from clearly educated people saying such wildly different things as -
"It was intimidating from the moment I went through the strict identification process to the hellish end".
"A strange location, bristling with cameras and the examiner was clearly not in the best of moods" and
"Even though I passed with a score of 7, I wouldn't want to take the examination ever again; it made me ill".
to -
"IELTS exam is not at all difficult. The one with good English and Vocabulary can easily get a good score of 7.5/8 out of a band 9".
"I found listening and reading sections pretty easy as you just have to be attentive and don’t have to showcase any of your English skills".
"Let's be frank, it's a piece of p***, anyone can get a 7.0".
We found a number of useful websites and forums when we researched for
this particular aspect of the education market. Here are some that will
hopefully be of assistance and get you started too. Good Luck!
https://www.ielts.org/
https://www.britishcouncil.org/
https://www.ielts.org/usa
https://ielts.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.quora.com/
https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-forum.html
https://ieltsliz.com/
Different opinions, to say the least! Let us know yours by filling out one of the contact forms that are on this page and we will certainly add them to this article to keep it up to date.
