INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM (IELTS) among other language tests such as PTE, DUOLINGO, TOEFL is the world’ widely accepted language test. It can be taken either to qualify you for study, work or immigrate to any English speaking country around the world. It determines your ability in the language by testing your skills in four components such as Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking. For aspiring students the test is available in Academic Training Format whereas for workers it is General Training Format. In this article, you will be able to understand IELTS completely and we will also breakdown individual test component as well as tips for preparation and marking criteria.
WHAT IS IELTS?
IELTS is a language proficiency testing examination. It tests the language ability of an individual in terms of vocabulary, grammar, fluency, pronunciation, listening skills, reading ability and son on.
WHY IS IELTS IMPORTANT?
There result of this test is recognized and believe by over 140 countries that includes education providers, employment providers and immigration authorities. There are more than 10,000 organizations in IELTS ecosystem.
UNDERSTANDING ACADEMIC AND GENERAL TRAINING
What is Academic Training?
Academic Training is specially designed for those who are willing to take on higher education in any country where the official language is English. Before taking this test, candidates must be able to understand and use complex academic language that is used in books, articles and journals.
What is General Training?
General Training is specially designed for people who are thinking of working, migrating or pursuing secondary education in any English speaking nation. The catch in this test is that it is not as difficult as Academic Training as it assesses candidate’s ability to use everyday language in social and pubic contexts.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND GENERAL TRAINING
Majority of things are similar in both the test including listening and speaking test. However, the reading and writing tests differ in terms of complexity and types of questions asked. Academic Writing tasks include academic texts and tasks such as graph interpretation and essays while that of General Training includes personal and professional letters and essays. Similarly, Reading Passages in Academic test is more academic unlike General Training Reading passages which have more everyday topics.
COMPONENTS OF THE IELTS TEST
OVERVIEW OF THE TEST FORMAT
This test includes four components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Altogether these components are of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Nonetheless, Speaking is generally taken on another day whereas Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day.
IELTS LISTENING COMPONENT
This test checks the candidate’s ability to understand spoken English. An audio will be played and the candidate has to answer different kinds of questions ranging from blank filling to multiple choice questions. A candidate must answer 40 questions and he/she will be given an extra 10 minutes time to copy the answers to the answer sheets from the question paper apart from 30 minutes which is the audio length. It is to be remembered that audio will be played once only and you cannot rewind the audio. Grammar and spelling knowledge comes in handy.
IELTS READING COMPONENT
This test checks the capability of the test taker to understand written English. This test is a huge vocabulary test where synonyms, antonyms and paraphrases play a great role. It also has 40 questions, but you will not be given additional ten minutes time to copy the answer, and you must complete this test in 60 minutes. Spellings and grammar knowledge is useful.
In general training reading test, you will get relatively smaller passages and also easier ones. The questions are similar in number.
IELTS WRITING COMPONENT
The Writing test tests your ability to express yourself in English. It does not care about your knowledge level but your competence to communicate through writing. It has two sub components: writing task 1 and writing task 2. In academic training writing task 1 asks you to interpret graphs, charts and maps while in general training test you are asked to writer either formal or informal letter and you should communicate in more than 150 words in 20 minutes. Both the general and academic training wants you to write essays; opinion and discussion and the word limit is at least 250 words in 40 minutes.
IELTS SPEAKING COMPONENT
The speaking test tests your competence to speak in English. It is either face-to-face interview with an examiner or it is taking online video conferencing (due to Covid restrictions). The test is usually of 11 to 14 minutes where you will have to answer three types of question. The first part is related to your personal experience. The second part is related to your personal experience involving your surroundings. In this part you will be given a minute time to prepare and 2 minutes to speak. The third part is completely related to your surrounding or other people; it is more general in nature.
MARKING CRITERIA FOR IELTS
HOW IS IELTS SCORED?
IETLTS is scored on a scale of 0-9; there are also .5 scores such as 6.5 and so on. All the components have full marks of 9 and all the scored marks are divided by 4 to decide your overall score. The one who gets 5 or below 5 is considered a weak user of English and the one who gets score between 5.5 and 6.5 is considered having medium skill in English. While the ones who get 7 and above is considered good user of English. Most of the countries accepts scores above 5.5 for studies while that for working is above 4 band score.
COMMON TOPICS FOR IELTS WRITING AND SPEAKING
In Writing Task 1 (Academic Training) a candidate will be asked to summarize and compare the main features of a given illustration which can be a map, a process diagram, a bar graph, a pie chart, a line graph or a table. While in General training, a candidate will be asked to write either a formal or an informal letter.
In Writing Task 2, the candidates of both academic and general training are required to respond and give opinion or just discuss on the given prompt. Some of the common topics in writing task 2 are related to education, crime, health, food, transport, environment, government spending, money, business, technology, and globalization and so on.
Speaking test requires you to answer three types of questions. The first section is related to your interest, hobbies, likes and dislikes. The second part is related to your experience of something and the third part asks you to talk about your thinking about other people or things. Test-takers may be asked to discuss topics such as their hometown, family, work or study, hobbies, or social issues. Other topics may include food, travel, sports, or entertainment. It's important to be prepared to give detailed responses and support your opinions with examples.
TIPS FOR IELTS PREPARATION
Of course preparing for IELTS can be challenging, it is not impossible. If you have the right information and techniques, you will surely ace it. It is necessary to be confident and believe in yourself.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR IELTS?
The best way to prepare for the test is regular practice. It is necessary to take mock tests regularly to train yourself for time management and be familiar with the examination conditions. Unless you do not practice, what issues will come is going to be unknown to you because IELTS is tricky along with difficult. Feedback and improvement gradually is the mantra that can help you achieve your desired score. One way to do so is visiting Bees International Education Service- AK IELTS physical office where you will meet other aspirants and a very experienced teacher to guide you.
EFFECTIVE IELTS STUDY TECHNIQUES
You can always create a study plan of your own, practice all the components daily. Reading and Listening practice can be done at home and the technique you can use is trial and error. However, for speaking and writing, if you have a teacher to guide you, it will be a lot easier for you. There are also videos and apps to guide you, but the danger with these resources is that you will be more confused than confident due to the availability of different information by different people.
MOCK TESTS AND FEEDBACK
Mock Tests and Feedback gives you an opportunity to correct your mistakes. It makes your path to success easier than practicing on your own. For that BEES International Education Services, Birtamode, Jhapa is always there for you. We can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IELTS AND OTHER LANGUAGE TESTS
IELTS vs TOEFL
Both the tests accesses your language capability as non-native speaker, but these two tests differ in format and delivery. In IELTS, candidates can choose between paper-based and computer based whereas TOEFL requires you to choose computer based test. IELTS measures wider range of language skills but TOEFL is more concerned about academic English.
IELTS VS CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT
Cambridge English Language Assessment is also a language proficiency test which is mostly accepted by European universities while IELTS is accepted worldwide. Cambridge English Language Assessment is more concerned about academic English.
IELTS VS PTE ACADEMIC
Another language competence exam approved by colleges and immigration offices worldwide is the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic. The PTE exam is completely computer-based, whereas the IELTS exam is accessible in both paper and computer-based modes. The PTE test also emphasizes integrated language abilities, whereas the IELTS test assesses a broader variety of language skills. Finally, IELTS is a must-have for anybody planning to study, work, or immigrate to an English-speaking nation. Knowing the test style, grading standard, and popular subjects is critical to accomplishing your goal. You may successfully prepare for your IELTS exam and achieve your objectives by following the advice and information offered in the handbook.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE IELTS TEST?
IELTS is an English language competency exam that evaluates your hearing, reading, writing, and speaking skills. Several educational institutions, businesses, and immigration officials throughout the world accept it.
HOW IS THE IELTS EXAM GRADED?
The IELTS exam is graded on a 9-point scale. The results you obtain represent your degree of English language competency.
HOW LONG DOES THE IELTS EXAM LAST?
Both the Academic and General Training versions of IELTS have a total exam length of 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Listening, Reading, and Writing components are performed all at once, although the Speaking component can be completed the same day or up to a week later.
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE IELTS EXAM?
Taking practice exams, joining an IELTS preparation course, and working with a private coach are all options for IELTS preparation. It is also critical to cultivate strong study habits, such as reading in English, listening to English-language media, and consistently honing your writing and speaking abilities.