What is IELTS?
International students and workers who want to study or work in a nation where English is the dominant language of communication must take the ELTS, or English Language Testing System, exam. The most common countries where IELTS is accepted for university applications are the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. The exam measures listening, reading, speaking, and writing as the four main English language skills. Your basic English language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing In this article, we will help you prepare for your IELTS and ace the test.
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There are two types of IELTS exams:
- Academic Training
- General Training.
The listening and speaking sections are the same for both exams. On the other hand, depending on which one is taken, the writing and reading sections change. The IELTS exam's reading, writing, and listening sections are all completed on the same day without any breaks in between. A week before or after the other tests, you can finish the speaking portion of the exam.
IELTS Academic Test: Candidates for international higher education or professional certification must pass the IELTS Academic exam.
IELTS General Test: The IELTS General Test is taken by people who want to immigrate to significant English-speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK. This test is required for individuals who want to enroll in secondary education or training programs, or who want to gain work experience in a nation where English is the dominant language of communication.
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How to Prepare for IELTS?
Learn the test's format and content.
- Once you have decided which IELTS test you need to take, prepare for it by becoming familiar with the test's structure, components, and expected question types. Practice IELTS tests to get ready for test day once you are familiar with the test structure and question types.
- The four sections of the IELTS exam are speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Different tasks are related to each component of the IELTS test.
- You must educate yourself on the IELTS test, the tested skills, and the significance of the results.
- After learning more about IELTS, you should decide whether the Academic or General Training test is best for you.
Learn about the question types
There are four test components in the IELTS Academic and General Training exams: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Each section of the test has a different type of question.
Learn the different question types that can be found in each section of the test as well as the time allotted for the listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections. To become more familiar with the various question types, download the free practice tests.
Listening
- The easiest of the four sections is supposed to be listening. The candidate has 30 minutes to listen to four recordings and respond to 40 questions. The tricky part is that you have to listen while simultaneously writing the answers. Here are some few tips to help you in your listening section
- The key is to pay attention to every last detail of the conversation as it is being played out. Most frequently, pausing for a brief moment will cause you to miss one or two questions, which will lower your score.
- Please keep in mind that the recordings will only be played once and to maintain your concentration, do not allow your thoughts to wander.
- Gain proficiency in various English accents.
- When you're not taking practice exams, listen to podcasts and keep up with BBC and other British news outlets.
Reading
- You have 60 minutes to complete the three sections of 40 questions in the reading portion. Reading involves time management, whereas listening involves practice.
- Time your practice exams while reading the sections.
- Compared to sections 1 and 2, section 3 is somewhat tougher. The test's questions get harder as it goes along. Here, time management is crucial. You must learn time management skills so that you have enough time available when you get to later sections.
- Before reading the text, take a quick look at the questions. While reading, make a list of keywords. This helps you in identifying the important parts of the passage.
Writing
There are two sections in writing: Task 1 and Task 2. Task 2 is the same for the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training modules. But Task 1 on the IELTS Academic is different because it requires you to analyze a graph, chart, diagram, or process and write a summary of it. Task 1 on the IELTS General section consists of a casual, semi-formal, or formal letter. You will be required to write a lengthy essay on a predetermined topic for Task 2.
- In Task 1 you must write at least 150 words and for Task 2 at least 250 words or you might receive a penalty.
- Your language skills will be put to the test when you write. Before putting your composition on paper, mentally organize it and consider its structure.
- Your content must directly address the question, and your text must have a structure, a smooth flow, and sense.
- In an essay, you can use examples to support your point of view.
- Depending on the question, divide your content into 3 to 5 short paragraphs. The ideas must connect with one another and there must be a smooth transition between paragraphs.
- Start off with a catchy introduction, and end on insightful conclusions.
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Speaking
The speaking test is either conducted a few days prior to or following the other three sections. The test is broken up into three sections: the introduction, the individual long run, and a two-way conversation between the examiner and the examinee. The entire test lasts about 11–14 minutes.
- There should be no repetition of the phrases or sentences.
- Talk to your friends about a variety of topics as you practice at home, and ask them for their opinions.
- Construct short, accurate sentences.
- Instead of attempting to cram in "high-level words," focus on getting your pronunciation right and speaking naturally.
Knowing the band scores
Your IELTS score is displayed as a band score, which ranges from 0 to 9. A level of English proficiency is represented by each band score. For each test component, you will be given a band score overall as well as a separate band score. Whole and half bands, such as 7.0 and 8.5, are used to report band scores.
It's a good idea to become familiar with the meaning of each score and the standards that examiners use to evaluate candidates for the Speaking and Writing tests.
Recognize the Various Types of Questions
- There are more than ten different categories of questions for reading and listening. The Writing test contains questions of over ten different types.
- Knowing these will greatly benefit you because every one of them calls for a unique approach and plan.
Make English a habit
A big difference can be made by practicing English every day. Even just 5 minutes a day can make a big difference; doing something as easy as reading English news articles, writing a letter to a friend, or watching English-language movies can help a lot.
Create a study plan.
- Make time each day to study for the four IELTS test sections. Plan time for tasks that will help you advance, such as:
- Read English publications such as books, journals, advertisements, and newspapers.
- Listen to music, radio, podcasts, audiobooks, and the internet in English.
- Speak English to your coworkers, friends, and family.
- Every day or every week, practice using a new word in a sentence.
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IELTS Exam Day Guidelines
- To help ease test-day anxiety, become familiar with what to expect. Observe the following on test day:
- Come early to give yourself enough time to register and find a seat for your test.
- Look through all of your personal belongings, including your phones, smartwatches, books, and notes.
- Bring your personal identification with you, as it will be required during check-in.