IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a language assessment system for applicants who desire to study or work in a country where English is the primary language. Over 6,000 organizations throughout the world, including universities, employers, professional groups, immigration authorities, and other government agencies, accept IELTS.

Academic and General Training are the two programmes available.

IELTS Academic is for test takers who want to study at the undergraduate or postgraduate level, as well as those who want to get a professional license.

IELTS General Training is designed for people who want to move to an English-speaking nation (Australia, Canada, NewZealand)

All four language skills — listening, reading, writing, and speaking – are assessed. Everyone takes the same Listening and Speaking tests. For IELTS Academic and General Training, there are separate Reading and Writing assessments.

In over 125 countries, IELTS is offered up to four times every month. Saturdays and Thursdays are the most common days for tests.

In IELTS, there is no such thing as a pass or fail. The results are presented as band scores ranging from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest). You will receive a two-year-validated Test Report Form that includes a score for each of the four abilities (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) as well as an overall band score. A half band score may be given to highlight a very good performance within a band.

Test format

Listening

There are four sections, each with 10 questions. The answers to the questions are presented in the same order as they are heard in the audio.

The first two sections are concerned with scenarios that occur in ordinary social settings. There is a conversation between two speakers in Part 1 (for example, a talk concerning trip preparations), then a monologue in Part 2. (for example, a speech about local facilities). The following two sections are concerned with scenarios that occur in educational and training settings. Part 3 has a chat between two primary speakers (for example, two university students discussing a topic with the help of a tutor), and Part 4 features a monologue on a topic of academic subject.

Only one of the recordings is heard. There are British, Australian, New Zealand, American, and Canadian accents among them. The time allotted is around 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes to transfer

The timeframes for the IELTS on computer Listening exam change slightly from those for the IELTS on paper. This is due to the fact that IELTS on paper requires users to transfer their responses to an answer sheet. When using a computer, this step is no longer necessary. You’ll have two minutes at the end of the Listening test to double-check your answers.

For each edition of the Listening exam, a Band Score conversion table is created, which converts scores from 40 to the IELTS 9-band scale. Whole bands and half bands are used to report scores.

Speaking:

The speaking portion evaluates your ability to communicate in English. Every test is recorded.

Part 1: The examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a variety of common topics including home, family, job, studies, and hobbies. This section lasts about four to five minutes.

Part 2: You’ll be handed a card that instructs you to talk a certain topic. Before speaking for up to two minutes, you will have one minute to prepare. After that, the examiner will ask one or two questions on the same subject.

Part 3: You’ll be questioned on the topic from Part 2. You’ll be able to talk about more abstract concepts and topics throughout these sessions. The duration of this section of the exam is between four and five minutes.

An oral conversation between the test takers and the examiner constitutes the Speaking test. The results of all speaking examinations are recorded. 11-14 minutes is allotted for speaking.

Whole and half bands are used to report scores. At each of the nine IELTS bands, detailed performance descriptors have been constructed to describe spoken performance.

Fluency and coherence:

This refers to the capacity to speak with typical levels of consistency, pace, and effort, as well as the ability to integrate thoughts and words to make coherent, linked speech. Speech pace and speech continuity are the two most important indices of fluency. Logic in phrase sequencing, unambiguous marking of phases in a conversation, narrative, or argument, and the utilization of cohesive devices (e.g. connectors, pronouns, and conjunctions) within and between sentences are all important markers of coherence.

Lexical resource

This criteria covers the terminology chosen as well as the accuracy with which meanings and attitudes may be articulated. The diversity of words used their sufficiency and appropriateness, and the capacity to circumlocution (get around a vocabulary gap by using other terms) with or without evident hesitation are the main markers.

Grammatical range and accuracy

This relates to the extent of the test takers’ grammatical resource as well as their accurate and suitable use of it. The length and complexity of spoken sentences, the proper use of subordinate clauses, and the diversity of sentence structures, especially to move elements around for information focus, are all important markers of grammatical range. The quantity of grammatical faults in a given length of speech and the communicative consequence of error are the two most important markers of grammatical correctness.

Pronunciation

This criteria relates to the capacity to make understandable speech in order to pass the Speaking test. The degree of strain placed on the listener, the quantity of speech that is incoherent.

Academic Reading

Three long texts are included, ranging from descriptive and factual to discursive and analytical. These passages are from books, journals, periodicals, and newspapers. They were chosen for a non-specialist audience, although they are also ideal for students starting university courses or pursuing professional registration.

Three reading passages are assigned with 40 questions to answer in 60 minutes, each with a different question format. Each question is worth 1 mark.

A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following; multiple choice, identifying information, identifying the writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion and short-answer questions.

During the time allotted for the test, test takers must transfer their responses to an answer sheet. There is no extra time for transfers. When writing responses on the answer sheet, use caution since bad spelling and grammar will be penalized.

For Academic Reading test, a Band Score conversion table is created, which converts results from 40 to the IELTS 9-band scale. Whole bands and half bands are used to report scores.

General Reading test 

Extracts from books, periodicals, newspapers, notices, advertising, corporate handbooks, and guidelines are used in the IELTS General Training test. These are the kinds of resources you’ll come across on a regular basis in an English-speaking environment.

There are three parts to the paper. Two or three short texts, or multiple shorter texts, may be included in Section 1. Two texts constitute Section 2. There is one large passage in Section 3.

The first section, ‘social survival,’ includes texts related to fundamental linguistic survival in English, with tasks mostly including obtaining and giving generic factual information, such as notifications, advertising, and schedules.

The second component, ‘Working Survival,’ is concerned with the work situation, such as job descriptions, contracts, and staff development and training resources

The third stage, referred to as ‘general reading,’ entails reading longer, more difficult language. The emphasis here is on descriptive and instructional texts rather than argumentative texts, in a general context applicable to the wide variety of test takers engaged, such as newspapers, periodicals, and fictional and non-fictional book excerpts, for example.

During the time allotted for the test, test takers must transfer their responses to an answer sheet. There is no extra time for transfers. When writing responses on the answer sheet, use caution since bad spelling and grammar will be penalized.

Three reading passages are given, each with a distinct question structure, and with 40 questions to complete in 60 minutes. Each question carries a single mark.

For each version of the General Training Reading test, a band score conversion chart is created that translates results from 40 to the IELTS 9-band scale. Whole bands and half bands are used to report scores.

Writing

Both writing activities must be completed in 60 minutes.

In Task 1, for academic students, test participants are asked to explain in their own words some visual information (graph, table, chart, or diagram). In around 20 minutes, they must compose 150 words.

A problem will be presented to general students, and they will be required to compose a letter asking information or describing the circumstance. The letter might be written in a personal, semi-formal, or formal language.

 Task 2 requires to reply to a viewpoint, argument, or problem. Academic students must respond in a formal manner, whereas general students must reply in a more personal manner.. In around 40 minutes, they must compose 250 words.

The answers must be written completely on the response sheet. As an answer, you cannot include notes or bullet points. Test takers are allowed to write on the question paper or the rough paper, but they cannot be carried out of the examination room and the examiner will not consider it for assessment

Marking and Assessment

Task 1 responses are assessed on:

Task achievement

Academic Writing Task 1 is a writing assignment with a well-defined input and a fairly foreseeable outcome. This evaluates how well the response meets the task’s requirements in terms of appropriateness, accuracy, and relevance, using a minimum of 150 words. It is basically an information-transfer task that’s focused on the factual content of an input image, rather than speculative interpretations that are not supported by the data.

General Training Writing Assignment 1 is a writing task with a mostly predictable outcome in that each task establishes the context and objective of the letter, as well as the functions that the test taker should cover to attain this purpose. This evaluates how well the response meets the task’s requirements in terms of appropriateness, accuracy, and relevance, using a minimum of 150 words.

Coherence and cohesion

• This for both academic and general answers refers to the response’s overall clarity and fluency, or how it organizes and connects information, ideas, and language. The connection of concepts through logical sequencing is referred to as coherence. Cohesion is the diverse and proper use of cohesive devices (such as logical connectors, pronouns, and conjunctions) to aid in the clarification of conceptual and referential connections between and within sentences.

Lexical resource

• This criteria considers both the vocabulary used and the precision with which concepts and attitudes may be expressed in both academic and general responses. The ability to circumlocution (get around a vocabulary deficit by using other terms) with or without apparent hesitation, as well as the range of words utilized, their sufficiency and appropriateness, are the major indicators.

Grammatical range and accuracy

• This refers to the size of the test takers’ grammatical resource as well as their ability to apply it correctly and appropriately. The length and complexity of written sentences, as well as the right use of subordinate clauses and the variety of sentence structures, particularly when moving pieces around for information focus, are all essential markers of grammatical range. The two most essential indicators of grammatical accuracy are the number of grammatical errors in a given answer

Task 2 responses are assessed on:

Task response

Task 2 asks test takers to establish and develop a stance in response to a provided prompt in the form of a question or statement in both the Academic and General Training versions of the IELTS. Ideas should be backed up by evidence, and test takers’ actual experiences might be used as examples. Responses must be a minimum of 250 words long. Scripts that are less than the acceptable word count will be penalized.

For Task 1 and Task 2, the other three assessment criteria (coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy) are the similar.

In IELTS, there is no such thing as a pass or fail. The results are presented as band scores ranging from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest). You will receive a two-year-validated Test Report Form that includes a score for each of the four abilities (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) as well as an overall band score. A half band score may be given to highlight a very good performance within a band.