IELTS

About Course

• Exam Name: IELTS (International English Language Testing System )

• Description: The Exam Name: IELTS (international English Language Testing System )

• Suitable for: Students seeking admission in graduate/postgraduate/research programs in countries where English is the first language and for immigration purposes It is the only English Language Test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa applicants applying both outside and inside the UK.

• IELTS Accepted Countries: Worldwide

Skills assessment

A wide range of listening skills is assessed, including:

• Understanding of main ideas

• Understanding of specific factual information

• Recognizing the opinions, attitudes, and purpose of a speaker

• Following the development of an argument. Marking Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to IELTS 9 band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Marking

Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9 band scale. Scores are reported in whole or half bands.

Top 5 approved examiner listening tips

• At the beginning of each section read the questions for that section carefully before the recording starts. This will help you to follow the recording and identify the answers.

• After completing a section it is better to look ahead and read the questions for the next section than to worry about the last session.

• You will sometimes have a list of options to choose from as answers. The possible answers may be listed in alphabetical order and not necessarily in the order, you will hear them.

• Be careful to note word limits. If there is an instruction: Write no more than two words,  writing more than two words will mean you will receive no market at all for your answer, even if some of the words were correct.

• Try to listen for a keyword or synonym (words that have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word) from the question to help you identify the answer. For example, in the recording, you might hear: “She likes going to the gym and playing tennis”. On your answer sheet, this could appear as “She is an active person.”

Academic Writing

Task1

• You are presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to summarise and report the information in your own words. You may be asked to select and compare data, describe the stages of a process, describe an object or how something works.

Task 2

• You are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the writing score. The issues raised are of general interest to, suitable for and easily understood by test takers entering undergraduates studies or seeking professional registration.

General training writing

Task 1:

• You are presented with a situation and are asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.

Task 2:

• You are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be less formal in style with a more personal response than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

Skills assessed

In both tasks, you are assessed on your ability to write a response which is appropriate in terms of :

• Content

• The organization of ideas

• The accuracy and range of vocabulary and grammar

Marking

You are assessed on your performance on each task by certificated IELTS examiners according to the IELTS writing test assessment criteria (Task cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy). The public version of the assessment criteria can be found at www.ielts.org.criteria

Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing Score. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Top 5 Approved Examiner Writing Tips.

• In your writing test, there are no right or wrong answers or opinions. The examiners are assessing how well you can use your English to report information and express ideas.

• Analyze the questions carefully to make sure your answer addresses all the points covered by the question.

• Notice the minimum word limit. If you write less than 150 words for Task 1 and less than 250 for Task 2, you will lose marks.

• Be careful to use your own words because the examiner will not include words copied from the question in the word count.

• You must write both your answers in full, not in note form or in bullet points. You must arrange your ideas in paragraphs, to show the examiner that you are able to organize your main and supporting points

Task 1:

• Introduce and interview (4 – 5 minutes). The examiner introduces him/herself and asks you to introduce yourself and confirm your identity. The examiner asks you general questions on familiar topics (eg: family, work, studies, and interests).

Tasks 2:

• individual long turn (3-4 minutes). The examiner gives you a task card that asks you to talk about a particular topic and which includes points you can cover in your talk you are given 1 minute to prepare your talk and you are given a pencil and paper to make notes you talk for 1 to 2 minutes on the topic the examiner then ask you one or two questions on the same topic.

Task 3:

• Two-way discussion (4-5 minutes). The examiner asks for the question that is connected to the topic of part 2. This gives you an opportunity to discuss more general issues and ideas

Skills assessed

A wide range of speaking skills are assessed including

• The ability to communicate opinion and information on the everyday topic and common experiences and situations by answering a range of questions

• The ability to speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language and organizing ideas coherently

• The ability to express and justify opinion and to analyze discuss and speculate about issues

Marking

• You are assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiner according to the IELTS speaking test assessment criteria (Fluency and coherence, Lexicon resource, Grammatical range and accuracy, Pronunciation). Contact your nearest test centre for the public version of the assessment criteria.

Top 5 Approved Examiner Speaking Tips:

• In the lead up to the speaking test make sure you take the time to practice speaking English with friends at work and on the phone you should also consider recording yourself so that you are confident speaking English during your test

• There are no right or wrong answer in the speaking test the examiner will assess you on how well you can express your Idea and opinion in good English

• It will help you to feel relaxed if you imagine you are talking to a friend remember that you are not being asked on your opinion rather on your use of English

• Try to avoid repeating the words used in the examination question use your own way to show the examiner your full ability

• Speak clearly and at a natural pace. If you speak to you please you may make mistakes or pronounce words incorrectly.

Questions

There are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following:

• Multiple choices

• Identifying information (True/False/Not Given)

• Identifying a writer’s view/claim (yes/No/Not Given)

• Matching information

• Matching headings

• Matching features

• Matching sentence endings

• Sentence completion

• Note completion

• Table completion

• Flow-chart completion

• Diagram label completion

• Short-answer questions

The texts are all real and are taken from books, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest, which means you do not need specialist knowledge to do well.

The texts are appropriate to, and accessible to candidates entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration.

Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. Text may contain nonverbal material such as diagram graphics or illustrations.

If texts contain technical terms, then a similar glossary is provided.

General training reading

There are three sections

Section 1

• Contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be composite (consists of 6 – 8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements) Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country.

Section 2

• Contains two short factual text focusing on work-related issues (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training).

Section 3

• Contains one longer more Complex text on a topic of general interest.

You will be reading real passage taken from notices advertisements, company handbooks, Official Documents, books, magazines and newspapers.

Skills assessed

A wide range of listening skills are assessed including

• Reading for gist

• Reading for main ideas

• Reading for detail

• Understanding inferences and implied meaning

• Recognizing writers opinions attitudes and purpose

• Following the development of an argument

Marking

• Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Top 5 approved examiner reading tips

• To improve your performance in the reading test you need to practice reading a variety of English text. This will help you develop the ability to read quickly, as is required under test conditions.

• Read every question carefully first before reading the passages. This will make it easier for you to find the answers. Underline possible answers as you go

• When you come to reading the passage, read it quickly the first time in order to get a general idea of what it’s about. Don’t worry about words you do not understand. Then read each question again to remember yourself which parts of the passage you will need to read again in detail.

• If you are copying words from a question or reading passes to use in your answer, remember that your spelling must be accurate.

• If you are asked to label a diagram, you will find the words you need in the text. Be sure to copy them carefully from the text with the correct spelling.