IELTS

What Is IELTS

IELTS or the International English Language Testing System is an examination conducted jointly by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia and Cambridge English. The test is designed to assess your ability to read, write, listen and speak in English. The test is graded on a scale of 1-9.

Why Take IELTS

The IELTS test is conducted to help you to work, study, live or migrate to an English-speaking country. Non native speakers of English are required to obtain the necessary score to demonstrate their eligibility to adapt to the local environment. 

Being able to communicate in the native language of the country you wish to work or study in, has a wide range of benefits; it is essential for availing the job opportunities, and for integration into the local community.

IELTS is the most popular test for those who desire to migrate to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. It is globally recognised by more than 11,000 employers, universities, schools and immigration bodies including 3,400 institutions in the USA.   

What should be my IELTS score?

Your IELTS scores clearly reflect your ability to comprehend and communicate in English. Each immigration body, university, workplace, or institution will have their own specific IELTS score requirements. The score you need will depend on what you are looking to do in the country, i.e work or study. 

How IELTS is developed 

IELTS is developed to provide a fair and accurate assessment of English language proficiency. Test questions are developed by language specialists from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The test encompasses four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS test content reflects everyday situations. It is unbiased and fair to all test takers from all backgrounds.

IELTS for migration

IELTS is accepted as proof of English language ability for migrating to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Each country sets its own IELTS score requirements for migration. Canada -To gain a Canadian visa, you will need to demonstrate your English language competency to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

IELTS is one of the world’s most popular high-stakes English language tests, with over three million tests taken in the past year. And it’s the English test of choice for educational organisations, professional associations, and employers across Canada.

In fact, all universities and colleges in Canada accept IELTS, as well as all professional associations that have set minimum language requirements for professional registration.

What score do you need?

The IELTS score you need depends on the requirements of your visa, and the organisation where you plan to study or work. Find out who accepts IELTS and check the score required. IELTS assesses your English proficiency on a scale from 1–9 in four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

You have a choice of two test types –IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training– depending on the requirements set by the organisation where you plan to work or study.

Academic IELTS

The IELTS Academic test assesses the test taker’s calibre to study or train in English at an undergraduate or postgraduate level by testing the full range of formal language skills required for academic purposes. Admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programs and courses is based on the results of the IELTS Academic. This test is also suitable for professional registration.

The IELTS Academic test is available to take in three formats: 

• on paper, at a #D30000
• on computer, at a test venue
• online, at home. If you would like to take your test online, please read this information:
• Test format
• System requirements
• Installation guide and pre-system check
• Test experience
• How to take a photo
• Book your online test

The traditional Pen-paper version is conducted up to four times a month in over 140 countries. If you take IELTS at a test centre, you can request to send your IELTS results to a maximum of five organisations free of charge – there is a fee for sending results to additional organisations. You can request for your test centre to send your results to your chosen organisations.

The online test is quite like the traditional pen-paper version however, in this case the speaking test usually comes first while the Listening, Reading and Writing tests, are conducted all together at an exclusive time booked for you.

The duration and content of each section of the test is the same as IELTS taken in a test centre. If you take IELTS Online, you can send your IELTS results to as many organisations as you wish, with no additional fee. IELTS Online results are provided in an electronic format.

IELTS General Training test-for work or migration

The IELTS General Training test emphasizes basic language survival skills in a broad social and educational context. It is mandatory for test takers who are going to English-speaking countries to undertake work experience or training programs, or to qualify for immigration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

The IELTS General Training test is available to take in two formats: 

• on paper, at a test venue
• on computer, at a test venue

Who is eligible

• Age is no bar for taking the IELTS exam, however the minimum age requirement is 16 years. 
• There is no educational prerequisite for attending the IELTS exam. Only a minimum of school education is required.
• A valid passport is an essential requirement.
• Candidates must have all the necessary documents required for the registration process like, degree certificates, financial proof etc.

You can take the IELTS test if you have all these requirements. However, these criteria’s are only for taking the exam, as each university has its own set of prerequisites to be filled during their admission process. 

Components of IELTS test

Reading section

There is difference in the IELTS reading section of the general training and the academic test. Academic reading section comprises of passages based on educational journals, articles, etc. whereas the IELTS general training reading section relates to topics based on the society, advertisement, employment contracts etc. 

Reading test consists of 40 questions that have to be completed in 60 minutes. Time management is an essential element for success in this section of your test.

Writing section

The IELTS writing section involves 2 tasks, where task 2 is the same for both the IELTS academic writing test and IELTS general writing test. IELTS recommends you spend no more than 40 minutes on this task, and you will be required to write over 250 words. Task 2 attributes to 66% of your total score and you will be marked on the following criteria:

• Task Response-25%
• Coherence & Cohesion-25%
• Vocabulary -25%
• Grammar-25%

The task 1 in academic writing involves description of a graph, chart, or diagram, whereas in general writing test the candidate is required to write a formal, informal, or semi formal letter. IELTS recommends you spend no more than 20 minutes on this task, and you will be required to write over 150 words. Task 1 attributes to 34% of your total score and you will be marked on the following criteria:

• Task Response-25%
• Coherence & Cohesion-25%
• Vocabulary -25%
• Grammar-25%

Listening section

The listening test is conducted for 40 minutes, where an audio clip will be played. Candidates must answer the questions based on the audio. The IELTS academic listening test and the IELTS general training test is common, and the students have to answer 40 questions. At the end of the test 10 minutes will be given for writing the answers in the answer sheet.

Speaking test

The IELTS academic speaking test and the IELTS general training speaking test are the same. The test is conducted by certified IELTS examiners in a face-to-face round. The test is generally conducted 3-4 days after the commencement of the other sections and the test duration will be 11-15 minutes.

• Part 1 Test takers answer general questions about themselves and a range of familiar topics, such as their home, family, work, studies, and interests. (4-5 minutes)
• Part 2 Test takers are given a card which asks them to talk about a particular topic. They have one minute to prepare before speaking up to two minutes. The examiner may then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test. (3-4 minutes)
• Part 3 Test takers are asked further questions based on the topic in Part 2. These questions allow the test taker to discuss more abstract issues and ideas. (4-5 minutes)