IELTS is an English language examination that must be taken by foreign applicants who want to study or live in a place where English is the primary language. The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada are the most common nations where IELTS is recognised for university applications. The exam primarily assesses the candidates’ ability to interact in the four core English language abilities to listen, reading, speaking, and writing. IDP, the British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment own and administer this exam.
In this article, we have tried to cover some common queries of candidates such as “What is the IELTS exam all about?”, “What is the IELTS exam all about and age limit?” and more.
What is IELTS Exam All About?
Read on to grab all the important information about the IELTS exam. Trust us, this is basically the first step.
Why is the IELTS Exam Required?
Many students are perplexed as to why IELTS scores are necessary. The basic explanation is that foreign institutions and visa issuing agencies want to ensure that you will have no communication problems while in the nation. You must demonstrate an excellent comprehension and command of the English language, which is why your total IELTS score is so significant.
Many institutions may not even need IELTS results for admission. However, keep in mind that if you do not take IELTS, your prospects of obtaining a student visa may decrease since visa authorities may not be persuaded of your English competence in the absence of IELTS results.
Also Read: Free IELTS Mock Test: How to Prepare for IELTS Exam Online?
All About IELTS Exam Types
The listening and speaking portions are the same for both examinations, however, the source material for the reading and listening parts vary based on which exam is taken. All the 3 sections excluding speaking are conducted on the same day with no breaks. The speaking segment can be taken a week before or after the main exam.
This exam is of two types: Academic and General Training.
Academic Test
Those applying for further education or professional registration in another country must take this test.
General Training Test
This examination is done by those who want to go to major English-speaking nations such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. People who want to engage in training programmes or secondary school, and also those who want to work in a country where English is the predominant language of communication can opt for this.
All about IELTS Exam Eligibility
Anybody, regardless of age, gender, colour, nationality, or religion, can take the IELTS exam; although, the IELTS examination is not suggested for individuals under the age of 16.
IELTS Exam Fees
The registration fee for this exam is INR 14000.
How is IELTS Scored?
IELTS is created to measure English language skills at all levels. Your overall score will be the sum of the band scores from the four parts. You will be given points based on each of the four abilities on a scale of 1 to 9, as well as an overall band score. To better comprehend how your score will be determined, you need to have some understanding of how the scoring system works.
Also Read: How Difficult will IELTS be Compared to Difficult Mock Tests? Clear all Your Doubts Here
Band Scale Table
To understand the bands better, here is a table for you
| Band Score | Skill |
| 9 | Expert user |
| 8 | Very good user |
| 7 | Good user |
| 6 | Competent user |
| 5 | Modest user |
| 4 | Limited user |
| 3 | Extremely limited user |
| 2 | Intermittent user |
| 1 | Non-user |
| 0 | Absent on test day |
How to get Your IELTS Exam Result?
After you have completed the exam, you will have to wait for the results. The advantage of these tests is that the results are generally available within a day. If you took the computer-based test, your results will be available within 5 to 7 days, or within a month.
IELTS Preparation Tips
Make a Study Plan
To pass any competitive test, you must create a study plan and timetable that assures you to prepare for the exam on time. Your study plan must be carefully crafted while bearing in mind the topics you need to enhance as well as the areas you are strong at. It is critical to begin by taking a practice exam and analysing your existing situation. Among the most important preparation recommendations is to devise a plan based on the gap between your obtained and goal scores. You will quickly learn about your skills and limitations as a result of this examination; thus, you should divide your time properly.
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Improve Your Vocabulary
To improve your vocabulary, pick up a newspaper every day and make it a habit to acquire a few new terms every day. Mark new terms that you come across when reading a book or magazine and check them up in a multilingual dictionary. While researching for the definition, use an English to English dictionary to learn about its words or phrases. Making paper bits of paper with words you’ve just learnt inscribed on them and putting these bits of paper in a box is a novel technique to learn new words. Now, every day, draw a few bits of paper at random and attempt to recall the meanings of the words you got. Developing a large vocabulary is one of the most significant preparation tips since it will help you focus on each portion of the exam successfully.
Enhance Your Writing Skills
The IELTS exam also includes a writing component. Make it a point to write an essay on any topic for at least an hour every day. Try to include new terms and phrases you’ve just learnt; utilising them while practising frequent essay subjects will help you recall their definitions while also improving your writing ability. Make sure you write in a serious format and refrain from writing in a chatty approach. One of the suggested preparation strategies is to practise time-based composition while sticking to a shorter sentence form and ensuring that you do not write below the word count.
Focus more on Fluency and Pronunciation
Regardless of how well you prioritize your writing and reading, the Speaking segment focuses on analysing your fluency, intonation, and spontaneous answers. Remember that the interviewer is not evaluating your response, but rather your fluency, boldness, and ability to face any challenging issue. Practise answering the most popular speaking topics while keeping track of how fluent you are responding to each one. Use English in your regular conversation and watch news discussions and briefings in English to pick up the accent and learn how to react well to any topic. Among the most efficient preparation strategies is to speak in front of a mirror and analyse your accent, speed, and pronunciation. Along with improving on your vocabulary, you should also study new words that you may include in the discussion during the exam to assist you to receive a high band score.
Practice More and More
IELTS is a timed examination with a range of questions such as MCQs, gap-filling questions, short responses, lengthy responses, and so on. As a result, you must set aside some time to edit your responses. Because the majority of the questions ask you to create the answer rather than choosing an option, you must develop the important habit of time-bound composing. You must put in long hours of practise and look over a range of example papers, which are available both online and offline. Pay close attention to English news networks and attempt to construct your responses to questions during a discussion; this will undoubtedly help you improve your writing and speaking abilities. No matter number of many preparation suggestions you have, they would be useless if you do not put them into practice.
Focus on Listening
While listening assesses your ability to comprehend verbal communication in English in audio format, it also assesses your attention and attentiveness. The ideal approach to prepare for the listening part is to use audio scripts, which are word-for-word transcripts of the audio that you listen to. Furthermore, because you only have one chance to listen to the audio in this portion, it is critical that you teach yourself to grasp what is stated in a single effort. Begin your preparation by allowing yourself to stop practising audio exams, but as time goes on, you must also assess yourself upon how you can respond after hearing audio files.
Also Read: IELTS Essay Topics with Answers: Simplifying Writing Task 2 for 2021 Exam
Listening Section Tips
# The audio is only played once and will not be played again under any conditions. It is critical that all applicants concentrate on listening at all times and do not allow their minds to wander.
# Take crucial notes or recommendations from the tape and jot them down.
# Because there is no negative marking, leave the response blank. You can test your luck by attempting to guess the correct answer.
# Don’t go above the word limit and proofread before submitting.
# You can do all capital letters if you want to avoid spelling errors.
Reading Section Tips
# This exam includes a time constraint to assess your ability to finish all of the questions in the allotted time. Regular practise will help you improve your reading speed. It will also assist you in swiftly determining the solutions.
# Look for terms, each response will include terms that relate to the topic.
# It is critical that all of the responses be grammatically correct. Even if your answers are accurate, they will not be posted if they include grammatical problems.
# Don’t write your responses on the questionnaire; because of time constraints, you won’t even be able to rewrite them on your sheet. Only write straight on your response sheet.
# The ultimate secret to passing the exam is practise. Practise the reading tasks; it will help you enhance your vocabulary and have a better grasp of test trends, among other benefits.
Writing Section Tips
# It’s a good idea to split your time. The first assignment will take 20 minutes to complete, while the second will take 40 minutes. Attempt to complete both tasks in the time allotted.
# The word limit is the most crucial recommendation for the writing test. In task 1, try to create an answer that is at least 150 words long, and in task 2, produce a response that is at least 250 words long.
# Avoid repeating phrases, ideas, and concepts.
# All of your responses should be given in the active voice; avoid using the passive voice.
# In task 2, it is suggested that you provide a conclusion. Make an effort to create concise and well-defined responses. Don’t include extra words or information that isn’t important.
Also Read: Agree Disagree Essay for IELTS Writing Task 2: Click to know All about Agree Disagree Essay
Speaking Section Tips
# Make an effort to use words for which you are familiar with the right pronunciation. Words that are misspelt or that are not grammatically accurate should be eliminated.
# It is not necessary to speak quickly; instead, you should focus on communicating clearly, even if you are a little sluggish.
# Filler words like hmmm, huh, and yes should be avoided. It will make you appear insecure.
# At home, practise speaking on typical topics including education, the environment, and tourism.
# Extending your replies is encouraged, but this does not imply adding useless material. Always communicate in the context of the situation and to the point.
Conclusion
IELTS is administered to those seeking educational and employment possibilities in English-speaking nations in order to measure their ability to bridge the language gap and communicate effectively in a foreign nation.We hope that this article helped you in getting all information about the IELTS exam. Do you need help in your IELTS preparation? If yes, please check out IELTS Ninja. You will get a wide range of courses with world-class mentors. Grab a course now!
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