IELTS Prep-Course 
What Is the IELTS?
The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a test designed to evaluate the English language competency levels of non-native speakers wishing to study or work in an English-speaking environment. The IELTS exam tests each of four necessary language skills, as signified by the titles of the modules, or sections, that comprise it: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
There are two formats of the IELTS: Academic and General. While the Listening and Speaking modules are the same for both formats, the contents of the Reading and Writing modules will differ concerning the topics they treat. Check the requirements of schools to which you are considering applying before taking the IELTS or any other standardized language test, as many school requirements differ among universities and countries.
Official website: www.ielts.org
The registration process for the IELTS exam is rather different from that of other international exams: for the IELTS, it is necessary to apply for the test at a given IELTS testing center by submitting an application form (available on the IELTS website ).
When registering for a specific exam date, keep in mind that the first three modules must all be taken together on the same exam date ; however, the Speaking module may be taken any time within the period of seven days before or after the first three modules are completed.
This application form must be delivered, along with two passport-size photographs, and some form of identity confirmation (passport, identity card, etc.). It is best to check with your testing center about which forms of identification they accept. If you are taking the test in a country other than your own, you must enter your passport number on the application form and present your passport at the time of the test.
The test itself costs $140.00, a fee which will be due upon.
Contact your test centre for information on their terms and conditions for test fee payment and cancellation.
| Listening (30 minutes)
4 sections: 40 questions Spoken English 1 dialogue, one conversation, and 2 monologues |
| This section of the test is designed to give an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to understand spoken English. The Listening Module of the IELTS is further divided into four parts: - The Dialogue (1): two speakers converse about social needs. - The Conversation (1): two to four people discuss educational or training issues. - The Monologues (2): one monologue (one speaker) about social needs and one related to education or training. The possible question types for this section include multiple choice, short answers, sentence completion, classification, and matching. Test takers should also be prepared to complete tables, notes, and diagrams related to the audio. |
| Reading (60 minutes) 3 texts: 40 questions Reading comprehension, vocabulary, language usage Reading passages followed by a series of questions |
| The Reading Comprehension section tests your ability to understand and analyze information presented in a written form. Out of the three texts, at least one will contain a detailed logical argument, which the test taker must comprehend in order to answer the questions correctly. Test takers will receive question types that may include multiple choice, short answer questions, true or false, classification, and matching, among other. Test takers should also be prepared to find information in passages necessary for completing tables, notes, diagrams, etc. The types of texts used in the Reading module are commonly taken from magazines, books, and newspapers. |
| Writing (60 minutes) 2 tasks:General writing, argument development and presentation written interpretation and analysis of information presented in a table or diagram (20 minutes); written reaction to an opinion, argument, or problem (40 minutes). |
| The first part of this section measures the test taker's ability to generate and support ideas in a written form. Test takers are generally expected to either write a description of how a process, procedure, or thing works, or describe an object or a sequence of events. All responses will be scored on the basis of the test taker's ability to present information in an organized way and analyze data. The second part of this section requires the test taker to respond to an opinion, argument or problem, suggesting a solution or presenting their own opinion while considering both sides of the situation (evidence, opinions, and implications). For this section, the second task is worth more points than the first. |
| Speaking (11-14 minutes) 3 parts: Fluency and coherency of language usage, range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, clarity. general questions relating to personal experience (4-5 minutes), response to a prompt (2-3 minutes), and conversation about topic from prompt (3-4 minutes). |
| The Speaking section tests your spoken English skills. The first part requires test takers to talk about themselves, asking questions relating to family, home, or situation. The test taker must then speak for 4-5 minutes responding to the question asked. For the second part of the Speaking Module, the examiner presents the test taker with a card containing prompts. The test taker is allowed 1 minute of preparation time, then speaks on a particular subject regarding the prompts for 1-2 minutes. In the third part, the examiner and the test taker have a conversation surrounding the topic of part two for 4-5 minutes |
Test takers are scored on what is called a "Band Scale," ranging from 1 (indicating a "non-user") to 9 (indicating an "expert user"), for each module of the test. The test taker also receives an overall score encompassing the scores of each section, also on a scale of 1-9. A more detailed description of score analysis is available on the IELTS website.
The required scores vary from school to school, but it is important to remember that, like most standardized tests, there is no passing or failing marks. Schools set their minimum requirements and average scores of students accepted. Generally, the minimum score set by an academic institution ranges from 5.0 to 7.5.
IELTS will not provide you with a score immediately after the exam. The scores are released 13 days after the test. Test takers receive their results in the form of a Test Report Form, of which they will receive only one copy that cannot be replaced.
Additional Test Report Forms are sent to the test taker's choice of schools. These forms are valid for two years.
