The IELTS exam stands for International English Language Testing System. If you plan to study abroad where English is a native language, then this is a compulsory exam as it checks your command of the English language. The British Council, IDP, IELTS, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment own it together. To qualify for this exam candidates must practice mock tests. A mock test helps you to find your strengths and weaknesses. It also assists you in dealing with exam pressure. It is important to attempt these IELTS online tests as they give you real-life experience of the actual test. Candidates must know the exam pattern & syllabus. Thus, all the details are mentioned below.
How Does IELTS Work?
IELTS consists of 4 sections: Listening, speaking, reading, and writing. There are two varieties of IELTS tests: Academic (for students who want to study abroad) and General Training (for job purposes). Only reading and writing tests are different in them. Candidates must enroll themselves in the IELTS portal for registration. They can register online as well as in offline centers. Moreover, a good understanding of the IELTS exam helps candidates to score well. So read the upcoming section to explore the same.
Understanding of IELTS Exam & its Procedure
In the IELTS exam, there are 3 continuous tests Listening, Speaking, and Reading that are taken in the same order. The test starts with a listening exam that consists of 4 recordings & the total time allotted is 30 minutes. Both reading & writing have 1 hour each. Only the speaking test takes place either before or after the main test depending on the slots available. Here, the time duration is 11-15 minutes. Moving ahead let’s discuss other crucial pointers of the test to understand it better:
Eligibility
As per IDP, there are no strict rules for eligibility, but it is generally not recommended for students below 16 years.
Type of Questions Asked in the IELTS Exam
- Listening: There are 40 questions which sum up to 4 tasks. Sections 1 & 2 are set in an everyday social context. On the other hand, sections 3 & 4 are from educational, training, or academic context.
- Reading: Here, it consists of 40 questions which adds up to 3 sections. There is a multiple choice, identifying information, summary completion, and identifying a writer’s views/claims. Speaking: It consists of 3 parts:-
1: Introduction and Interview
2: Individual long turn
3: Two-way discussion
- Writing: Here are 2 tasks. The test takers have to write at least 150 words for Task 1. On the other hand, the second task requires 250 words.
Registration & Band Score
The test takers get the option of booking the test either online via the IELTS India website or at designated IDP offline centers. Besides, candidates need to get high bands to get admission to a good college overseas. IELTS scores fall between 0 to 9. Overall band score is the average of all the skills These are calculated either close to 0.5 or close to a whole number. Thus, candidates must prepare diligently to clear the exam on the first attempt.
These were the basics of the test that you should know before attempting it. Now it is time to move ahead to explore the different section of the exam in brief.
Different Sections of the IELTS Exam
The IELTS exam consists of 4 sections- Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening. Thus, practicing mock papers benefits the candidates. You can join the IELTS exam test series as it has a variety of questions. Also, it is accessible from anywhere around the globe and is available 24*7. Here is the brief of all the sections of the test:
Listening
You will hear four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions. The recordings are as follows:
1: A conversation between two people in an everyday social environment.
2: A monologue set in an everyday social environment, e.g., a speech about social media.
3: A conversation between up to four people in an educational or training context, e.g.: a formal conversation between a professor and a student.
4: A monologue on an academic subject, e.g.: a presentation on chemistry.
Speaking
The speaking test takes place on an online IELTS platform for about 11-15 minutes. Here candidates’ pronunciation, ability to speak in English, and good command over accent are evaluated. It is always done in a quiet room so that no disturbance is heard while talking.
Reading
Here, three passages are there which range from the descriptive to the discursive paragraphs. The passages come from study books, articles, monthly magazines, and daily newspapers. Above all, the content of passages is in such a way that they help people taking college classes or seeking professional courses.
Writing
There are two writing tests:-
- In Task 1, you have to express some visual data in your own words (a graph, table, chart, or diagram). You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
- In Task 2, you have to present a viewpoint on a specific argument or an issue. Your response should consist of at least 250 words and must be completed in 40 minutes. Moreover, students should practice writing for at least 30 minutes daily to improve their scores.
After exploring the brief of all the section in this segment, is it time to move ahead to explore the ways to get higher scores in the test.
How to Score Well in IELTS Exam?
Since the IELTS exam is a test of the English language, having command over it helps you to pass the exam with good grades. Reading newspapers, books, articles & even short stories can boost your reading capability. It also increases your vocabulary, pronunciation, mental stamina, writing skills & imagination. For the speaking test, you can practice English with your friends and record your voice too. Also, you can actively listen to English music. Not only does doing the narration in the mirror help to see the body language but also builds confidence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to clear the IELTS exam, many candidates worldwide prepare for this exam without any guidance. But proper advice from the expert can help them know the exam pattern, tricks & shortcuts to master listening practice tests, reading, speaking & writing which can boost the candidate’s confidence. Once such expert agency is Gradding.com that can assist you in the entire process to remove all the hurdles from your path.
