The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the language proficiency of individuals and it is world’s most popular test for those who want to study or work in countries where English is used as a language of communication. IELTS is accepted as an evidence by over 3,000 academic institution and it is widely accepted by Canadian, New Zealand, Australian, British and USA.
IELTS is jointly conducted by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English and it was established in 1989. Moreover, IELTS tests the communication skills of individuals in all four language skills like listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS contains two types of training module: Academic and General training module. Academic module is meant for those who want to enrol in higher education studies, universities, other institutions and also for those who need professional registration. General training is intended for those want to gain work experience, for immigration purpose and also to undertake non – academic training.
IELTS test consists of four sub-tests : Listening, Reading , Speaking and Writing. The scores are on scale to 1 to 9 and the test is valid up to two years. The test is offered usually on Saturday and Thursday. The IELTS test measures your ability to understand English at university level and evaluates how well you perform in all modules of IELTS.
Each task of IELTS is scored on the scale of 1 to 9, including half points such as 2.5,6.5 etc. IELTS score is the average of band score achieved in each sub tasks.
You can apply for an Enquiry on Results procedure at your test centre within six weeks of the test date. You must pay an enquiry fee, which is fully refunded if your band score changes. Note that IELTS Examiners and markers follow strict assessment guidelines and are regularly monitored. The IELTS testing process has the highest quality control procedures.
The Listening section is the first and most important part of the IELTS test. This task of IELTS has four sections and includes 40 items. In terms of IELTS preparation, it is best to take each section separately. In the listening IELTS section, test takers should first read the example provided at the beginning of the first section to acquaint themselves with the sound, the speaker and the situation. Moreover, one has to practise listening to both an individual talking and more than one person speaking simultaneously. It is important to be accurate with spellings, many lose easy scores due to spelling mistakes.
This is the section where one can enjoy speaking English, thus it is vital to sound confident and talk as fluently as possible. Candidates can practice by recording their responses on tape at home and listen to it. It will be easier to focus on individual mistakes and pronunciation. It is advisable not to prepare the answers, as the examiner may spot the same. The best way to respond is to present one’s opinion, as that will help them assess his/her English communication skills.