Most people who study English have a desire to learn it in a natural environment, that is, abroad. And this is not surprising, because the best way to learn any language is communication with native speakers. In order to go to live, work or study in another country, you must pass a test showing your knowledge of English.
Are you ready for IELTS?
How do I take IELTS? This is exactly what will be discussed in the article. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an international format test, the results of which are accepted by universities in many countries of the world. For example, passing this test will help you enter educational institutions in countries such as the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and even some countries in South Africa. There are about 6,000 such educational institutions around the world. In addition, this test will also be a huge advantage and will help you find a job in countries such as Denmark, Italy, Brazil, etc.
Structure
There are two types of exams. The first is academic (Academic IELTS). This type of exam is taken by those who want to enter foreign universities and temporarily reside in the country. The second is general (General Training IELTS). It is intended for those who want to go abroad for permanent residence.
The test itself lasts 2 hours and 45 minutes. It is structured in such a way that it covers all aspects of learning English, namely:
- listening (listening comprehension);
- reading;
- letter;
- colloquial speech.
The maximum number of points that can be obtained on the exam is 9.0. For admission to foreign universities, the passing score usually varies from 6.0 to 9.0. But it should be borne in mind that each educational institution has the right set their own criteria for the selection of students. And this applies not only to the overall score for the IELTS exam, but also to individual scores for various aspects of the language. So, for example, a passing score in one of the universities in the United States of America may be 7.0, but at the same time in the "letter" section, you must get at least 6.5 points. Therefore, when preparing for the exam, be sure to specify how many points (total and separately for sections) are required for admission to the educational institution of your choice.
Now let's look at each section (module) of the exam separately to understand how IELTS is taken.
Listening
The exam always starts with the Listening section. Thirty minutes are allotted for this task. The execution conditions are the same asfor those who pass the academic version, and for the general exam. You are given forty questions that you will need to answer while listening to the text. There is no preparation time. The text is listened to only once. As you listen, you answer forty questions. After listening, you will have ten minutes to check and enter your answers in the table. Listening itself can be formally divided into several parts. It begins with light everyday topics, dialogues between family members or classmates. With each new part, the difficulty will increase. This was done in order to set the examinee in the right way.
Reading
The next section (module) is "Reading". You have sixty minutes to complete the tasks in this section. It is necessary to read the texts and answer forty questions. It should be noted that different texts are given for the academic and general exams. Academic (Academic IELTS) option is a little more difficult than the general one. It contains three texts, each containing about 1000-1500 words. The texts are taken from specialized sources, newspapers or magazines. Descriptions of graphs, diagrams, tables are possible. Or perhaps you will need to read about climate change at the South Pole and complete the sentences with the necessary vocabulary in the assignments. Whereas in the general test, you will be given three texts on a common topic. The academic version of the exam is more difficult due to the fact that according to its results, a decision is made whether you are able to study at the universityother country or not.
Writing (Writing)
The section (module) letter! (Writing) is also given sixty minutes. As in reading, tasks are divided depending on the type of test. For academic, you need to do:
- Analysis, description of a graph, table or graphic. You need to write 150 words.
- 250 word essay.
For the general test, the assignments are a little simpler, reminiscent of our USE. A 150-word letter and a 250-word essay on a given topic.
Speaking
And the last section (module) is "Speaking". Usually this section is rented on a separate day from all other sections. This part of the exam lasts eleven to fourteen minutes and is a three-part teacher interview. The first part is the easiest. You get to know the teacher and talk about common topics. IELTS life skills are tested. After that, you choose a card from those offered to you. Each card has a topic that you will need to cover within one minute. This part of the task provides for a monologue statement. And finally, the third part of this module. It is a dialogue that you have with a teacher on a given topic. All your conversations are recorded on a dictaphone and then will be considered by an independent commission. Do not think that the teacher listened to you and immediately gave you a mark. This is fundamentally wrong. So feel confident that all your words andexpressions were clearly recorded.
For a better understanding, below is a schedule of all sections of the exam.
IELTS scores
The results of the exam are evaluated separately in each section on a scale from 0 to 9, 0 points. Then the arithmetic mean is displayed, and this is the final score. You can only get 0 points if you don't show up for the exam.
Language proficiency and IELTS scores are assessed according to the following scale:
- Did not attempt the test: This score can be earned if the test taker showed up for the test but didn't even take it.
- None user: knows only a few English words, can't use them.
- Intermittent user: knowledge of only some common phrases and words, inability to communicate in English. Problems understanding both spoken and written language.
- Extremely limited user: understands general meaning, cannot express himself.
- Limited user: Can communicate in familiar and familiar situations. With a slight deviation, there are difficulties in understanding.
- Modest user: can support communication, but with a lot of errors.
- Competent user: simple communication goes well with clear understanding and few errors. In more complex situations, errors, misunderstandings and inaccuracies are possible.
- Good user: speaks the language despite minor inaccuracies.
- Very good user: fully fluent in the language, but very rarely there may be inaccuracies and errors.
- Expert user: full ownershiplanguage.
Where to return?
The exam is taken by several organizations in the city of Moscow and their branches in Russia. List of organizations:
- British Council.
- Cambridge University Examination Board.
- Australian government organization IDP Education Australia.
If you live in Moscow, you can contact any office of one of these organizations. They will write you a check and indicate what documents are required to pass the exam. If you do not live in the capital, then the same information can be obtained by telephone. There are no set dates for the exam. The date of the exam is set after a sufficient group of people has been recruited.
Process
How do I take IELTS? You will need to allocate a whole day for the exam. Even though it's legally 2.5 hours long, you'll need roughly 7.5 hours. Indeed, when passing the exam, it is necessary to take into account breaks, time for distributing material, explaining the rules. There is no break between the first and second parts. After the second part, you will be given a break of twenty minutes. At this time, you can eat or just take a walk. By the way, it is not forbidden to bring food and drinks to the exam, but it is better not to do this so as not to be distracted. After writing the third part, there is also a break before the oral module. Sometimes the oral part of the exam is scheduled for the next day, but lately this has been extremely rare.
Pay attention to how IELTS is taken. This exam does not includetest online. Surrender takes place only in the classroom under supervision. Therefore, if you live in remote parts of the country, you will need to travel to the place where the exam is taken. If for some reason you could not appear on the appointed day for the exam, then within two months you will have the opportunity to pass it or return fifty percent of the cost. If you missed the exam due to illness and you have a document confirming this, then you can return one hundred percent of the cost.
The exam itself can be taken an unlimited number of times if you are unhappy with your result. But it is worth remembering that the test results are valid for only two years! After this time, you will need to re-verify your status and receive a new IELTS certificate. Your results will be known in two weeks. They can be found online by entering all the necessary data and passing the verification, and they will also be sent to you by mail. In addition, the results can be found in person by coming to the company's office. Please note that they are not communicated by phone, fax or email. Only you can receive your IELTS certificate in person.
Preparation
There are many ways to prepare for the IELTS exam, just like any other exam. First of all, you need to understand that everyone should do this. To prepare, for example, for the Intermediate level, it will take from three to twelve months, depending on the intensity of the classes. You can prepare yourself, in individual lessons with a teacher, in group classes at schools of foreign languages orspecialized schools to prepare for international exams. Of course, the best way, especially for the oral part, is to spend several months in the country of the language being studied. By communicating with native speakers, you will remove the language barrier and significantly increase your vocabulary.
IELTS Preparation Materials
If you can't hire a teacher, you can train on your own. Specialized literature, developed by British teachers, very clearly and consistently helps to prepare for the exam. This literature can be used both independently and with the teacher in the classroom. Literature takes IELTS levels into account.
Examples of specialized literature:
- Grammar for IELTS by Cambrige. The Cambridge official publication that focuses on the grammar you need to pass the exam.
- Objective IELTS by Cambrige. This course is designed for people who already have an advanced level of the language. The book covers twenty topics that will help you develop all the skills you need to pass the exam at once.
- Step Up to IELTS by Cambrige. This tutorial is suitable for those whose level is below advanced. Namely Intermidiate and Upper Intermidiate. A short course to help you understand the structure in general and help you move to the next level.
- Vocabulary for IELTS by Cambrige. The Cambridge official edition, which includes the necessary vocabulary for passing the exam. This is not just a dictionary, you can also find a lot ofexercises to study this vocabulary. You can choose any IELTS levels.
- Instant IELTS by Cambrige. This is not your usual boring textbook with dry facts. It is filled with role-playing games, situations from life and other exciting tasks. Such a textbook is hardly suitable for self-study, but for group work - just right.
- Cambridge IELTS by Cambridge. The newest edition that contains the four full Academic Module tests and additional parts of the General Module.
IELTS benefits
If you are still thinking whether or not to take the IELTS exam, here are some of its advantages for you:
- Exam results are accepted in the vast majority of countries around the world.
- The ability to choose the test that you need - Academic or General. It all depends on the goal you are pursuing.
- Ability to take the exam an unlimited number of times.
- Checking the knowledge of students of any level of IELTS.
- Anyone can take this exam.
