IELTS by MIRESCO

IELTS by MIRESCO

Sunday 26 October 2014

How to Prepare for IELTS?

How to prepare for your IELTS test

Be better prepared for your IELTS test by following the five steps below. Find out about the benefits of taking an English language course. Understand the test format and rules. Take advantage of our free practice test materials.

Improve your English

It takes time to learn a language and one of the very best ways to learn is to take an English language course. The feedback you receive from your teacher will help you improve the specific skills involved in speaking, listening, reading and writing English.

Use your English every day. Read, speak, listen and write in English as often as you can. This is a proven way to improve your English and therefore your IELTS score.

a.Speak English with your friends and family
b.Listen to English language radio,television and film.Try to listen to a     variety of English accents including American,Australian,British,Canadian and     New Zealand.
c. Read English publications wherever possible.
d. Write letters, emails or notes in English to practise your written skills.

Understand the test format and rules

Familiarise yourself with the test format – Remember that there are two versions of IELTS – IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The Listening and the Speaking components are the same for both tests but the Reading and the Writing components are different.

a. Read the Information for candidates booklet which provides essential              information about how to respond correctly to each part of the test. You can      also collect a copy of this from your test centre.
b. Read the Notice to candidates.
c. Get to know what each level on the IELTS band score table means.
d. Understand what the examiners are looking for in the Speaking and Writing        tests by reading the assessment criteria.
e. Get the facts. Don't believe myths and rumours about the test. They will only    distract you.

Practise sample questions

Download and practise taking sample IELTS exam questions. As IELTS is timed, it is critical that you practice as many sample exam questions as possible and work to build up your speed.

a. Practise the test using these free IELTS test sample questions.
b. Use the Official IELTS Practice Materials (two books available) which you can    purchase online or from your local test centre
c. There is a wide range of IELTS materials available you can purchase from a        variety of publishers.


In addition to practising sample questions you may also wish to consider taking an IELTS preparation course. A preparation course will help you:

a. practise the type of tasks included in an IELTS test (e.g. a short                essay/letter for the Writing test)
b. get feedback on your answers to practice questions
c. become more confident in your test-taking skills
d. help you decide if you are ready to take your IELTS test


Try to feel relaxed on the day before your test

On the day before your test, take the time to refresh your memory of the test rules, test format and location so that you feel as relaxed as possible.

a. Read the Information for candidates booklet again - this contains essential      information to help you do your best.
b. Make sure you know the test rules – read the Notice to Candidates
c. Get plenty of rest the night before your test. 
d. Plan your journey − ensure you are familiar with the location of the test        venue and know how you are going to get there so that you arrive on time.

Know what to expect on test day

The following test day advice will help you feel calm and ready to do your best on test day.

Why Do They Sit for IELTS?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR5BYcoevKA


IELTS Speaking Band Descriptor


https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_Speaking_band_descriptors.pdf

Monday 20 October 2014

IELT Listening Tips

IELTS listening tips

You sometimes see it said that all you have do with the listening paper in IELTS is to practice: that there aren’t any particular skills to learn. I disagree – profoundly. There are not just definite skills to learn, there are also I would suggest very definite ways in which to practice. Here are a few of my best IELTS listening tips.

1. Read before you listen – predict the answer

One difficulty in the exam is that you are not just listening, but reading the question and writing the answer all at the same time. One simple tip is to read the questions before you listen so that you know what you are listening for. It is a difficult skill to master, but it can sometimes help to try and predict the type of answer you are looking for: is it a name for instance or a number?

2. Read as you listen – focus on the whole question

A huge proportion of mistakes are made not because you haven’t listened well, but because you you do not focus on the question. As you are listening focus on the precise wording of the question. See this video tutorial for more on this.

3. Look at 2 questions at once

One difficulty is that the answers to 2 questions often come quickly one after the other. Can you get both answers? Maybe, maybe not: but the only way you can is if you are ready for the next question.

I’d add that it’s no problem getting one question wrong, the real problem is if you lose track of where you are in the listening and you are still listening for question 13 when the cassette has moved onto question 15.

4. Don’t leave the writing to the end

Sometimes candidates leave the writing part to the end, thinking that they will remember what they heard. In my experience, this almost never works: there’s a lot of information, you’re under stress and, most importantly, after each listening you should be moving onto the next set of questions to read them.

5. Practice your shorthand

You do not have to write everything that you down: you have 10 minutes at the end to copy your answers onto the answer sheet. So what you need to do is to learn how to write down enough for you to recognise as you are listening so that you can write it out in full later. The one exception to this is in part 1 with numbers and names where you have to write everything out in full as you are listening – that is the challenge.

6. Numbers and names – check your spelling

In part 1, you are almost invariably required to spell names and/or write down numbers. This looks easy, but in my experience can often go wrong and the problem is that if you get any spelling wrong, you lose the mark Of course you know the alphabet, but some letters can cause problems even for advanced learners, in particular:

J & G
Y
A & E & I

My tip is to make an association that you can remember: these are mine, but I suggest you make your own:
J is for Jesus, but G is for God
How do you spell “why”? W-H-Y
A is for apple
E is for elephant
I is for ‘I”

7. Don’t write the answer too quickly

Sometimes you hear what you think is the answer, but the speaker goes on to correct themselves or give slightly different information:
“So I’ll see you on Wednesday afternoon”
“Sorry, I’m busy then. How about Thursday evening?”
“Fine, Thursday at 7 0’clock”

8. Don’t leave any blank answers

There are 2 reasons for this. Firstly, your guess may well be correct, particularly if it is a multiple choice style question. Secondly, there is a danger if you leave a blank that you write the answers in the wrong boxes on the answer sheet and that can be a disaster.

9. Listen for repeated information

This doesn’t always work, but sometimes the words that are the answer are repeated: if you need to make a guess choose the words you hear repeated, they could well the be answer.

10. Look for clues in the question

A frequent question type is completing a table; in this type of question you will often find clues to the answer by looking at the other information in the table. In particular, look at the headings of the rows and columns: if, for example, the heading says “equipment” and some of the completed boxes say “paperclips” and “cardboard” you have a good clue as to what you should be listening for.

For more advice try my Youtube Channel
I have now several listening videos on my Youtube Channel DC IELTS. There you will find video advice on how to improve  your listening skills for IELTS. The IELTS listening tips  there are the same as here but with:

more details
examples


I am now uploading videos regularly so to get my latest advice you will need to subscribe there.


IELTS Listening

Map of the IELTS listening test - procedure

Key points

around 30 minutes

10 questions per section

questions get harder later in test

10 minutes at end to fill out answer sheet

Understanding IELTS listening


The questions start off easy with listening to in a social context (like checking in at a hotel) and get slowly harder until you get to an academic lecture

Note also that you must listen to both one and two people speaking – this can make it harder

It is important that you spell all the answers correctly – any wrongly spelled answers are marked as wrong

You are given time before each section to read the questions. You should use this time to think about what you are going to listen to and think what the answers might be

You are given 10 minutes at the end of the test to fill out your newer sheet – use this time to make sure your answers are correctly spelled and grammatically correct

Sunday 12 October 2014

What is IELTS?

IELTS | Test Takers - IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular high stakes English-language test for study, work and migration, with more than 2 million tests taken in the last year.

IELTS assesses all of your English skills — reading, writing, listening and speaking — and is designed to reflect real life use of English — at study, at work, and at play.

The IELTS test is developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment. It has an excellent international reputation, and is accepted by over 9,000 organisations worldwide, including schools, universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies.

IELTS is the most widely accepted English language test that uses a one-on-one speaking test to assess your English communication skills. This means that you are assessed by having a real-life conversation with a real person. This is the most effective and natural way of testing your English conversation skills.

You can choose from two versions of the test –  IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training – depending on the organisation you are applying to and your plans for the future. Both versions of the test are made up of four parts – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS results are graded on the unique IELTS 9-band scale.


Why Choose IELTS?

IELTS | Test Takers - Why choose IELTS?

IELTS scores are accepted by over 9,000 organisations worldwide, including universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies.

IELTS is designed by experts to fairly assess the language ability of candidates who want to study or work where English is the language of communication.

International English
IELTS recognises both British and American English in terms of spelling, grammar and choice of words. It also incorporates a mix of native speaker accents from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and US in the Listening component.

International content
The IELTS approach is recognised as being fair, reliable and valid to all candidates, whatever their nationality, cultural background, gender or special needs. The test questions are developed by a network known as the IELTS item writers in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and the US. They are based on real life sources (for example, advertisements, books, newspapers and company policies), so ensuring that they are always fit for purpose.

International consultation
IELTS has been developed in close consultation with academics, professional bodies and immigration authorities from around the world.

International partners
IELTS is owned by a global partnership of education and language experts: the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the Cambridge English Language Assessment. These bodies are dedicated to academic excellence, cultural understanding, student recruitment and creating success worldwide.

Choose from more than 900 locations worldwide
IELTS tests are offered up to four times a month in over 900 test venues in more than 130 countries. The cost of taking the test is set locally and payable in the local currency, making registration convenient. Results are issued 13 calendar days after the test. Official IELTS test centres can send Test Report Forms directly to your organisation or institution (provided it has been nominated), either by mail or as an electronic download.

Test Format

IELTS | Test Takers - Test format

You have a choice of two versions of IELTS: Academic or General Training.

Everybody takes the same Listening and Speaking components. It is the Reading and Writing components that differ.
You will take the Listening, Reading and Writing tests all on the same day one after the other, with no breaks in between them.

Your Speaking test will either be after a break on the same day as the other three tests, or up to seven days before or after that. This will depend on your test centre.

Understanding the format of each section

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening
30 minutes

You will listen to four recorded texts, monologues and conversations by a range of native speakers, and write your answers to a series of questions.

These include questions which test your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information, ability to understand the opinions and attitudes of speakers, ability to understand the purpose of an utterance and the ability to follow the development of ideas.

A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used and each section is heard only once.

Section 1
A conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.

Section 2
A monologue set in an everyday social context e.g. a speech about local facilities.

Section 3
A conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.

Section 4
A monologue on an academic subject e.g. a university lecture.

Reading
60 minutes

The Reading component consists of 40 questions. A variety of question types is used in order to test a wide range of reading skills. These including reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, recognising writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose.

IELTS Academic

The Academic version includes three long texts which range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. These have been selected for a non-specialist audience but are appropriate for candidates entering university courses or seeking professional registration.

IELTS General Training

The General Training version requires candidates to read extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English speaking environment.

 Writing
60 minutes

IELTS Academic

The Writing component of IELTS Academic includes two tasks. Topics are of general interest to, and suitable for candidates entering undergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration.

Task 1
You will be presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event.

Task 2

You will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style.

IELTS General Training

The Writing component of IELTS General Training includes two tasks which are based on topics of general interest.

Task 1

You will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.

Task 2

You will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal in style than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay.

Speaking
11 to 14 minutes

The Speaking component assesses your use of spoken English, and takes between 11 and 14 minutes to complete. Every test is recorded. The Speaking component is delivered in such a way that it does not allow candidates to rehearse set responses beforehand.

Part 1

The Examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.

Part 2

You will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.

Part 3

You will be asked further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issue. The part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.

__________________________________________________________________

Question types - Listening

What’s in the IELTS Listening test?

The test has four sections, with ten questions in each section. The questions are in the same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on.
Sections 1 and 2 deal with everyday, social situations. There is a conversation between two speakers in Section 1 (for example, a conversation about travel arrangements). Only one person speaks in Section 2 (for example, a speech about local facilities).

Sections 3 and 4 deal with educational and training situations. In Section 3 there is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, two university students in discussion, perhaps guided by a tutor). In Section 4 only one person speaks on an academic subject.

You will hear the recordings once only. Different accents, including British, Australian, New Zealand and North American, are used.

You will need to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. You will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to do this. You should be careful when writing your answers on the answer sheet because you will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Summary

Time allowed:
Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet)
Number of sections: 4
Number of questions: 40
Marking:
Each correct answer receives 1 mark.
Your final score is given as a band score in whole or half bands, e.g. 5.5 or 7.0.

Types of question

Question Type 1 – Multiple choice 

What's involved?
This type of question may be a question with three possible answers or the first half of a sentence with three possible sentence endings. You have to choose one correct answer, A, B or C, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a longer list of possible answers and you have to choose more than one answer. You should read the question carefully to check how many answers you need to choose.

What skills are tested?
This type of question tests many listening skills, e.g. a detailed understanding of specific points, or general understanding of the main points of the recording.

How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 2 – Matching

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to match a list of items from the recording to a list of options on the question paper, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?
This type of question tests your ability to:

- listen for detailed information. For example, whether you can understand information about the type of hotel or guest house accommodation in an everyday conversation
- follow a conversation between two people
- recognise how facts in the recording are connected to each other.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 3 – Plan/map/diagram labelling

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to complete labels on a visual which may be:

- a diagram (e.g. a piece of equipment)
- a set of pictures
- a plan (e.g. of a building)
- a map (e.g. of part of a town).
You may have to:
- select your answers from a list on the question paper, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet
- select words from the recording which fit into gaps on the question paper. In this case, you will need to keep to the word limit given in the instructions. You do not have to change the words in the recording in any way.

You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?
This type of question tests your ability to understand, for example, a description of a place, and how this description relates to the visual. It may also test your ability to understand explanations of where things are and follow directions (e.g. straight on/through the far door).

How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 4 – Form/note/table/flow chart/summary completion

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to fill in gaps in an outline of part or all of the recording. The outline will focus on the main ideas/facts in the recording and may be:

- a form: often used for facts, such as names
- a set of notes: used to summarise information and show how different points relate to one another
- a table: used to summarise information that can be divided into clear categories, e.g. place/time/price
- a flow chart: used to summarise the stages in a process, with the direction of the process shown by arrows.
You may have to:
- select your answers from a list on the question paper, then write the correct letter on the answer sheet
- select words from the recording which fit into gaps on the question paper. In this case, you will need to keep to the word limit given in the instructions. You do not have to change the words in the recording in any way.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested? This type of question focuses on the main points the person listening would naturally write down.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 5 – Sentence completion

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to read sentences that summarise important information from either all of the listening text or from one part of it. You have to fill in a gap in each sentence using information from the recording.

You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.

Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?
This type of question focuses on your ability to identify the important information in a recording. You may also need to understand relationships between ideas/facts/events, such as cause and effect.

How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 6 – Short-answer questions

What's involved?
In this type of question, you have to read a question and write a short answer using information from the recording.

You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
Write your answer on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a question which asks you to write two or three different answers.

What skills are tested?
This type of question focuses on your ability to listen for facts, such as places, prices or times, heard in the recording.

How many questions are there? Variable.
Find an IELTS test

Information for candidates
IELTS Application Form
IELTS Practice Materials (order from UK)
IELTS Practice Materials (order from Australia)

__________________________________________________________________

Question types - Academic Reading

What’s in the IELTS Academic Reading test?

There are three reading texts with a variety of question types.

Texts come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources, written for a non-specialist audience. All the topics are of general interest to students at undergraduate or postgraduate level. The texts may be written in different styles, for example, narrative, descriptive or discursive/argumentative. At least one text contains detailed logical argument. Texts may also contain diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts use technical vocabulary, then a simple dictionary definition is provided.

You will need to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. You must transfer your answers during the hour you are given for the Reading test. Unlike the Listening test, no extra transfer time is given. You should be careful when writing your answers on the answer sheet because you will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Summary

Time allowed: 60 minutes (including transfer time)
Number of sections: 3; the total text length is 2,150–2,750 words
Number of questions: 40
Marking: Each correct answer receives 1 mark.
Your final score is given as a band score from 1–9 in whole or half bands, e.g. 4, 6.5.

Types of question

Question Type 1 – Multiple choice

What's involved? This type of question may be a question with four possible answers or the first half of a sentence with four possible sentence endings. You have to choose one correct answer (A, B, C or D), then write the correct answer on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a longer list of possible answers and you have to choose more than one answer. You should read the question carefully to check how many answers you need to choose.

The questions are in the same order as the information in the text: that is, the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests many different reading skills including: detailed understanding of specific points or general understanding of the main points of the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 2 – Identifying information (True/False/Not given)

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a number of statements and are asked: ‘Do the following statements agree with the information in the text?’ You have to write ‘True’, ‘False’ or ‘Not given’ in the boxes on your answer sheet. It is important to understand the difference between ‘False’ and ‘Not given’. ‘False’ means that the statement contradicts the information in the text. ‘Not given’ means that the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts the information in the text. You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic of the text when choosing your answer.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise specific information given in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 3 – Identifying writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not given)

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a number of statements and asked: ‘Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer?’ or ‘Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer?’ You have to write ‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Not given’ in the boxes on your answer sheet. It is important to understand the difference between ‘no’ and ‘not given’. ‘No’ means that the statement contradicts the writer’s view or claim. ‘Not given’ means that the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts the writer’s view or claim. You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic of the text when choosing your answer.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise opinions or ideas.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 4 – Matching information 

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to find specific information in the paragraphs (or sections) of a text. The paragraphs (or sections) are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). You will need to write the letters of the correct paragraphs (or sections) in the boxes on your answer sheet. Not every paragraph (or section) may be used and some paragraphs (or sections) may be used more than once. When the paragraphs (or sections) may be used more than once, the instructions will say: ‘You may use any letter more than once’.
What skills are tested? This type of question assesses your ability to scan a text in order to find specific information. Unlike Task Type 5 (Matching headings), it focuses on specific information rather than the main idea. You may have to find: specific details, an example, reason, description, comparison, summary or explanation.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 5 – Matching headings

What's involved?

In this type of question, there is a list of headings which are identified by Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.). A heading summarises the main idea of a paragraph or section of the text. You must match the heading to the correct paragraph or section. The paragraphs (or sections) are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). You will need to write the correct Roman numerals in the boxes on your answer sheet. There will always be more headings than paragraphs or sections, so some headings will not be used. It is also possible that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. One or more paragraphs or sections may already be matched with a heading as an example on the question paper. No heading may be used more than once.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to identify the general topic of a paragraph (or section) and to recognise the difference between the main idea and a supporting idea.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 6 – Matching features

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to match a set of statements or pieces of information to a list of options. The options are a group of features from the text, and letters (A, B, C, etc.) are used to identify them. Write the correct letter on the answer sheet. You may, for example, have to match descriptions of inventions to the people who invented them. It is possible that some options will not be used, and that others may be used more than once. When it is possible to use any option more than once, the instructions will say: ‘You may use any option more than once’.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise relationships and connections between facts in the text and your ability to recognise opinions and theories. You need to be able to skim and scan the text to find the information quickly so that you can then read that part more carefully for detail.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 7 – Matching sentence endings

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given the first half of a sentence based on information in the text and you have to choose the best way to complete the sentence by choosing from a list of possible endings. The endings are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). There will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them. You must write the letter you choose on the answer sheet. The sentence beginnings are in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand the main ideas in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 8 – Sentence completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to fill in a gap in each sentence by choosing words from the text. You must write the words you choose on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
The questions are in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to find detail/specific information in a text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 9 – Summary/note/table/flow chart completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a summary of a part of the text, and have to complete it using words taken from the text. Note that the summary is not normally of the whole text. The summary may be in the form of:
a continuous text (called ‘a summary’ in the instructions)
several notes (called ‘notes’ in the instructions)
a table with some parts of it left empty or partially empty (called ‘a table’ in the instructions)
a series of boxes or steps linked by arrows to show the order of events, with some of the boxes or steps empty or partially empty (called ‘a flow chart’ in the instructions).
The answers may not come in the same order as in the text. However, they will usually come from one part of the text rather than the whole text.
There are two variations of this task type. In the first variation, you need to select words from the text which fit into gaps on the question paper. You must write the words you choose on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
In the second variation, you have to choose from a list of words to fill the gaps. The words are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.).
You must write the letter you choose on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand details and/or the main ideas of a part of the text. When completing this type of question, you will need to think about the type of word(s) that will fit into a gap (for example, whether a noun is needed, or a verb, etc.).
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 10 – Diagram label completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to complete the labels on a diagram. The diagram is based on a description given in the text. The diagram may be a type of machine, part of a building or of other information in the text that can be shown through pictures. Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
The answers may not come in the same order as in the text. However, they will usually come from one part of the text rather than the whole text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand a detailed description in the text, and then relate that description to information given in a diagram.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 11 – Short-answer questions

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to answer questions about factual details in the text. You must write your answers in words or numbers on the answer sheet.

Answers must be taken from words in the text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Numbers can be written using figures (1, 2, etc.) or words (one, two, etc.). Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words. The answers come in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to find and understand specific information in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

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Question types - General Training Reading

What’s in the IELTS General Training Reading test?

There are three sections of increasing difficulty. Section 1 may contain two or three short texts or several shorter texts. Section 2 contains two texts. In Section 3, there is one long text.

The texts in Section 1 deal with everyday topics, and they are the sort of texts that a person would need to be able to understand when living in an English-speaking country. You will need to pick out important information, e.g. from notices, advertisements and timetables. The texts in Section 2 focus on work topics, for example, job descriptions, contracts, staff development and training materials. The text in Section 3 deals with a topic of general interest. The style of writing in Section 3 is generally descriptive (containing detailed information) and instructive (telling you how to do something). This Section 3 text is longer and more complex than the texts in Sections 1 and 2. Section 3 texts are taken from newspapers, magazines, books and online resources.

You will need to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. You must transfer your answers during the hour you are given for the Reading test. Unlike the Listening test, no extra transfer time is given. You should be careful when writing your answers on the answer sheet because you will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.

Summary

Time allowed: 60 minutes (including transfer time)
Number of sections: 3; the total text length is 2,150–2,750 words
Number of questions: 40
Marking: Each correct answer receives 1 mark.
Your final score is given as a band score from 1–9 in whole or half bands, e.g. 3, 8.5.

Types of question

Question Type 1 – Multiple choice

What's involved?

This type of question may be a question with four possible answers or the first half of a sentence with four possible sentence endings. You have to choose one correct answer (A, B, C or D), then write the correct answer on the answer sheet.

Sometimes you are given a longer list of possible answers and you have to choose more than one answer. You should read the question carefully to check how many answers you need to choose.

The questions are in the same order as the information in the text: that is, the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests many different reading skills including: detailed understanding of specific points or general understanding of the main points of the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 2 – Identifying information (True/False/Not given)

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a number of statements and are asked:
‘Do the following statements agree with the information in the text?’ You have to write ‘True’, ‘False’ or ‘Not given’ in the boxes on your answer sheet. It is important to understand the difference between ‘False’ and ‘Not given’. ‘False’ means that the statement contradicts the information in the text. ‘Not given’ means that the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts the information in the text. You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic of the text when choosing your answer.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise specific information given in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 3 – Identifying writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not given)

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a number of statements and asked: ‘Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer?’ or ‘Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer?’ You have to write ‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Not given’ in the boxes on your answer sheet. It is important to understand the difference between ‘no’ and ‘not given’. ‘No’ means that the statement contradicts the writer’s view or claim. ‘Not given’ means that the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts the writer’s view or claim. You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic of the text when choosing your answer.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise opinions or ideas.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 4 – Matching information 

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to find specific information in the paragraphs (or sections) of a text. The paragraphs (or sections) are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). You will need to write the letters of the correct paragraphs (or sections) in the boxes on your answer sheet. Not every paragraph (or section) may be used and some paragraphs (or sections) may be used more than once. When the paragraphs (or sections) may be used more than once, the instructions will say: ‘You may use any letter more than once’.
What skills are tested? This type of question assesses your ability to scan a text in order to find specific information. Unlike Task Type 5 (Matching headings), it focuses on specific information rather than the main idea. You may have to find: specific details, an example, reason, description, comparison, summary or explanation.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 5 – Matching headings

What's involved?

In this type of question, there is a list of headings which are identified by Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.). A heading summarises the main idea of a paragraph or section of the text. You must match the heading to the correct paragraph or section. The paragraphs (or sections) are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). You will need to write the correct Roman numerals in the boxes on your answer sheet. There will always be more headings than paragraphs or sections, so some headings will not be used. It is also possible that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. One or more paragraphs or sections may already be matched with a heading as an example on the question paper. No heading may be used more than once.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to identify the general topic of a paragraph (or section) and to recognise the difference between the main idea and a supporting idea.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 6 – Matching features 

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to match a set of statements or pieces of information to a list of options. The options are a group of features from the text, and letters (A, B, C, etc.) are used to identify them. Write the correct letter on the answer sheet. You may, for example, have to match descriptions of inventions to the people who invented them. It is possible that some options will not be used, and that others may be used more than once. When it is possible to use any option more than once, the instructions will say: ‘You may use any option more than once’.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to recognise relationships and connections between facts in the text and your ability to recognise opinions and theories. You need to be able to skim and scan the text to find the information quickly so that you can then read that part more carefully for detail.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 7 – Matching sentence endings

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given the first half of a sentence based on information in the text and you have to choose the best way to complete the sentence by choosing from a list of possible endings. The endings are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.). There will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them. You must write the letter you choose on the answer sheet. The sentence beginnings are in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand the main ideas in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 8 – Sentence completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to fill in a gap in each sentence by choosing words from the text. You must write the words you choose on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
The questions are in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to find detail/specific information in a text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 9 – Summary/note/table/flow chart completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you are given a summary of a part of the text, and have to complete it using words taken from the text. Note that the summary is not normally of the whole text. The summary may be in the form of:
a continuous text (called ‘a summary’ in the instructions)
several notes (called ‘notes’ in the instructions)
a table with some parts of it left empty or partially empty (called ‘a table’ in the instructions)
a series of boxes or steps linked by arrows to show the order of events, with some of the boxes or steps empty or partially empty (called ‘a flow chart’ in the instructions).
The answers may not come in the same order as in the text. However, they will usually come from one part of the text rather than the whole text.
There are two variations of this task type. In the first variation, you need to select words from the text which fit into gaps on the question paper. You must write the words you choose on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words.
In the second variation, you have to choose from a list of words to fill the gaps. The words are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.).
You must write the letter you choose on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand details and/or the main ideas of a part of the text. When completing this type of question, you will need to think about the type of word(s) that will fit into a gap (for example, whether a noun is needed, or a verb, etc.).
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 10 – Diagram label completion

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to complete the labels on a diagram. The diagram is based on a description given in the text. The diagram may be a type of machine, part of a building or of other information in the text that can be shown through pictures. Write the words that fit into the gap on the answer sheet.
You should read the instructions very carefully as the number of words or numbers you may use to fill the gaps can change. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words. The answers may not come in the same order as in the text. However, they will usually come from one part of the text rather than the whole text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to understand a detailed description in the text, and then relate that description to information given in a diagram.
How many questions are there? Variable.

Question Type 11 – Short-answer questions

What's involved?

In this type of question, you have to answer questions about factual details in the text. You must write your answers in words or numbers on the answer sheet.

Answers must be taken from words in the text. A word limit is given, for example, ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit. Numbers can be written using figures (1, 2, etc.) or words (one, two, etc.). Contracted words such as ‘they’re’ will not be tested. Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words. The answers come in the same order as the information in the text.
What skills are tested? This type of question tests your ability to find and understand specific information in the text.
How many questions are there? Variable.

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Question types - AC Writing

What’s in the IELTS Academic Writing test?

There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed.

In Task 1, you have to describe some visual information 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 are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

You must write your answers using full sentences. You must not write your answers as notes or bullet points. You must write your answers on the answer sheet. You are allowed to write notes on the question paper, but these will not be seen by the examiner.

Marking

Certificated IELTS examiners assess your performance on each Writing task. There are four assessment criteria (things which the examiner thinks about when deciding what score to give you):
- Task achievement/response
- Coherence and cohesion
- Lexical resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy.
Task achievement (in Task 1) and Task response (in Task 2) assesses how accurately, appropriately and relevantly your response covers the task requirements, using the minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2.

In Task 1, all the information you require is given in the diagram.
In Task 2, Task response includes how well you develop your argument in response to the task, giving evidence and examples which may be from your own experience.
Coherence and cohesion assesses how clear and fluent your writing is, and how you organise ideas and information. It includes giving your ideas in a logical order, and using a range of cohesive devices (for example, linking words, pronouns and conjunctions, etc.) appropriately.
Lexical resource assesses the range of vocabulary you have used, and how accurately and appropriately you use it.
Grammatical range and accuracy assesses the range of grammar you have used and how accurately and appropriately you have used it.


Summary

Time allowed: 60 minutes
Number of tasks: 2
Marking: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

Tasks 1 and 2

Academic Writing – Task 1

What's involved?

In Academic Writing Task 1, you may be asked to describe:
one or more graphs, charts or tables
a diagram of an object, device, process or event. You have to include the most important points in the diagram. Some minor points or details may be left out.
You should write in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style.
You should spend no more than 20 minutes on this task. You must write at least 150 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While you will not be penalised for writing more than 150 words, you should remember that a longer Task 1 answer may mean that you have less time to spend on Task 2, which contributes twice as much to your Writing band score.
You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write does not relate to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source).
You must write your answer on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested?
This task tests if you can give a well-organised overview of the visual information using language that is appropriate in its register and style.
Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:
organise, present and possibly compare data
describe stages of a process or procedure
describe an object, event or sequence of events
explain how something works.
How much do I have to write? A minimum of 150 words.

Academic Writing – Task 2

What's involved?

In Academic Writing Task 2, you are given a topic to write about. Your answer should discuss the most relevant issues. You must read the task carefully so that you can write a full answer that is relevant. For example, if the topic is a particular aspect of the wider topic of computers, you should focus on this aspect only in your answer. You should not simply write about computers in general.
You should write in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style. You will need to organise your ideas clearly and make sure you use relevant examples (which can be from your own experience, if relevant) or evidence.
You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While you will not be penalised for writing more than 250 words, if you write a very long answer you may not have time for checking and correcting at the end, and some ideas may not be directly relevant to the question. You may also produce handwriting which is unclear.
You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source).
You must write your answer on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested?
This task tests if you can write a clear, relevant, well-organised argument, giving evidence or examples to support your ideas, and use language accurately.
Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:
present a solution to a problem
present and justify an opinion
compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications
evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument.
How much do I have to write? You must write a minimum of 250 words.

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Question types - GT Writing

What’s in the IELTS General Training Writing test?

There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed.

In Task 1, you have to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, asking for information or explaining a situation. You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

You must write your answers using full sentences. You must not write your answers as notes or bullet points. You must write your answers on the answer sheet. You are allowed to write notes on the question paper but these will not be seen by the examiner.

Marking

Certificated IELTS examiners assess your performance on each Writing task. There are four assessment criteria (things which the examiner thinks about when deciding what score to give you):
- Task achievement/response
- Coherence and cohesion
- Lexical resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy.

Task achievement (in Task 1) and Task response (in Task 2) assesses how accurately, appropriately and relevantly your response covers the task requirements, using the minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2.
In Task 1, Task achievement refers to how well your letter achieves its purpose.

In Task 2, Task response includes how well you develop your argument in response to the task, giving evidence and examples which may be from your own experience.

Coherence and cohesion assesses how clear and fluent your writing is, and how you organise ideas and information. It includes giving your ideas in a logical order, and using a range of cohesive devices (for example, linking words, pronouns and conjunctions, etc.) appropriately.

Lexical resource assesses the range of vocabulary you have used, and how accurately and appropriately you use it.
Grammatical range and accuracy assesses the range of grammar you have used and how accurately and appropriately you have used it.

Summary

Time allowed: 60 minutes
Number of tasks: 2
Marking: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

Tasks 1 and 2

General Training Writing – Task 1

What's involved?

In General Training Writing Task 1, you are given a situation and you need to write a response of at least 150 words in the form of a letter. Depending on the task, the letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style. The question paper tells you what information to include in the form of three bullet points.
You might need to ask for or give information and/or explain a situation. The situations you need to write about are common, everyday situations such as:
writing to a college accommodation officer about problems with your accommodation
writing to a new employer about problems you are having with managing your time
writing to a local newspaper about a plan to develop a local airport
writing to a renting agency to sort out problems with the heating system in your house.
The style of writing that you use depends on who you are asked to write to and how well you are supposed to know them. You need to choose a style that is appropriate for your audience and will help you achieve your purpose for writing, e.g. writing to a friend (personal) or writing to a manager (semi-formal or formal).
You should spend no more than 20 minutes on this task. You need to write at least 150 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While candidates will not be penalised for writing more than 150 words, you should remember that a longer Task 1 answer may mean that you have less time to spend on Task 2, which contributes twice as much to your Writing band score.
You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source).
You do not need to write any addresses at the top of your letter.
You must write your answer on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested?
This task tests if you are able to write a letter which is well organised and appropriate in its register and style.
Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:
ask for and/or provide general factual information
express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
express opinions (views, complaints, etc.).
How much do I have to write? A minimum of 150 words.

General Training Writing – Task 2

What's involved?

In General Training Writing Task 2, you need to write a semi-formal/neutral discursive essay of a minimum of 250 words.
The instructions for Task 2 give information about an opinion, argument or problem. The instructions then tell you what you should discuss in your essay.
You will need to write about a topic of general interest, such as:
whether children’s leisure activities should be educational
how environmental problems can be solved
whether smoking should be banned in public places.
You should make sure that you write your answer carefully so that you give a complete response that is also relevant. To do this you will need to organise your ideas clearly and make sure you use relevant examples (which can be from your own experience, if relevant) or evidence. For this task, you need to be able to discuss more abstract and complex ideas and use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While you will not be penalised for writing more than 250 words, if you write a very long answer you may not have time for checking and correcting at the end, and some ideas may not be directly relevant to the question. You may also produce handwriting which is unclear.
You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source).
You must write your answer on the answer sheet.
What skills are tested?
This task tests if you can write a clear, relevant, well-organised argument, giving evidence or examples to support your ideas, and use language accurately. Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:
provide general factual information
outline a problem and present a solution
present and possibly justify an opinion
evaluate and discuss ideas, evidence or an argument.
How much do I have to write? A minimum of 250 words.
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Question types - Speaking

What’s in the IELTS Speaking test?

The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the candidate and an examiner. The Speaking test is recorded.
There are three parts to the test, and each part follows a specific pattern of tasks in order to test your speaking ability in different ways.

Marking

Certificated IELTS examiners assess your speaking performance throughout the test. There are four assessment criteria (things which the examiner thinks about when deciding what score to give you):

- Fluency and coherence
- Lexical resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy
- Pronunciation.

Fluency and coherence assesses how well you can speak at a normal speed without too much hesitation. It also includes putting your sentences and ideas in a logical order and using cohesive devices (including linking words, pronouns and conjunctions, etc.) appropriately so that what you say is not difficult to follow.

Lexical resource assesses the range of vocabulary you use and how accurately and appropriately you use vocabulary to express meaning. It also includes the ability to express yourself using alternative vocabulary when you don’t know a particular word.

Grammatical range and accuracy assesses the range of grammar you use and how accurately and appropriately you use it.

Pronunciation assesses your ability to speak in a way which can be understood without too much effort.

Summary

Time allowed: 11–14 minutes
Number of parts: 3

Parts 1–3

Part 1 – Introduction and interview

What's involved?

In this part, the examiner introduces him/herself and checks your identity. Then the examiner asks you general questions on some familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies or interests.
Part 1 is 4–5 minutes long.
What skills are tested? This part tests your ability to give opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences or situations by answering a range of questions.

Part 2 – Long turn

What's involved?

Part 2 is the individual long turn. The examiner gives you a task card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. The card tells you what points you should include in your talk and instructs you to explain one aspect of the topic. You have one minute to prepare your talk, and the examiner will give you a pencil and paper to make notes.
By using the points on the task card and making notes during the preparation time, you should be able to think of appropriate things to say, and have time to structure your talk so that you keep talking for 2 minutes.
The examiner will then ask you to begin talking and will stop you when the time is up. They may then ask you one or two questions on the same topic.
Part 2 lasts 3–4 minutes, including the preparation time.
What skills are tested? This part tests your ability to speak at length on a given topic, using appropriate language and organising your ideas logically. You will need to think about your own experiences to complete the long turn.

Part 3 – Discussion

What's involved?

In Part 3, you and the examiner discuss issues related to the topic in Part 2 in a more general and abstract way and, where appropriate, in greater depth.
Part 3 lasts 4–5 minutes.
What skills are tested? This part tests your ability to explain your opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.


IELTS FORMAT IN GRAPHICS




A Quick Start in IELTS

Listening - Jumping In

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