Things you need to know about the IELTS.

There are several standardized English Proficiency tests that measure the English proficiency level of test takers. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the world’s popular English language proficiency assessment instruments that measure all of your English skills – reading, listening, writing, and speaking. But before we tackle the proven strategies in acquiring a high band score, let us clear some cobwebs which blur out how we look at this standardized test and answer the WH questions which face our future test takers.

Question: Who takes the IELTS test?

Answer: Whether the test examinees are aiming for higher education, for work, or for migration, one thing is for sure. They come from a variety of countries, ages and background. Since there are two versions of IELTS namely Academic and General Training, the examinee should consider their goals and needs to determine which version to take. The IELTS Academic is taken by those who are vying for higher education such as in university or college. The results of the IELTS Academic will determine if the candidate passed for admission to an undergraduate or postgraduate course. Those who are aiming to work in the professional fields of engineering or accounting may also take the IELTS Academic. The second version which is the General Training is usually taken by those who would like to work, study, or get training for their jobs in an English speaking country. Those who would like to migrate to countries like United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand are also required to take this version of the IELTS.

Why do people take the IELTS?

People take IELTS for varied reasons. As I have mentioned earlier, this test is a pre-requisite for universities, colleges, professional companies, and English speaking countries. This test is widely accepted worldwide by over 140 countries and thousands of universities and companies since it shows the English proficiency level of a candidate wanting to study, work, or migrate.

How do you prepare and ace the IELTS?

Millions of people take the IELTS test but not all are successful. Learning how to ace the IELTS test is neither fast nor easy. A competent review center can help you get started and see you through until you have attained the necessary competency and confidence to achieve success. We at Eureka Tutorials Learning Center have prepared an individualized program for each skill to ensure a high band score. We assure the candidate that he or she is adequately prepared for each section.

What is the test format?

The test taker has to acquaint himself/herself with the structure format of the actual test to make him sufficiently prepared for each section. Here are the different areas of competencies.

Listening:

• 30 minutes
• 4 audio recordings
• 40 questions

Reading:

• 60 minutes
• 4 passages (academic)
• 3 passages (general)
• 40 questions

Writing:

• 60 minutes
• Task 1: 150 words (20 minutes)
• Letter (general) – Describe chart/graph (academic)
• Task 2: 250 words (40 minutes)
• Essay (general and academic)

Speaking:

• 11-14 minutes
• Part 1: Interview (personal information)
• Part 2: Short presentation (2 minutes)
• Part 3: Discussion

How do you hone your answering competency for each skill?

Eureka has a program that will help familiarize the student to the types of questions that he or she encounters. Our individualize teaching will focus on each student’s strength and weakness and through practice will eliminate those things that will hamper her progress. The different types of questions are specific to the IELTS that is why practice is necessary.

What is the best way to get a high band score for reading and writing?

Doing timed practice for reading will help the student improve on her answering accuracy. Our program has been organized to give timed practice exercises in which the student is given time to read three articles and allotted 50 minutes to answer 40 questions. We offer a battery of reading exercises which will help enhance one’s reading comprehension skills. Next, for the writing, the student is taught specific writing templates for writing a letter or chart description in 20 minutes and an opinion essay in 40 minutes. The student will be provided with an immediate feedback by the Eurekan English instructor and a series of writing exercises will be given covering a broad range of topics.

What is the best way to get a high band score for listening and speaking?

The student will be provided several English video clips and listening audio recordings to enhance the much needed listening skills. For the speaking part, the student will be engaged in a role playing activity with the IELTS instructor and will be given questions that will encourage him to articulate his thoughts, and speak spontaneously about a variety of topics. Eureka’s comprehensive IELTS program for reading, listening, speaking, and writing is designed to improve the student’s paraphrasing skills, vocabulary development, and ability to read and listen critically which are all integral factors in acing the IELTS test.