What is IELTS?
INTRODUCTION
International English Language Testing System is an examination designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is used as the language of communication.
What does IELTS test?
IELTS covers the four language skills: Listening Reading Writing Speaking
IELTS Test Results
Results are available within two weeks of the test. Results are issued by test centers. Test centers are not permitted to give results out over the phone nor by fax or e-mail. A score is reported for each module of the test. The individual module scores are then averaged to produce an Overall Band Score. Overall Band Scores and Listening and Reading scores are reported in whole and half Bands; Writing and Speaking Band Scores are reported in whole Bands only.
How is IELTS scored?
IELTS provides a profile of your ability to use English. IELTS result will consist of a score in each of the four V skills i. e. Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. This score is then averaged to give the Overall Band Score or final mark. Performance is rated in each skill on a scale of 9 to 1.
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The nine overall Bands and their descriptive statements are as follows: Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language. Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
BAND 9
Expert user
Band 8
Very good user
Band 7
Good user
Band 5
Modest user
Band 4
Limited user
Band 3 Extremely limited user Band 2 Intermittent user Band 1 Non user Band 0 Did not attempt the test
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No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. No assessable information provided.
What is the test format?
IELTS is available in two formats Academic Module General Training Module
The Academic Modules
For candidates taking the test for entry to undergraduate or postgraduate studies or for professional reasons
The general training modules
For candidates taking the test for entry to vocational or training programs not at degree level, for admission to secondary schools and for immigration purposes
Candidates are tested for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules. There is a choice of Reading and Writing Modules Academic or General Training. The tests are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user, with each module consisting of tasks of ascending levels of difficulty.
The test modules are taken in the following order: Listening
4 sections, 40 items 30 minutes Academic reading General Training reading 3 sections, 40 items or 3 sections, 40 items 60 minutes 60 minutes Academic Writing General Training Writing 2 tasks or 2 tasks 60 minutes 60 minutes Speaking 11 to 14 minutes Total test time 2 hours 44 minutes
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IELTS is recognized by universities in many Countries including :
UK USA Canada Australia New Zealand
Nearest Centres, which conduct IELTS, tests are:
Ludhiana Jalandhar Chandigarh Delhi Amritsar Most centers conduct a testing session at least once a month and more often at peak times. IELTS is not recommended for candidates under 16.
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INTRODUCTION AND BASIC TIPS FOR LISTENING LISTENING MODULE: This module consists of four-taped section of increasing difficulty. It consists of two dialogues and two monologues. Section1 and 2 involve speakers talking about social situations and needs. Section 3 and 4 reflect a more educational context. Time limit of this module is 30 seconds. You are permitted to write your answers on question papers but at the end of section 4 you are asked to transfer it on answer sheets.
QUESTIONS YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS MODULE : o o o o o o o o o o Short answer Multiple choice Matching Referring to a map Completing sentences Completing notes Completing a summary Completing a table Completing a form Completing a flow chart or diagram
Try to analyze the following: Who are the speakers? Where are they? Why are they speaking? o In order to understand what people are saying, it helps to know what their relationship is to each other and to you as the listener. o The language we choose to use will depend on our relationship to the other speakers, e.g. we use different language to talk to a family member opposed to a teacher or a salesperson. o Knowing the context of a conversation also helps us to understand the language because it helps us to anticipate what the speakers are going to talk about.
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LISTENING TO SPECIFIC INFORMATION : o What are the key words? o What type of words are they? Sometimes when we listen we are only interested in finding out very specific information such as dates and times, names or key words. It helps us to understand, if we can work out what kind of words we are listening for.
Listening section 1
Table and note completion In this section you will hear a dialogue. One of the speakers may be seeking factual information such as names or dates which you will have to identify. Also you may have to select the right picture, fill in the form or complete some notes. IDENTIFYING DETAIL : When do we need to listen for detail? Why is detail important? IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS : What are the speakers talking about? What are the main ideas and how are they developed? When we take part in a conversation or listen to other people, we subconsciously separate the information that we need that interest us from rest of what we hear. In other words, we separate the main ideas from the supporting detail. Sometimes people use an introductory phrase to attract our attention and to give some clue to the topic. SEEING BEYOND THE SURFACE MEANING : What does the speaker means exactly? How can we interpret intonation? o People do not always say exactly what they mean. o As listeners we must learn to interpret the words people use as well as their intonation patterns. o We will investigate some ways of seeing beyond the surface meaning of spoken language while following a conversation
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FOLLOWING SIGNPOST WORDS : What are signpost words? How do they help us to understand? o Good public speakers and lectures illustrate the stages of their talk through the use of signpost words. o Being able to identify and follow the signpost words will help you to understand formal spoken English.
BEING AWARE OF STRESS, RHYTHM AND INTONATION
How do intonation and word stress help us to understand? o Public speakers and lecturers make use of stress, rhythm and intonation patterns, along with signposts, to divide their information into chunks of meaning. o Learning to recognize these speech patterns will help you to understand formal spoken English.
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Writing
Task 1 of the Writing Module : You are given about 20 minutes to write a minimum of 150 words. You are asked to look at a diagram, table, graph or short piece of text and describe the information in your own words
The following points you should follow while preparing for this module: 1. Preparation: 1. Study the question carefully. 2. Most task1writing involves writing a report that describes some information given. 3. Think carefully about the topic.Outline some pertinent points. 4. Arrange your ideas logically 5. Spend two minutes on this 2. Writing: When writing a task 1 report, include : i) Introductory sentence o explains what you are describing ii) 1-3 body paragraphs : o when discussing the data presented in the task, identify significant trends and give examples that relate to the given information to support your statements. o group your information in a logical order iii) concluding sentence : it may include, o significant comments o a potential solution o an overall summary of the ideas o future implications
3.
Editing : make sure that : o You have followed the instructions carefully o You have written what you have intended o No important ideas are missing
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Writing task 2 :
To make your writing well structured, follow the following points : 1. Preparation : you may take 5-7 minutes working out what exactly you are going to do Consider the following points: o Study the question carefully. Note the key instructional words with a highlighted o pen. o Think carefully about the topic. o Establish a point of view and list some points for development. o Decide which points will be written as topic sentences. o Arrange your points in a logical order. 2. Writing : you could use the following structure for your writing Introductory paragraph : Begin with a general statement Include thesis statement Body paragraphs : C onsist of several sentences arranged in a logical way to develop the main idea. o Try to develop every paragraph adequately o Use examples, explanations, detail, logical inference, cause and effect, or making comparisons
Conclusion : a good conclusion indicates the end of your writing o It gives your final thoughts and assessments on the subject. o Should strengthen your thesis statement
Editing : finally you should check your writing for errors such as spelling or grammatical errors.
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Follow this flow diagram
INTRODUCTION o General Statement o Thesis Statement
BODY PARAGRAPH 1 o Topic sentence including connective word o First supporting sentence o Second supporting sentence o Third supporting sentence
BODY PARAGRAPH 2
BODY PARAGRAPH 2
FURTHER BODY PARAGRAPHS
CONCLUSION o Final assessment with concluding connective
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Speaking Module
The test will be conducted in the following three parts: i) Introduction and interview : You will be introduced to examiner Your name and identity will be checked You will be asked a series of questions that relate to your own personal life. Further questions based on familiar topics. The examiner can repeat the questions only once. This part takes four to five minutes. ii) Individual long turn
You are given a topic and asked to talk about it for one to two minutes.
You will be given one minute to prepare your ideas on a paper with pencil. You will also be presented with a Candidate Task Sheet, which tells you what to describe and what details you should include in your short presentation. After one minute examiner will ask you to begin. At the end of your presentation, the examiner may ask you one to two questions related to your talk. This part takes three to four minutes. iii) Two-way discussion The examiner will encourage you to discuss a series of more general questions related by theme to the topic you spoke about in previous discussion The discussion typically goes into some depth in this part. The examiner will often ask questions that are quite abstract and that require complex answers. This part takes four to five minutes The examiner will then thank you, and that will signal the end of your speaking test Your interview will be recorded on audiocassette.
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BASIC HINTS FOR PREPARING FOR SPEAKING MODULE : Be prepared and try to relax : Be positive and be willing to talk This test is your opportunity to speak, so try to be as willing to talk as you can. Do not simply reply yes, or no, you should aim to be talking for at least 75-80% of the time. Take advantage of every question to show that you are an interesting and informed person. Try to sound positive about your past, present and future.
The examiner is going to check the following four areas of speaking ability: Fluency and Coherence-i.e. o Does your speech flow? o Can you be easily understood? Lexical resources - i.e. o Do you use a reasonably wide range of vocabulary in your speech? Grammatical range and accuracy - i.e. o Do you use English grammar properly when you speak? Pronunciation i.e. o Do you use English sounds, stress and intonation patterns correctly?
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Academic Reading Skills and Strategies in IELTS
What reading skills are tested in IELTS Academic Reading? This is a test of reading comprehension in a general academic context. The texts used and the skills tested are intended to reflect the target language needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students, without bias for or against students of any particular discipline. Candidates may have to:
identify the writers overall purpose, target audience, sources etc. identify and follow key arguments in a text identify opinions and attitudes as opposed to facts locate specific information read for detailed information extract relevant information distinguish the main idea from supporting detail recognise key points for a summary group pieces of information in a text in accordance with salient criteria extract information from a prose text to put into a diagrammatic representation make inferences use correct spelling and correct grammar in their answers
How do we read text? In everyday life we use different strategies or approaches to read different texts. Sometimes we read quickly, skimming for general ideas or scanning for a specific point. Sometimes we read slowly, trying to gain a detailed understanding. How we read depends on the text its length, its type and our purpose in reading it. What is skimming? When we skim a text we read very quickly. We just look at the headings and subheadings and the first lines of each section or paragraph. We also notice the key words that are repeated throughout the text. Our purpose is to understand the gist the general idea of the text. Skimming is a useful strategy to use throughout IELTS Academic Reading. What is scanning? When we scan a text we are looking for a specific piece of information or specific words. We ignore information that is not relevant to our purpose. Scanning is a useful strategy to apply when the questions ask for specific factual information. It is also a useful strategy to use to find the section of a text about which a question is asked. What is reading for detail?
When we read for detail we read every word in a text and think carefully about the meaning of every sentence. It is often necessary in IELTS Academic Reading to read a certain section of a text in detail in order to answer a question correctly. Usually a candidate must skim or scan the text first to find the right section and then, having found the relevant section, read for detail
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Tips for Students
Remember to read the instructions carefully. The instructions will tell you where to find the answers, what you need to do, what kind of answer is required, and how many words you need to write. The instructions will also tell you if an option can be used more than once, and will remind you to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet. Remember that the questions for certain task types follow the order of information in the reading passage. Remember to read all the questions very carefully. Practise scanning for key words in the extracts or the reading passage that match the items. You can also practise scanning for paraphrases of key words. Remember that in most tasks which involve writing words or numbers, e.g. Short-answer Questions, the answers have to be grammatically correct and spelt correctly. Accuracy in spelling and word form are very important and you will be penalised for incorrect spelling. Use the information provided in the notes, tables, diagrams or flow-charts, as well as any examples, to predict the type of information that is required. In classroom activities, discuss the type of information you need for each task type you might meet in the test. Underline key words and phrases when you read as well as paying attention to key words in the questions. Practise using synonyms, summary words etc. to help you locate information. Practise different ways of expressing the same ideas or information in a text. Practise reading skills such as skimming and scanning for information. Some students are convinced that only test practice will really help them, and want to do test after test. This can be discouraging, as they do not see the rapid progress they would like. You should read widely, e.g. newspapers, journals, magazines and books, and use materials from these sources when preparing for the test. Be aware of the different text types and how best to approach them. Practise the full range of IELTS Academic Reading task types. Take time in class to discuss the differences between task types and the skills that are being tested. You should make sure that you understand that there is more than one way to read a text. Some students believe that they must read every text slowly and carefully, underlining every unknown word and stopping to worry about it. You should remember that your main aim is to locate the answers to the questions. You do not need to read in the same way you would if you needed to memorise something. You should try not to worry too much about the presence of unknown words, and you should also practise guessing meaning from context. Try not to look up every unknown word in the dictionary. Make sure that you read the instructions carefully in every case: many task types contain variations, and it is easy for you to confuse them if you do not check carefully what it is you are required to do. You should remain conscious of time limits during the test, and you should move on rather than spending too much time on a particular question to which you are unable to find the answer. Be aware of the dangers of relying on locating the exact words in the text that you find in a question: practise using paraphrases and locating paraphrase in a text. In task types where the information is located in order in the text, remember you dont need to go back to the beginning of the text for each question.
Take care when you need to copy a word or words from the text onto your Answer Sheet. Copying incorrectly will lead to loss of marks. Make sure that you get some practice in using an Answer Sheet.
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DOs and DON'Ts
Keep an eye on the time: it will probably seem to pass very quickly, so take care not to spend too much time on any one passage or question. Remember that you only have 60 minutes to answer the questions and to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet. Start at the beginning of the test and work through it. If you cannot do a particular question, leave it and go on to the next. You can then return to that question later if you have time. Put a mark next to this question on the Question Paper so that you can find it again quickly. Answer as many questions as you can. Look carefully at the title of the passage and any subtitles and illustrations it may have. You can get a quick idea of what the passage is about from these. Read the instructions for each set of questions very carefully: it is important to do exactly what you are asked to do Where appropriate remember to skim the questions before reading the passage so that you have a purpose for reading. Make sure you give the passage a quick read through so that you are familiar with the topic and how it is developed in the passage. An understanding of the text structure can be very helpful in answering the questions. Use the glossary, if there is one provided, to help you understand unfamiliar words. Pay attention to any examples that are provided. Make sure that your answers keep to the word limit asked for: if you are asked for NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, for example, then do not write more. Make sure that you copy words accurately from the text: spelling mistakes will mean that you will lose the mark for that question. Make sure that where you have to write an answer yourself, your answer is grammatically correct, (e.g. Short-answer Questions, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion).
Don't waste time reading the whole passage each time for each set of questions. Remember that many task types ask you to locate or check details in the text. In cases like this you need to skim quickly through the passage rather than read it all carefully. Don't go back to the beginning of the passage for each question when you know from the task type that the answers will come in the order of the information in the passage. Dont forget that questions can come before the reading passage as well as after. Don't become anxious if there are questions you cannot answer. Leave them and move onto the next questions. You can always come back to the ones you couldnt answer at the end of the test if you have time. Dont worry if you dont understand every word. It may not be necessary to understand all the words in order to answer the questions correctly. Dont forget that you must write your answers on your Answer Sheet. You will not be given extra time to do this at the end of the test. Dont write more than one answer when only one is required; even if one of your answers is correct, you will not receive a mark.
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DOs and DON'Ts Activity Worksheet Read about these candidates and the things they did when they took IELTS Academic Reading. What advice would you give them? Choose the correct advice from the options. 1. Y u kiko f ind s o ne of th e q ue st ion s in Pa rt 2 of h e r t e st ve ry d if f icu lt ; sh e sp en d s mo re
t ha n te n min u te s loo kin g fo r t he an swe r. Sh e sho u ld
move on to the next question immediately.
read the whole passage carefully again.
C look calmly for another few minutes before moving on. 2. Me i- li h as be en a ske d to an swe r a q ue st io n in t h ree wo rd s o r le ss. S he is no t su re of
t he an swe r a nd writ e s f ou r wo rd s. Sh e sho u ld
A B
leave it. - the correct three words will probably be among the four. quickly check the passage to find a way to eliminate one word.
C read the whole passage carefully again. 3. A ziz cop ie s th e wo rd stu d en t on to h is an swe r sh e et , bu t he writ e s sd un e t by
mist a ke . He sh o u ld
A B
leave it it is clear what he means. draw lines to show which letters should be moved to correct the spelling.
C rub it out and write it again. 4. S at in d ra d oe s no t fe e l co nf id en t un le ss he re a d s t he p assag e ca re f u lly fo r e ach se t of
a nswe rs. He sh ou ld
A B C
remember that time is limited and use reading strategies to save time. try to read the whole passage more quickly. underline any words he does not understand so that he can find them quickly.
5. Na ta lia b eco me s ve ry u p se t be ca u se she t h in ks t ha t on e o f h e r a n swe rs is wro n g . S he
sho u ld
A B C
give two answers just in case. rub it out and leave it blank. forget about it and move on.
Aim: to help students remember things they should or shouldnt do in IELTS Academic Reading.
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SPEAKING TOPICS FOR PRACTICE
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.
Vacation Animals & Pets Arts Charity Christmas End of the Year Clothes and Fashion Colour Books Computer Crime Culture Death & Dying Drugs Education English Literature Entertainment Environment & Pollution Family Favourites Fears Food & Eating Friends Health Home Hometowns
32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46.
Parenting Restaurants & Eating Out School & College Social Problems Sports Supernatural, Ghosts, Superstitions Transportation Travel Weather Neighbours Relatives Picnic Birthday Photograph Project
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27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
Jobs & Occupation Marriage Money and Shopping Music Names
