IELTS one of the most sought after tests among foreign education and immigration aspirants. This examination is designed so as to assess the English language skills of the candidates who need to study or work in countries where English is the primary language for communication. This examination makes it a point to conform to all the highest international standards of the English language assessment.
What is IELTS?
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of the worlds most preferred and popular tests taken by those aspiring to study, work or migrate overseas. The test is an indicator of the English language proficiency of the non-native speakers across four skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking. IELTS happens to be the creator of four-skill language testing system three decades ago and still continues to set the benchmark for English language even today.
IELTS Test Format
The test comprises of four different sections as mentioned earlier. Out the four skills for which you will be evaluated, listening, reading and writing modules will be scheduled on the same day whereas the speaking module will be take place on a different day for which you will have to select date and time as per your convenience and if you fail to do so, a test date would mechanically be allotted to you. The entire test will take just about three hours to complete.
Types of the IELTS Test
There are two types of the IELTS test
- General Training, for the ones who plan to either migrate to foreign countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK or who decide to work there.
- Academic Training, for the ones who aim to study abroad for graduation as well as post-graduation programs. The IELTS test is accepted by more than 10,000 institutes in over 140 countries across the globe.
The IELTS test allows the test takers to go for any of the two below mentioned alternatives:
- Paper-based Test
- Computer-delivered Test
IELTS Listening Module Format
The listening module consists of four sections with
- 10 questions in each one of them.
- A recording will be played for every section which you are required to listen to attentively.
- The recordings will have native speakers talking about diverse topics based on which there will be questions.
- The question types mainly involve Fill in the blanks, Complete the flow chart/Map and, multiple choice.
- You need to answer these questions correctly without missing any of them.
The listening module format remains similar for both General training and Academic training. This module lasts for approximately 30 minutes with an added 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
IELTS Reading Module Format
Unlike the listening module, reading module has three sections with
- 40 questions nearly equally spread across the three of them
- Is designed to assess you on a variety of reading skills
- Includes different question types such as Multiple choice, True, False, Not Given, Fill in the blanks, Complete the sentence, Give Headings to paragraphs in the text, Yes, No, Not Given.
- You would have to read swiftly to get the gist of the topic in every section, focus on the main ideas and try to understand the writers’ point of view in terms of opinions and arguments.
The Reading module format is dissimilar for General training and Academic training. The language difficulty level of the Academic training is much more as opposed to the General training. However the question types remain alike for both. The duration for the reading module is 60 minutes.
IELTS Writing Module Format
The IELTS writing module comprises of two tasks.
- Task 1 for Academic training requires you to write a summary of minimum 150 words on visual data or information in the form of a pie chart, bar graph, table, process diagram or a combination of any of the first three in 20 minutes.
- You have to point out the peculiar features while making comparisons and contradictions of the data provided using relevant vocabulary.
- End the task with a crisp conclusion.
- Task 1 for General training requires you to write a formal, informal or a semi-formal letter in 150 words within a period of 20 minutes.
- You must form three paragraphs for the letter including Introduction, Body, and the Conclusion.
- The lexical resource or the language must be in sync with the purpose of the letter.
- Task 2 for both forms of training is the same.
- It is an essay writing task which needs to be written in at least 250 words
- Time allotted for this task is 40 minutes
- The topics covered under essay writing range from education, science, technology to general interests.
- It is highly recommended to make use of topic pertinent terminology along with connecting words to link your ideas coherently.
IELTS Speaking Module Format
The IELTS speaking module is carried out in three parts and is recorded.
- It takes about 11-14 minutes of time
- This module assesses your spoken English skills like language fluency, pronunciation, intonation, and few others.
- The first part requires you to introduce yourself to the examiner
- In the second part you will get a cue card mentioning a topic with three sub-topics within on which you have to talk for 1-2 minutes
- The last part is all about discussion between you and your examiner with respect to the cue card topic. Here, your examiner will ask you questions and you answer them suitably.
How is the IELTS test scored?
Listening Module Scores
No of correct answers
|Equivalent band score|
Reading Module Scores (Academic)
No of correct answers
|Equivalent band score|
Reading Module Scores (General)
No of correct answers
|Equivalent band score|
IELTS Band Score Descriptors
|Level of English Language|
|Expert User||Has complete language command; accurate, appropriate, extremely flexible and fluent|
|8||Very Good User|
Has complete command with just few errors, mostly inappropriate words. Can deal with complex situations with detailed argumentation
|Good User||Has good language command but has random inaccuracies, misinterpretations or incorrect words. Can deal with complex situations with detailed argumentation pretty well|
Has effective language command with some errors, misunderstandings or inappropriate words sometimes. Can deal with familiar situations very well
|Modest User||Has partial language command but can deal with overall meaning. Makes recurrent errors. Cannot deal with complex situations well.|
Basic competence is restricted to acquainted situations only. Has problem with understanding and expressing. Unable to use complex language.
|Extremely Limited User||Conveys and understands general meaning in familiar situations. Lot of pauses in communication.|
Real communication not possible except for the most basic ones. Scattered word usage. Has extreme difficulty with spoken and written English.
|Non User||Uses rare isolated words with no ability to use the language.|
|0||Did not attempt the test|
No information provided for assessment.
Why should I choose IELTS?
- It is recognised by hundreds and thousands of colleges and universities across the world which makes it the best option for students aspiring to study abroad.
- Millions of people these days wish to migrate to countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom. The governments of these countries consider IELTS test scores as a valid proof of your language proficiency.
- Numerous law, medicine, engineering, accounting, nursing, teaching and pharmacy professionals seek professional registration with the Govt. bodies in English-speaking countries. These professional registration bodies in several countries take into account, IELTS scores to proceed further with the process.
Best Online IELTS Coaching in Ahmedabad
Online IELTS coaching is best suited for those who are always time-bound and cannot make it to the classroom training. It offers complete flexibility with respect to time and place provided they have an internet connection, which in today’s time everyone has. It saves a lot of time of the students making it an apt option for people with jobs and businesses. Rao Consultants holds multiple online batches for IELTS coaching delivered by our expert faculties. Every student in the batch is attended properly to ensure they understand everything that is taught in the session. Extensive IELTS material is shared with the students over emails for their practice.
Rao Consultants has not confined itself to just be the best IELTS coaching classes in Ahmedabad, but also organises online IELTS batches for international students in Canada and the USA as per their time zones.
Coming to the classroom coaching, Rao Consultants stays intact at the number one position thereby continuing to be the best IELTS coaching centre in Ahmedabad. Apart from mentoring the students in all four aspects of the test, our faculties put extra efforts at improving the students’ grammar and vocabulary through diverse activities, timely mock tests and projects. This ensures the students their desirable scores in the IELTS test.
Rao Consultants is the best IELTS coaching classes in Ahmedabad when it comes to providing coaching for UKVI IELTS which is a type of the IELTS test specifically designed for those who wish to study , work or settle in the United Kingdom. The test modules for UKVI IELTS remain same as the regular IELTS.
The statistical data worldwide clearly indicates tremendous increase in the number of people taking the IELTS test in order to move to a foreign country for further studies or migration purposes. Since it is the world’s leading test of English language holding immense credibility, there is always some pressure on the test takers to acquire an eligible score to serve their motive. As a result, plethora of questions tend to pop up in their minds regarding the test which is pretty obvious. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about IELTS exam along with their respective answers which will resolve a lot of your queries and confusion around various facets of the test.
How do I prepare for the IELTS exam?
There are two ways through which you can initiate your IELTS exam preparation. One is self-study, wherein you can make use of innumerable resources on the internet in the form of eBooks, videos, previous test papers, etc. Another option is to seek accurate guidance from skilled and experienced professionals in this industry. Rao Consultants happen to be the best IELTS coaching classes in Ahmedabad.
What is the difference between IELTS Academic training and IELTS General training modules?
There are two main differences, one with the purpose of the test and other with the format. IELTS Academic module is meant for those who wish to carry out their studies at an international school or university whereas IELTS General is taken by the candidate who plan to migrate to another country to work or settle.
Which countries consider the IELTS test score valid?
Foremost English-speaking countries like the USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia accept the IELTS test score. Also, several non-English-speaking countries accept IELTS test scores too, accounting for more than 140 countries all over in totality.
Which English language accent is more preferred, British or American?
You don’t bag any brownie points for using either of the accents. On the contrary, you may sound bizarre if you attempt to imitate any of the two. The most important thing to keep in my mind while taking your speaking test is to be clearly audible to the examiner with proper pronunciation.
Can I write my listening and reading test answers in capital letters?
Yes, you can provided you spell them correctly otherwise you will end up losing points in both the sections. These minute doubts of yours are promptly addressed if you enlist with the best IELTS coaching classes like Rao Consultants.
How can I improve my grammar and vocabulary?
All you need, to work on both these areas, is a good teacher who can help you assess your weaker points in grammar, make you understand them better and practice over and over again. Learning new words cannot happen overnight, so you need to be consistently practising them with your tutor’s assistance. Other than this, there are multiple ways like reading books of your interest, listening to podcasts, watching English movies with subtitles and a lot more.
This article must have cleared some air about the IELTS test, but there must many more questions arising in your mind that need to be addressed. Hence, it is highly advisable to get in touch with an expert overseas consultant who can mentor you to the right path and dissolve each and every query of yours to your optimum satisfaction and great results.
If you hail from Ahmedabad city, you can take help from one of the top 10 IELTS coaching in Ahmedabad. Approaching the best IELTS coaching classes in Ahmedabad could work wonders for you. Just type ‘Best IELTS coaching near me’ and you will come across reputable institutes for IELTS coaching in Ahmedabad.
Here we have addresses almost everything that you need to know to get started with your IELTS journey. However, in order to achieve your dream of study abroad or immigration you must seek professional guidance to avoid any discrepancies throughout the process. Rao Consultants are always at your service to make this happen which is why it is considered to be the best IELTS coaching classes in Ahmedabad.