ALL ABOUT IELTS EXAM

It is not a secret that the demand for IELTS exam preparation remains very impressive among people who have great desire to study and work in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. There is simply too much information about this test that it`s usually difficult to choose which article you should start with first. For the following reason, we have written this article to provide you with the clearest view of the main exam points.

First and foremost, it is important to remember: IELTS is not an exam! It is a test which assesses candidates’ proficiency in the English language. So, it means that ANYWAYS you will get your certificate in 2-3 weeks after taking it. There are other English examinations such as FCE (upper-intermediate), CAE (advanced English) or CPA (proficiency English). Sometimes, these international exams are required by some companies and Universities abroad. But there is no guarantee that taking these exams you will definitely pass it and obtain your certificate. In this case, IELTS has its specific benefits. As it is a reliable indicator of a candidate’s ability to communicate in English, it is one of the most required documents all over the world.

Nevertheless, there are always some notes to take:

1. As soon as you get your IELTS certificate, start organizing all your paperwork. IELTS scores have a two year validity period. So, don’t waste your time, otherwise you will have to take it again.

2. Apart from that, we would like to draw your attention to the other facts as well. It is highly advisable to start your preparation for one Module- Academic Module or General Training Module. You will need IELTS Academic Module if your aim is to study at an educational institution or to have work which is so-called

“work that requires high levels of language proficiency”. What does that phrase mean? It is a good question! As you know your occupation well, you can easily answer this question yourself. If you take a high position in your company, you need to know English in greater detail and there is a chance that your company can provide you with paid study programs, this Module is exactly what you need. IELTS General Training Module is especially created for those who plan to immigrate and work.

There is no way to say that one IELTS module is more difficult or easier than another one. They just test different spheres of using the language. The parts IELTS Listening and IELTS Speaking are the same for two versions. You will only notice the difference between IELTS Reading and IELTS Writing. Academic Reading and Writing include tasks which check the knowledge of specific English vocabulary and academic genres. For example, you need to write a report or an essay on the topics like “Environment”, “Trend in prices”, etc. The texts for reading will be of the same type. IELTS General Training Writing and Reading deal with the daily use of English. Here, you can be asked to write a letter to a friend, read the contents of a book, to match the number of pages with the description of paragraphs, etc.

3. Candidates are graded on their performance, using levels or bands from 1 to 9. You can find their explanation here www.ielts.org. A good IELTS score goes from 6.0 covering all the parts of the test (Listening, Writing, Reading and Speaking) or the Overall Band Score. If we are talking about this score, your level of English has to be strong intermediate. If you feel that your language level is not enough, it is highly advisable to take an intensive course of English. Some educational institutions require a lower level of IELTS test. That is why you firstly should find out the things they ask from you.

What concerns work visa and immigration - the higher score you get, the better it is for you. Everything depends on the country you are going to. You should always make inquiries. In addition, it`s necessary to remind you that 9.0 is considered to be the highest band which you can only score in some sections of the IELTS. This average band is usually hard to get. In spite of everything, you should always be anxious for success and our tutors from Skype-Language.com will always help you.

Read about each section of the IELTS test and preparation tips in the next articles.

Good luck with preparation!