Before you plan to study or settle abroad, the first and foremost thing you need to keep in mind is the eligibility criteria. A person who speaks English as a second language but aspires to settle in a country where English is spoken as a first and official language needs to take an IELTS test before he/she proceeds for further formalities. In this blog post, we are going to brief you about everything you should know about IELTS course Punjab.
What is IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Test System. It is one of the most comprehensive and competitive English language tests which evaluates the English language proficiency of non-native English language speakers. IELTS is the widely accepted test besides PTE, TOEFL, TOEIC, etc. Academic institutions and professional organizations across the world including Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, US, etc. accept IELTS. IELTS evaluates the performance of the test-taking individuals on a scale from “band 1” to “band 9” with “band 1” being non-user and “band 9” being an expert user. “Band 0” is awarded to those individuals who do not attempt the test at all.
Structure Of The Test
IELTS is divided into two modules, namely, academic module and general training module.
- Academic IELTS Module- Individuals who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as doctors and nurses take the IELTS academic test.
- General Training Module- Individuals who intend to move abroad with a purpose to undertake non-academic training or to gain work experience, or for immigration purposes undertake general training module.
The only difference between the general and academic training module is the content, context, and purpose of the tasks. The other features and structure of the test remain the same in both the tests.
Parts of IELTS Test
IELTS test is divided into four following parts:
- Listening
The module consists of 4 sections with 10 questions in each section. It takes 40 minutes to complete this section including 30 minutes for testing and 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the answer sheet. Each section begins with a short introduction telling the test taker about the situation and the speakers. Then the test taker is allowed to look at the questions. You hear each section only once. In the end, 10 minutes are given to the test takers to transfer the answers to an answer sheet. Incorrect spellings and grammar affect the results negatively.
- Reading
The reading section is divided into three sections. This section consists of a variety of questions from MCQs, short and long answer type questions to labeling diagrams and completing the summary questions. The academic module consists of topics of general interest whereas the general training module includes topics of general interest, as well as which, deals with work. The total time allowed is 60 minutes. Test takers lose marks for incorrect grammar and spellings.
- Writing
The writing test should be completed in 60 minutes and is comprised of 2 tasks. Task 1 requires the test taker to write at least 150 words and is to be completed in 20 minutes. Task 2 is to be completed in 40 minutes and the test-taker is to write at least 250 words. If the answers are too short and do not relate to the topics, the test taker loses marks. The answers are to be written in full sentences and bullet points or pointers should not be used while writing answers.
- Speaking
The speaking test is a face to face interview between the test taker and examiner and is divided into three sections. The first section includes a quick introduction and interview in which the examiner asks general questions from the test taker. In the next section, a task card with a particular topic is given to the test taker on which he prepares for 1 minute and then he talks about the topic for 2 minutes. In the third section, there is a general discussion between the examiner and test taker about the topic on which the test taker has spoken.
The test taker has 2 hours and 45 minutes approximately to complete the test. The individual scores of all the four sections are rounded and averaged to calculate the overall band score. Generally, a 6 or 7 band score is considered an average band score and is accepted by most of the institutions across the world. You can take the IELTS test through online or offline mode. The registration fees for IELTS exams administered after 1 April 2018 was INR 12,650. The IELTS test score has a validity of 2 years. We at O2 Masters provide an affordable IELTS weekend course.