IELTS full form stands for the International English Language Testing System. It is an English language ability exam, which evaluates a candidate’s ability to converse in the English language across all four essential modules: speaking, writing, reading, and listening.
There are Two Types of the IELTS Exam:
- Academic
- General Training
Test-takers must know beforehand, which module is required for their purposes, as the scores are not interchangeable. Each test has a duration of two hours and forty-five minutes. Test-takers are required to pay IELTS fees for administration of the exam.
Broadly speaking, IELTS is taken by individuals who wish to study, live, or work in a country where English is the primary language of communication. In particular, the test is taken by three fundamental classifications of individuals:
The individuals who need to study in an English-medium school, university, or college in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand
The individuals who wish to apply for immigration to nations, for example, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
The individuals who need to prove their English capability to meet the prerequisites of professional associations or regulatory bodies in various countries
The IELTS has existed since 1989. Today, more than 3 million tests are taken in more than 140 countries every year.
Computer-Based IELTS:
The Computer-based IELTS, as the name suggests, is IELTS taken on the computer instead of the pen and paper test, which is traditionally associated with the IELTS. The structure, patterns and questions remain the same as the pen and paper version. Even how you book for the IELTS test is unchanged.
IELTS used to conduct computer-based tests in 2016 for the students willing to study in the UK. However, both the British Council and IDP have introduced Computer-based tests for all the students. The most beneficial part of the Computer Delivered IELTS is, the results are declared in 5 to 7 days. The students can choose the time they are convenient with, and there are more test dates for the Computer Based IELTS tests.
IELTS Eligibility:
There are no strict eligibility criteria for IELTS exam as such. Candidates who are willing to prove their English language proficiency for any cause can appear for IELTS. However, it is not recommended for children under the age of 16.
IELTS Syllabus:
There are four modules of IELTS exam, as with many language tests. The test consists of Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. The test seeks to assess the proficiency of test-takers in these various aspects of the language including sentence structures, grammar, vocabulary and the general usage of the language.
IELTS Exam Pattern:
For IELTS, unlike the rivalling TOEFL, the Speaking module has a separate day of the exam than the other three modules. That translates to three modules on one day, reading, writing and listening. There is a separate appointment for the speaking module. The three modules that fall on a single day have a time duration of 2 hours 30 minutes in total. The speaking module has different time duration for everyone, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes.
IELTS Preparation:
To prepare for IELTS, one needs to work on their vocabulary and grammar the most. However, there are many aspects of a language that one needs to understand before even reaching the intermediate level. There is a number of IELTS materials available on various websites, or you can check out the IELTS test centres list made by Jeduka in your city.
IELTS Exam Fees:
The IELTS fees vary with the location and country one resides in. The fees may vary around $170 – $180. There are also fees for rescheduling or cancellation, that one needs to be aware of.
IELTS Exam Dates:
There is no fixed exam for the IELTS test. The candidate has to choose his or her nearest test centre and book from the dates that are available on these days. The test centres and TOEFL Exam Dates may vary with localities, countries and your test provider you are going with (British Council, IDP or Cambridge). Here is all you need to know about test centres and TOEFL Exam Dates: TOEFL Exam Dates
You must be prepared well for your IELTS, as it is not an easy task to clear the exam. don’t worry much for your test day, here we have mentioned some useful strategies to help on the test day: Tips and Advice for the IELTS test day
IELTS Registration:
The registration of TOEFL can be done both online and offline, however, most of the students opt for the online as it is a convenient and secure method. There is a step by step process to be followed to book for an IELTS exam that candidates will have to follow. The registration will also help you later with your scores, appointments and refunds if there are any.
IELTS Results:
As you might already be aware of, the results/scores are scored on the scales of bands. The range of these bands is from 0 to 9, where 9 denotes the utmost fluency in the language. The scores have a validity of two years, after which the scores expire and one cannot access them. Also, the institutes will not accept the scores either.