Preamble

It is undeniable that the main factor contributing to a good score at proficiency tests like IELTS is the candidates’ knowledge of the language. This knowledge accompanied by proper tips and strategies, however, will help candidates achieve a higher score. During these webinars, the team aim to assist candidates to achieve their desired scores.

Listening

The listening test includes four sections with a total number of 40 questions which will take almost 40 minutes to complete. There is an array of question types including filling blanks, matching, multiple choice questions, etc. At the end of the test there will be a 10-minute transfer time to write the answers on the answer sheet. Being familiar with the British accent will be necessary so long as the recordings are mostly in British English. Also, candidates should recognize content words and should make intelligent guesses about missing words and their parts of speech. Test makers largely benefit from paraphrasing as a tool to gauge the difficulty level of the test. What’s more, distractors play a major role in misleading the candidates as speakers change and correct their ideas and details. Candidates should also be precise in terms of spelling not to lose marks.

Reading

There will be three sections with a total number of 40 questions which will take 60 minutes to complete. As opposed to the listening test, there will be no transfer time in the end. Candidates should familiarize themselves with different question types as each demands a specific strategy. While some questions have their answers in the passage order, others may not follow the same pattern. Time limitation seems to be the biggest challenge at the reading test, so candidates should adopt an effective attitude toward managing their time properly. Recognizing keywords is an essential tool, albeit not the only one needed.

Writing

There will be two tasks to the test with a total time of 60 minutes. While the academic module requires candidates to write a report on a graph in the first task, the general one asks them to write a letter. Task two, which is similar for both modules, requires candidates to write an essay of at least 250 words on a given topic. Candidates will be scored based on 4 band descriptors, namely task achievement, cohesion and coherence, lexical resource and grammar and accuracy.

Speaking

The speaking test will take 11 to 14 minutes to complete. There will be three parts to the test including an array of questions. Candidates speaking will be assessed based on 4 band descriptors, namely fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy and pronunciation. Standard accents of English are acceptable. The examiner has been trained to provide a stress-free session for the candidate to perform to their best level of proficiency in speaking.