THE ONLY GUIDE YOU’LL NEED FOR THE IELTS EXAM IN 2021

IELTS test preparation is no piece of cake. It involves deep understanding of the format of the test, the marking scheme and a proper plan of action to achieve the desired score. For this, one needs to work on their English skills, practice test skills and a preparation course to keep everything in check before registering for the test.

WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF IELTS?

“The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. It uses a nine-band scale to clearly identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9).”

– IELTS.org

WHICH ONE IS EASIER: THE IELTS GENERAL OR THE IELTS ACADEMIC?

Before evaluating their difficulty level, we must analyse their purpose. “IELTS is available in: Academic – for people applying for higher education or professional registration, and General Training for those migrating to Australia, Canada and the UK, or applying for secondary education, training programmes and work experience in an English-speaking environment. Both versions provide a valid and accurate assessment of the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking” (IELTS.org). That being said, IELTS general is easier than Academic.

IDP OR BRITISH COUNCIL: WHICH IS BEST FOR IELTS?

Both IDP and British Council are part owners of the IELTS exam. They both conduct IELTS exam but neither of them writes it. All tests are compiled by Cambridge English Language Assessment. In terms of accents, IDP follows an Australian accent whereas British Council follows a British accent.

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN IDP AND BRITISH COUNCIL?

There isn’t much of a difference between British Council and IDP for IELTS. It all boils down your preference and availability of test dates and test centres near your home. Find out test dates and test centres here

WHAT IS THE IELTS TEST FORMAT?

There are basically 4 steps in the IELTS test, which begins with the LISTENING for around 30 minutes divided into 4 sections having 40 questions. The second step is READING, for exactly 1 hour divided into 3 sections that consist of 40 questions. Third step is SPEAKING, which takes approximately 10-15 minutes and is divided in 3 parts. The last step is WRITING, which also take an hour and is divided into 2 tasks the first being Reports/ Chart/ Process writing for 150 words and the second being Essay writing for 250 words.

HOW IS IELTS SCORED/MARKED?

The easiest way to improve your score is to know the correct marking scheme and what exactly the examiners want. This principle further helps you achieving better marks, however one cannot simply cram this and score well, this must be combined with the skill and the practice. Focusing on fluency and accuracy always helps. IELTS results are reported on a 9-band scale with 9 being an “expert user” and 1 being an “non-user”.

HOW CAN I SCORE 7+ BANDS IN IELTS?

IELTS is basically an English language test, so the higher your level of English, the better your score should be. Only IELTS test practice and coaching won’t be of any help if your level of English is not good enough. One should at least have knowledge of Basic English in both grammatical and communicational terms. Most English schools recommend at least months of practice period to improve one’s level of English by the equivalent of 0.5-1 band score. To improve your English with certified teachers, check out English Foundation Course.

WHAT IS THE BEST IELTS COACHING CENTRE ?

IELTS preparation course can help you get ready for the test by giving you tips, sample papers, practice tests and basic practical information about the test. This is where we come into play, Our IELTS online coaching program uses the official IELTS online preparation material produced by Cambridge University Press. Our trainers are also certified by Cambridge University Press. Centre For Success offers the most comprehensive IELTS online coaching; and our programmes are crafted to give sufficient practice to students in the techniques needed for taking the IELTS test with full confidence. Our focused training gives the candidates a strong base in English, with which they are able to score the highest bands in IELTS. See Chandigarh’s Best IELTS Coaching. We are also adjusting into virtual world and started giving IELTS Online coaching to help you out in these critical times – See More.

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WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR THE IELTS?

When it comes to improving your English, there’s absolutely no substitute of Practice. The more English you use in your everyday life, the more your skills will improve and higher the chance you have of getting the score you need. Practice doesn’t mean the old boring cramming methods rather it can be fun and enjoyable if you focus on your interests and incorporate English with them. Try creating an environment around in which you are comfortable enough to practice your English skills and indulge this in your routine and you will see a positive change. Get sample question papers here

ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND TIPS –

There are many approaches and strategies that one needs to succeed in the IELTS exam and one of these approaches includes having a good vocabulary. Vocabulary is a huge part of the IELTS test. It covers around 25% of your total marks in the Speaking and Listening modules. It also plays a major role in Listening and Reading modules because the more familiar you are with words, the more you will be able to encapsulate the language. You should implement a vocabulary improvement plan as quickly as possible to gain more time for practicing and actually improving your vocabulary.  

HOW TO REGISTER FOR IELTS –

After being completely prepared with the steps mentioned above, if you believe it’s the time you should go and register for the IELTS test. Although it looks like the easiest step for some people, it can be quite overwhelming because they are not sure if they are ready or not. So, if you are through all the eight steps just go ahead take the leap and book the test. Always keep in mind, Luck favors the prepared! If you want to register for the test, click on the link here

In a nutshell, we believe our students is our Success and Centre for Success always strives to create the best IELTS courses and service which also makes us unique!  

Have some more questions on IELTS? See our FAQs