Getting Started With IELTS

IELTS in brief

What is IELTS?
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a English proficiency test conducted by British Council and IDP. It helps to test if a person has basic English language skills when going to a English speaking country for academic or immigration purpose. Candidate must choose to sit in either the Academic or General training IELTS test.


>> Academic IELTS test is for individual who plan to study in English at University or colleges and it is designed to test the understanding and use of complex academic language
>> General training IELTS test is for individual who require general level of English proficiency mainly for immigration purpose.

IELTS test all the four skills of language i.e Reading, writing, speaking and listening.

SCORING
Scoring of the exam is done based on basis of band scale of 1 to 9 in each part of the test. Bands are given for each skill individually based on candidates ability to understand and use that skill. Proficiency is listed as:

                                          Band 9       Expert USer

                                          Band 8       Very Good User

                                          Band 7       Good User

                                          Band 6       Competent User

                                          Band 5       Modest User

                                          Band 4       Limited User

                                          Band 3       Extremely Limited User

                                          Band 2       Intermittend User

                                          Band 1       Non User

                                          Band 0       No Original English Used 

Test Pattern
Test is divided into four section:
>> Listening   (30 minutes)
>> Reading     (60 minutes)
>> Writing     (60 minutes)
>> Speaking    (12-15 minutes)

Test is taken in 2 parts. Listening, reading and writing are taken on 1 day in a single sitting but in different section whereas speaking is conducted separately, it can be taken either before or after the date of listening test.