Everything About IELTS Exam (Your Master Guide)

Do you know English is the most widely spoken language? Almost around 1.5 billion people across the globe use English as their primary or secondary language to communicate daily. With its rich vocab having 170000 words in current use, English is the simplest and easiest language to learn.

While passing through every country, you will find a new English dialect. Even though the words remain the same, it is the accent that makes the English language rich or average. As you are planning to study abroad, and that’s why you have made the search to know everything about the IELTS exam. Then let’s help you with the same.

Today, in this blog, we are going to cover everything you need to know about the IELTS exams. From IELTS full form to IELTS preparation tips, here you are going to get all the information. Hence, without further ado, let’s get started.

What is the IELTS Exam?

As we are starting with our ultimate guide on IELTS, let’s start with IELTS full form.

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is one of the most popular English proficiency exams taken by people who want to study or work in a native English-speaking country, but do not come from an English background of their own.

This English proficiency exam is a widely recognised exam and is accepted in over 140 nations across the globe. The IELTS exam is the best test to assess a candidate’s abilities to listen, speak, write, or read in English.

Started in the year 1989, the IELTS exam is jointly conducted by the British Council, IDP IELTS, and Cambridge English. Any person who wants to go study abroad or work there, they must prove their English language skills. This is the reason why many people turn to the IELTS exam and prepare for it.

If you are someone who wants to go study abroad or work there, then you are at the right place. Because here we are going to explain how you everything about the IELTS pattern to IELTS preparation. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s learn more.

Types of IELTS Exams

There are two main types of IELTS exams. When you are going to take the IELTS exam it is crucial for you to know which type of exam you must take. Here is a breakdown for you for your better understanding.

IELTS Exam Pattern

Before starting to study for the exam, it is crucial for you to know the exam. So, irrespective of your need to take the IELTS exam, let’s help you with the knowledge of IELTS exam pattern and IELTS syllabus. There are four major sections of an IELTS exam and below we have simplified the IELTS pattern and syllabus for you.

Additional Information

1. Scoring: The IELTS band score ranges between 0-9. Where 9 means the exam taker is an expert of the English language and 0 means the person did not appear for the exam. Furthermore, the best score to get admission abroad is anything above 6.0 in all sections.
2. IELTS Validity: The validity of the IELTS band score is for 2 years. If you have taken the IELTS exam and doesn’t go abroad in the two years of time, then you must take the IELTS exam again for the visa and other applications.
3. Exam Fees: The IELTS exam fee for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training is ₹17,000 each.
4. Test Centres: IELTS is one of the most popular exams to study abroad or work there and it is conducted multiple times in a year. Hence, the IELTS test centres are available worldwide for aspirants.
5. Mode of Exam: To make the IELTS exam accessible to all as per their preference, the IELTS exam conducting bodies conduct the IELTS exam in online and offline mode.

IELTS Exam Registration Process

Now that you have gathered adequate information regarding the IELTS exam, it is time for you to prepare you for the registration process. Many students who are taking the IELTS exam for the first time don’t know the accurate registration process for the same. However, to make it easier for you, we have simplified the process. In the below infographic you will know how to register online for the IELTS exam.

NOTE: If you are still confused about the IELTS registration process, feel free to connect with MetaApply IE professionals. Our experts will guide you in filling out the IELTS registration form.

IELTS Preparation Tips

Whenever there is an exam in consideration, the first thing students are intended to do is get this overwhelming feeling. The pressure of an exam comes only when you are not prepared to face it. However, as this is your ultimate guide about IELTS exam, here we are sharing you the secret of how to prepare for the IELTS exam. And trust us, this is no rocket science that you can’t accomplish in 3 months.

Reading Preparation Tips

• Increase Reading Speed- Read newspapers, journals, novels, or English course books every day to increase your reading speed. As you must 60 minutes to answer 40 questions, you can’t spend all your time reading the first questions slowly and finish the end part in a hurry. Hence, build better reading power.
• Develop Skimming and Scanning Techniques- The texts that you will get in your IELTS exams can be MCQs, flowcharts, tables, paragraphs, etc., as you can’t take all the time, prepare yourself for skimming the content. Focus on the main headings, subheadings, and keywords. Along with this underline key information when you scan the text.
• Take Practice Test- The best manner to manage your reading time is to take practice tests. The more practice tests you will take, the better you will understand about how to scan and skim a text without missing out crucial information.

NOTE: Do note that if a question is taking much of your time, then skip it for now and return to it later. However, if even later you are unable to understand the question, then mark the answer as per your educational understanding.

Writing Preparation Tips

• Understand the Task- The writing section for both Academic and General Training contain two writing questions. While the first can be an informal letter or describe a chart, it is the section task that is more crucial. The 2nd task is of essay writing, and ensure you understand the question exactly before starting to write.
• Plan Your Writing– Before you start with the 2nd task of the writing section, it is crucial for you to plan your writing. Take five minutes to plan whether you will write in favour or against of the topic, then divide your content into introduction, body paragraphs, and a perfectly knitted conclusion.
• Stick to the Word Limit- One of the most crucial aspects of IELTS writing exam is proper grammar and sticking to the word limit. Task 1 is of 150 words and Task 2 is of 250 words, make sure you stick to the topic, grammar, and word limit. Lesser words may also lower your score.

NOTE: To ace your IELTS writing section, you must practice writing essays daily. Time yourself to leave the time management skill. If you don’t have much time for the writing section, then work on Task 2 first and then take up Task 1.

Speaking Preparation Tips

• Speak Naturally & Fluently- At the time of IELTS speaking test, instead of hurrying to end the speaking session early, take your time and speak at your natural speed. Calm your nerves to avoid anxious tone, stay confident, and avoid taking too many pauses. The “umms” and “ahhs” can give a bad impression.
• Expand Your Answer- Instead of answering with one word, expand your answer and use idioms if possible. For example, if the interviewer asks, “do you like reading?” Instead of saying, “yes, I do.” Say, “Surely, I enjoy reading. I even flipped some pages last night, because they keep me calm and enhances my knowledge.”
• Record Yourself- The best practice for acing the IELTS speaking section is to record yourself and listen to your speaking abilities. By doing so, you will realise what small mistakes you are making and can timely rectify those errors.

NOTE: The best practice to ace the IELTS speaking section is having conversations with people in English. This will help you talk fluently and ease your anxiousness at the time of the speaking test.

Listening Preparation Tips

• Improve Listening Skills- The best way to crack the IELTS listening section is improving your listening skills. While preparing, listen to English news, podcasts, and audiobooks with different accents. Practice for British, American, Canadian, and Australian English as these are the common ones.
• Watch Out for Traps- While taking the listening test, you have to stay calm and focused. The speaker may change the answers deliberately like, “the event is schedules for Friday, no sorry, it has been rescheduled for Sunday.” This is trick to confuse students, hence you stay focused and attentive all the time.
• Take Practice Tests- To clear the IELTS listening section, you must practice with several past IELTS tests. By constantly taking these tests, you will understand how to manage your time effective and answer your questions correctly.

NOTE: The key to clear your IELTS listening section is by calmly and attentively listening to the questions. Hence, you must practice the skill of listening, attentiveness, and notes taking.

Key Areas Where IELTS Scores are Required

No matter if you are going to study abroad or work there, the IELTS band score is crucial at every stage. Below is the list of key areas where the IELTS band score is required.

For Students

1. University admission- If you belong to a non-English speaking country and want to study in an English-native country, then you are required to submit the IELTS band score along with your university admission application.
2. Scholarships- If you want to study abroad but don’t have adequate funds then you have to apply for a scholarship. The scholarship authorities require the IELTS band score to judge your academic readiness to study abroad in an English-speaking country.
3. Student visa- In the process of studying abroad, you require a student visa for the country you are going to study in. To go study there, you will require a student visa along with an IELTS band score that should be above 6.0.

For Working Professionals

1. Employment- If you are someone who wants to go work abroad in countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand then along with your CV and job application, you are required to send your IELTS band score that must be 6.0.
2. Work Visa- If you have to accepted in an organisation to work abroad, or even going abroad for a work-related trip, then you are required to take the IELTS exam. To get a work visa easily, it is better if your IELTS bad score is 6.0 or above.
3. Immigration- After working in a foreign country for a while, if you plan to immigrate there, then to get a PR to live in an English-speaking nation you are required to take the IELTS exam. For example, if you want to live in the UK and want to apply for a PR there, then you must take the IELTS for UKVI test.

Prepare for IELTS Exam with MetaApply

And with this, the blog comes to an end. In this article, we have made sure to give you all the crucial information you need regarding your IELTS exam.

We understand that when you are taking the IELTS exam for the first time you are completely clueless. The worst scenario occurs when you directly jump to the sample papers without actually understanding the exam.

Do remember that you must avoid directly solving a sample previous year IELTS at every cost because this can shatter your confidence. Hence, if you are looking to ace the IELTS exam, you must take help from the best in this line.

At MetaApply IE, you get assistance for all your exams to study abroad. However, if you specifically wish to crack the IELTS test in one go, then you can join MetaApply’s TestPrep sessions.

Our experts also provide you with IELTS masterclass. These classes are tailored as per student’s preferences. So, if you want to study every day, we have weekday classes for you. If you want to study only at weekends, then we have weekend batches for you. Or if you want one-on-one personalised learning sessions to complete your classes is 10-12 hours, then we have that option for you as well.

Visit our MetaApply IELTS page for more information or connect with our experts today.