What is the IELTS score scale?

Band score, Skill level & Description

What is the IELTS STRUCTURE?

The IELTS test consists of four parts:

Listening :40 minutes
Listening module has four sections with 10 questions each in different question patterns such as Fill up the blanks, Multiple choice questions with single and multiple answers and a few more. Answers for the questions should be written simultaneously while listening to the audio on the question booklet (audio will be played only once) and then the answers have to be transferred to the answer sheet. Total number of questions is 40 and total time duration is 40 minutes (30 minutes to listen to the audio and 10 minutes to transfer the answers from the question booklet to an answer sheet)

Reading :60 minutes - (3 passages in the order of difficulty)
The reading module has three passages with 40 questions in total with different question patterns. Reading test analyses reading and understanding skills and accurate answering skills.

Writing: 2 tasks / 60 minutes
Task 1 (General)- letter writing (formal, informal, semi-formal) with 150 words limit - 20 minutes time duration
Task 1 (Academic)- Summary or Report writing with 150 words limit - 20 minutes time duration
Task 2 - Essay writing General topic will be given 250 words limit - 40 minutes time duration

Speaking: 11-14 minutes / 3 sections
Section 1 – comprises two parts a) self-introduction and b) general questions and answers from familiar topics. There will be 6 to 11 questions in this section
Section 2- cue card. There will be one topic with prompts that help candidates to prepare the topic effectually. One minute is given to prepare and two minutes for uninterrupted speaking.
Section 3- discussion / follow up There will be 6 to 8 questions related to the topic discussed in the cue card. Speaking test analyses confidence, spontaneity, thought process, consistency and language skill of a candidate.

Here’s a Bunch of IELTS Tips and Tricks

Tips for Listening

Be attentive during practice; don’t just hear, but listen thoroughly. Read the questions properly and remember that the level of difficulty of the questions can vary throughout the test. Do not panic, at the miss of one or two questions; instead, recover immediately to ensure to follow the audio track not to miss any more questions.
The aim is to NOT make mistakes as much as possible in section 1, since it is deemed the simplest one compared to other sections. Additionally, familiarize oneself with pronunciation so that the candidates don’t find confused by the accents of native speakers.

Tips for Writing

Writing isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. There are several instances where essays often appear bland or incapable of captivating the reader. While it isn’t exactly necessary that one should be able to pen out essays with extreme precision, it’s also, important to avoid the written material from being too discursive. In an IELTS test though, an essay holds much significance, the relatively huge pool of marks acts as a catalyst that could make or break one’s chances to get the ideal score. Here’s the veritable list of IELTS Writing task tips and tricks that might just help make a difference.

IELTS Writing Task Types

IELTS test takers can choose either the GT or the Academic variant of the test. The writing task of either variant consists of two parts although there are a few differences worth noting. The overall time limit for the writing portion of the test is 60 minutes.

• The GT version of the Writing Task 1 has the candidate write a letter of Formal, Semi-Formal, or Informal nature.
• The Academic version of Writing Task 1 requires the candidate to produce a report based on the information they manage to infer from the pie chart, bar graph, table, etc.

Writing Task 2 for either version of the test follows the same format. Test-takers are required to write an essay that matches the tone of the question. This task allows for a lot more creativity and exhibition of one’s writing prowess.

GT Writing Task 1 Details

Task 1 of IELTS GT requires candidates to respond to a given problem in the form of writing a letter either requesting information or explaining a certain situation. The duration that is allotted to this test is 20 minutes and has a word limit of 150 words. Moreover, the letter-writing section of the test can be formal, semi-formal, or even informal; this depends entirely on the question.

Basic rules to remember:

Letter writing in GT Task 1 doesn’t need any address or date to be filled in at the start of the letter.

• Divide the content of the letter into appropriate paragraphs.
• Write the sign-off line on the left side of the page.
• Try to keep all the lines in the leftalignment of the page.
• The final resolution/conclusive paragraphs are to be shorter than the other paragraphs.

Utilize a strategy to finish the letter within the specified time. For instance:

• Spend 2 minutes reading and understanding the task. Try to grasp the objective posed by the question.
• Devise a plan of action as to how and what is going to be written. Allotting 3 minutes for this stage seems ideal.
• Dedicate 12 minutes to writing the answer; make sure to use the right greeting, state your purpose, specify the request/action, and sign off.
• Use the remaining 3 minutes to go through the answer and make the necessary changes. Keep an eye out for the tone and language used, as well as the presentation.

Use a few tips besides having an efficient strategy to authenticate the task:

• Make use of simple and short statements.
• Creative and innovative expressions are a plus.
• Convince the reader of your opinions.
• A courteous tone is appreciated.
• Avoid grammatical and/or spelling mistakes.

Academic Writing Task 1 Details

Academic Writing Task 1 requires the test takers to provide a graph interpretation. It entails the candidate to analyse the graph, chart, or table and present the inference from it in own words. The time limit is the same as GT Writing Task 1 with 20 minutes on the clock with a max word limit of 150 words.

Basic rules to remember:

• Give organization to your writing and make it easy to read by using well-spaced paragraphs.
• Use one paragraph each for the Introduction and Overview along with two body paragraphs to elucidate the data that has been displayed in different graphs.
• Use the appropriate data and the prescribed lexical resource to emphasis the correct information.
• Use short sentences to combat weak grammar.
• Pay attention to the tenses used in the report.
• • Must spend at least two (2) minutes at the end to do a quick review of the verbs and lexical resource used.

Strategy to finish the report within the specified time:

• • Use 2 minutes to read, brainstorm and understand the task; make sense of the topic, the question, and the requirements
• • Allot 3 minutes to plan what is to be written. Devise an Introduction, an overall statement and two Body Paragraphs in 10 minutes, the bulk of the given time should be dedicated to writing the report. Finally, the last 2 minutes to review your answer; verify the content, error check, the language, and the presentation.

Apart from these strategies, here are a few tips:

• • Try and describe a noticeable trend. The changes in values over some time can be easily expressed If there is only one graph with limited numerical data, it’s to be expected that all the numerical data should be explained Likewise, if there are two graphs with a lot of numerical data, it isn’t necessary to provide a detailed explanation of everything.
• Refrain from copying any part of the question in your answer although technical terms can be utilized.

GT/Academic Writing Task 2 Details

The GT/Academic Writing Task 2 comprises the second stage of the Writing section of the IELTS test. Test-takers of both the GT and Academic variants are required to write an essay. The duration of essay writing section lasts 40 minutes with an expected word limit of 250 words.

Test-takers are presented with a certain point of view, an argument, or a problem. The issues are of general interest and easily understood by candidates. Besides, the differences mainly lie in the end goal. Candidates who opt for the Academic variant seek admission to universities while those of the GT variant tend to migrate for professional reasons.

Basic rules to remember:

• The common theme of essays is Opinion, Discussion, Advantage/Disadvantage, Direct Questions, Solutions.
• All words are counted even small or repeated words.
• Word Count should always be over 250 words.
• Use one paragraph each for the Introduction and Conclusion along with paragraphs in between for each the argument that’s being made.

Strategy used to finish the report timely:

• Spend 5 minutes to understand the task, the subject, and generate required information to be presented.
• Dedicate 5 minutes to plan the structure of the essay and the arguments involved along with a suitable conclusion.
• Allot 25 minutes to complete the actual essay. Keep in mind the structure that is to be followed and avoid going off track when trying to elucidate your arguments.
• Spend the last 5 minutes checking the essay text and verifying the veracity of the content.

Besides an efficient strategy a few tips to perform efficiently:

• State personal preferences and provide a passionate argument.
• A mixture of simple, compound, and complex.
• Use synonyms to provide a variety.
• Active voice should be used more than passive voice.
• Learning collocations are also useful.
• Avoid impulsive writing and repetition of phrases.
• Formal English should be used in writing.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR SPEAKING

Most of the IELTS students and candidates manage to score mostly in the vicinity of Band 6 and above when it comes to speaking. The candidates in The Immaculate are intently helped to equip with ideal and effective strategy to improve the speaking ability effortlessly.

The speaking test has three parts:

Part 1 is the interview and introduction sequence along with question and answer randomly from familiar topics. In this section, there are nearly 10 questions to be answered. This section lasts nearly 4 to 5 minutes. Although, it is a mark less session; it does hold significant influence over the first impressions of the interviewer. Hence, the candidate is advised to provide expanded answers rather than merely repeating the words from the question. There is no made-up answer script for the entire speaking test however candidate has to provide direct and relevant answers (so it is worry-free weather the answer is correct or incorrect) that are related to the questions asked in this test.

Part 2 is the CUE CARD, this section lasts approximately 3 to 4 minutes where you will be given a common question on various topics such as festivals, advertisements, the things you bought, your favourite person, a celebrity, or older person, and also about the influence that person has played in your life and admiration. The candidate is expected to provide a lucid explanation with a lot of clarity and organization of the thoughts. It is suggested the best that the topic always has an introduction and a brief explanation for all the prompts below the topic and a conclusion would help to fetch a higher band.

Part 3 is a Discussion or Follow-up; IELTS Speaking Part three lasts approximately four to five minutes, and there would be 6 to 8 questions related to or associated with the topic discussed in the Cue-Card and the candidates need to deliver related and closure solutions. Unlike IELTS Speaking Part 1, slightly elaborated and purposeful solutions are expected from the candidates. It is imprudent to shape the answer with the purpose of assuming what the IELTS examiner’s thoughts would be like.

The candidates need to communicate a version of approximately own views, even if the experience is something that the IELTS examiner may abhor. There isn’t any criterion to mark evaluations in this section. Giving memorized solutions isn’t always a terrific idea. Nevertheless, the candidates need not offer solutions that have organized and by-hearted beforehand.

The examiner will determine the strength of speaking from the rate at which it is communicating, your phrases, and your pronunciation. Keeping in touch with the memorization method may even result in giving beside-the-point solutions which may bring about a low rating. That is why you no longer need to put together any solutions at all! Communicate and pay attention to the examiner/audio system and enhance the quality of your answers.

Candidates need to offer lengthy and defined solutions in three or four sentences. Try to offer a few motives to outline the particular perspective and finish the speech together with remaining ideas. Don’t try and overdo it! If need to use a flowery word, be certain with the precise means of it; otherwise, that could lessen the rating. If an unfamiliar is operated be confident that is very acquainted with the context. Otherwise, It can make the examiner feel the statement out of place, and reduce the rating.

Speak and explain the thoughts with confidence. Even if candidates aren’t certain whether or not the notions are suitable, one could manage to get a band 9. The examiner can pay greater interest to the thought process, oral-fluency and pronunciation. Moreover, cognizance lies in the utilization of an extensive variety of suitable vocabulary.
The capacity to provide error-free sentences is crucial as well. If a student does not recognize the query, request the examiner to repeat it. Request to clarify if something is unclear, after all, we’re human! Take a second or two to gather the bearings and the thoughts instead of going straight ahead and answering the query. During this time, a student could consider a solution. Try to determine a way to collect the thoughts and get geared up to offer an assured speech.

Techniques to Answer IELTS Speaking Part Three Questions

There are numerous sorts of questions inside the IELTS Speaking Part 3. Yet, students could use a powerful method to reply to any form of query from Part 3. Keep in mind that receiving a terrific rating is more vital than any over-the-top idea that the student might propose; the proficiency in the language is what matters. The purpose of a particular point of view gives an instance to guide the factor. It’s accepted to speak about one’s existing experiences. Conclude with a sentence aiding the use of connected thoughts and examples to the problem of the query. The approach defined above is a powerful manner of answering the questions from the IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Q: What competencies do humans maximum need to have today? (You can solve this using the above method)

A: I wager in recent times humans need to have talents in generations as it allows them to have a thrilling process and get an aggressive progress. For example, a pal of mine desires to have a look at special programming languages. He believes that he may want to have a first-rate process with an excessive wage.

Remark: In this instance, we use the primary sentence to reply to the query and make clear our opinion.

• The 2nd sentence is used to offer a possible encounter. And the remaining sentence concludes with the given view. How do have a look at it further? Try to talk as a great deal as you could. Ask your friend to speak to you. If you don’t have a partner, you can rent a non-public teacher. It works satisfactorily in case you discover a teacher who can preserve training via Skype or different online platforms. In this manner, you could ask a query each time you’ve got one and get a reaction in an instant.
• Listen to broadcasting channels along with BBC and CNN. You will study many new phrases and pay attention to the right pronunciation of these as well. You may even get used to English speech.
• The greater you pay attention to an English speaker, the better you may be in a position to speak. Improve your vocabulary and grammar, which makes up 25% of the overall rating of the talking.
• One of the satisfactory methods to develop your grammar and improve your vocabulary is reading. So, examine as many books and articles in English as you could. Make certain to exercise with the pattern exams from reputable Cambridge books. It is vital to get acquainted with questions from reputable sources. It will assist you to get used to the layout they utilize and being better assured in the course of the actual exam.

SAMPLE QUESTION TYPE

Interview

Is the bicycle a good way to move around?

Do you think that there should be a separate lane for bicycles?

Why should a child have a bicycle?

Are you working or a student?

Cue card

Describe a famous person, you should say:

Who he/she is,

Why he/she is famous,

Whether or not you would like to meet him/her and why.

Discussion

Which qualities should a famous person have?

Why does the young generation copy them?

Who were the famous people 50 years ago and who will be famous in the next 50 years?

Should they have a personal life?

If you had a chance to become famous what would be your attitude?

What are the extra perks with THE IMMACULATE IELTS Chennai?

The IELTS test consists of four parts:

Expert Trainers at THE IMMACULATE executes; one-on-one coaching, clarify the doubts, personalized attention, Cambridge Study Materials and listening audios are updated from time to time and Unlimited Course Materials (Soft copies). The immaculate provides a candidate with nearly 200 Speaking Topics, 50 Reading Exercises, 50 Listening Exercises, and 50 Writing Exercises. Full-length Mock Tests will ensure the candidates the levels of their progress in the training undertaken (it is like sitting for an actual test). Scores monitored by our trainers with corrections in the necessary areas.

Frequently Asked Question

Course Materials

With more than 20 years of experience of handling students in the industry, we provide soft copies of the Cambridge series and tips and strategies to all our students who enroll with us.

THE IMMACULATE suggests some of the Best Books for IELTS Self-Study

It is suggested to go through books and reading materials where the institute guides every candidate who enquires for the IELTS preparation with chosen study materials. Here is the the list of recommended IELTS books for a self study, if candidates are brilliant and most of the candidates take a specific skills with THE IMMACULATE.

Recommended IELTS Books for Practice

Best IELTS Books/Guides

Given below is the list of books / IELTS study materials that will give you important tips, strategies, and ideas to ace the IELTS Test. They include free downloads of PDFs.

19 plus IELTS Preparation Books and Videos from the British Council – Videos, Lectures and Tutorials.

Improve Your Skills – A book with the Answer Key for bands from 6.0 to 7.5

IELTS Advantage

Common Mistakes at IELTS Intermediate – author Pauline Cullen

The Key to IELTS Success – author Pauline Cullen

Ace the IELTS

ELTS Task - 2 ( How To Write at a Band 9 Level an E-book – by Ryan T. Higgins

A book of 31 High Scoring Formulas to answer many IELTS Speaking Questions

IELTS Life Skills - the Official Cambridge Test which is a Practice Book - B1 with Answers ( E- book)

Useful IELTS Resources & Websites to Ace the IELTS