Are you planning to study abroad or move to another country for work? If yes, you will be asked for your IELTS score to prove your English ability. You can consider hiring a home tuition teacher to help you prepare for the IELTS exam.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of the most popular and well-regarded English language exams for global education and migration. Anyone planning to move abroad, either for studies or work, has to give this exam and clear it to obtain a good score.
The IELTS exam includes four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. You’ve to clear all these sections and obtain the given cut-off marks. Let’s discuss all four sections of the IELTS test.
Understanding IELTS Exam Format
1. Listening – 30 Minutes
It is the first part of the IELTS test. In it, you’ll put on your headset to listen to four pre-recorded texts (conversation or monologues by native speakers) and answer the questions that are asked on their basis. These questions will test your ability to understand the English language, ideas, factual information, and opinions of native English speakers.
Further, this section also tests your ability to understand the purpose of what is said to you. A point to note down here is, this section is not as easy as it sounds. Different accents and voices of native speakers are used to introduce the difficulties. Further, you get to hear the recordings only one time.
In general, the listening part is further divided into four categories :
Section 1
You will hear a small conversation between two people. This will be a social, everyday kind of conversation, such as a grocery store.
Section 2
Here, you will listen to a monologue in a social context, such as a speech on global warming.
Section 3
You will hear a conversation between not more than four people in a training or educational context—for example, a university professor and a few students discussing their curriculum.
Section 4
A monologue on any academic subject, such as a college lecture.
2. Reading — 60 Minutes
The Reading part consists of 40 questions. In this section, you’ll be asked different types of questions to test your reading skills under different scenarios. These scenarios include reading for main ideas, gist, skimming, detail, understanding logical argument, recognizing the writer’s opinion, purpose, and attitude.
The Reading section is again divided into two categories. These are as follows:
1. Academic Version
This section includes three long texts ranging from factual and descriptive to analytical and discursive. These lengthy texts are authentic and generally taken from newspapers, journals, books, and magazines.
2. General Training Version
In this section, you will need to read extracts from sources like newspapers, books, notices, magazines, advertisements, and guidelines.
3. Writing:60 Minutes
Here comes the third part of the IELTS test. The writing section checks your ability to write in the English language. Just like other sections, it is also divided into two sub-sections:
Academic Version
The Academic version of the Writing part includes two tasks. These include general topics suitable for anyone seeking higher education or professional registration. The two tasks are as follows:
1. You will be given a chart, table, graph, or any diagram and asked to summarize it or explain what it depicts in your own words.
2. You’ll be asked to write an article or essay in response to a problem, an opinion, or an argument.
These tasks need to be written professionally.
General Training Version
This sub-section also includes two tasks based on general topics.
1. You will be given a situation and asked to write a letter explaining that situation. This letter can be written in any style, formal, semi-formal, or personal.
2. You will need to write an essay responding to a problem, argument, or point of view. This essay needs to be written in a more personal style than what you’ve written in the Academic section.
4. Speaking: 12-14 Minutes
This is the final and also the shortest part of the IELTS test. This section will take your speaking ability into account. Note that everything you say during this assessment will be recorded.
Below are three subsections of the Speaking part:
1. You will be asked a couple of general questions such as your introduction, family, home, work, education, hobbies, and so on. This will last for not more than 5 minutes.
2. You’ll be given a random card with a particular topic name on it. You need to prepare that topic in a minute and give your presentation. Once you’ve delivered the topic, the examiner may ask a couple of questions about it.
3. You’ll be asked more questions on the topic you’ve given in the first part. Here, you’ll have to provide a detailed answer to the questions. This part will last for around 5 minutes.
So, these are all the parts of the IELTS test. As you can see, each and every part of this test aims at thoroughly testing your English speaking, understanding, reading, and writing ability. Hence, you need to prepare nicely to crack this exam and get a good score.
But how to prepare? Let’s find out.
How to Prepare for IELTS Test?
To clear the IELTS test on the first attempt, you need to prepare very well. Below are some great preparation tips for the same:
1. Understand The Test Format
Understanding the test format is the first IELTS preparation tip that can make a big difference. We have already discussed what the exam pattern looks like. Just read it carefully and understand each section and its requirements.
2. Try As Many IELTS Sample Questions as You Can
Check out as many IELTS sample questions papers as you can. This will give you an idea of the questions you’ll be asked in your final test. Not only that, but you’ll also learn to manage your time for each section.
3. Get Online IELTS Coaching
Preparing for IELTS on your own can be a tough task. Although the syllabus is limited, the level of English language you’re asked for can be very tough. Hence, it’s better to find and join the right online IELTS coaching class. Joking the right class will help you prepare in a more focused way under the guidance of English experts.
How to Find The Right IELTS Coaching?
Finding the right IELTS coaching is very important if you’re really serious about your preparation. However, it can be a real challenge looking at the number of online IELTS coaching and courses available on the internet. Here is a tip, instead of enrolling yourself in the so-called “free courses”, search for the right tutors. They will help you prepare for the test in a much better way than those free courses.
But the real question is, where to find the right tutor? Superprof is your answer!
Start Your IELTS Coaching Today With Superprof
Superprof is the most reputed private tutoring platform in India. It allows you to find the right tutor based on your requirements, budget, and convenience. All you need to do is, create your account and provide your requirements. Once done, you’ll be provided with a list of IELTS tutors near your desired location.
You can select the right tutor based on fees, ratings, and reviews and talk to them privately to schedule your classes. What’s more? You can even get offline classes by selecting an IELTS tutor near you. So, don’t wait any longer and head on to Superprof to start your IELTS class today!
