IELTS experience
- Thread starter spa
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Is it difficult?
Hard to say really. To me it was not really difficult at all. I am not a native English speaker but all my education has been in English language. So, if that is the case with you also, I think it would be a cakewalk.
What would you advize to those who is going to take it?
Practice a lot. English is not something you can "learn" before your test. It is basically a time-based test. Practice will make you confident and you will be able to finish the sections within the alloted time. This is really the key - to finish each section within the alloted time period.
This is entirely my opinion....others may differ.
Hard to say really. To me it was not really difficult at all. I am not a native English speaker but all my education has been in English language. So, if that is the case with you also, I think it would be a cakewalk.
What would you advize to those who is going to take it?
Practice a lot. English is not something you can "learn" before your test. It is basically a time-based test. Practice will make you confident and you will be able to finish the sections within the alloted time. This is really the key - to finish each section within the alloted time period.
This is entirely my opinion....others may differ.
I tried a sample test online. It is very easy but questions are killing me. Do you really have to memorize every detail in the listening section to answer the questions? It looks like they checking your memorizing ability not your listening skills.
And the reading section is kind a weird. You have to apply your logic more than your language skills. Why isn't it just a language test?
TOEFL is harder in terms of language but easier in term of application of some other skills like memory, logic, etc.
And the reading section is kind a weird. You have to apply your logic more than your language skills. Why isn't it just a language test?
TOEFL is harder in terms of language but easier in term of application of some other skills like memory, logic, etc.
It is really easy if you have done your education in English medium and you have lived and worked in an English speaking country. All i did was take a look at the exam format, number of questions in each section, getting used to the look and feel of the exam pattern, what exactly the examiners are expecting in order to grade you etc. I must have spent about 15 to 20 hrs on my preparation. I took a couple of reading and listening mock exams and i was confident enough to take the Exam.
Listening section is not about memorizing, you can write down the answers on the question paper as you listen and then you get a 10 min window to transfer it to your answer sheet. You can expect to hear different accents along with American and British.
Reading section does not check logic or your analytical capabilities, but you can expect some trick questions where you might need to pay attention to details.
Writing section has 2 parts. The second part expects about 250 words, 100 words more than the first part and weighs more in terms of grading. Key is to fill in the required word limit. You will lose marks if you are short of the limit.
Finally, pay attention to the time. The allocated time is more than sufficient, but keep an eye on it.
I got my results and I scored High in all sections. When i applied to CIC earlier, i had underestimated my writing skills and had declared it as moderate but apparently not and i'm pleased to know that my writing skills are very good. Yay!!
Listening section is not about memorizing, you can write down the answers on the question paper as you listen and then you get a 10 min window to transfer it to your answer sheet. You can expect to hear different accents along with American and British.
Reading section does not check logic or your analytical capabilities, but you can expect some trick questions where you might need to pay attention to details.
Writing section has 2 parts. The second part expects about 250 words, 100 words more than the first part and weighs more in terms of grading. Key is to fill in the required word limit. You will lose marks if you are short of the limit.
Finally, pay attention to the time. The allocated time is more than sufficient, but keep an eye on it.
I got my results and I scored High in all sections. When i applied to CIC earlier, i had underestimated my writing skills and had declared it as moderate but apparently not and i'm pleased to know that my writing skills are very good. Yay!!
black haired guy said:
That's interesting
I tried writing section too. Is it really so? They give you dots and you gave to fill them with words? I thought you have to write something.English in IELTS is very easy but questions seem to be tricky. How about speaking? Do you need to speak with the computer?
spa said:That's interesting
English in IELTS is very easy but questions seem to be tricky. How about speaking? Do you need to speak with the computer?
There are no dots to fill. You are given a topic to write on. I was talking about the word count.
You speak to an examiner NOT a computer. It is more like having a conversation with someone.
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Hi All,
i thought I should write abt my IELTS experience. Hope it is helpful to some. I am writing only my experience (not the topics i got ) so that first time test-takers know what conditions to expect on the exam day.
I registered for IELTS in bangalore. my speaking test date was 2 days before my LRW test.
Speaking test
I reached the center an hour before the scheduled time.. I could see only a couple of them like me who reached early.
Thankfully the examiner was available. so in ten minutes they verified our identification. we need to show our passport n hall ticket and they clicked our pic and took thumb impression. They also wrote the LRW seat number and edited the reporting time for LRW test. In the email it was mentioned to reach the venue at 11.15 or so. But they confirmed we need to reach only at 11.30 as the test would commence only at 1pm.
I was asked to deposit my mobile phone and bag and asked to go to the room where my examiner was waiting. You are supposed to tell your full name and show your passport. And they begin to record the conversation and the test has begun that means. Goes on for about 10 mins. For the cue card part, you are given a paper and pen. and a stop watch keeps running.. only for the examiner can see it though.
LRW
You need to carry the same hall ticket that you took for speaking as they would have mentioned the seat number there and it contains the speakingtest stamp. The reason why they ask to come an hour and a half early is that there are hundreds of applicants at the center. They send us in batch by batch acc. to seat num. You need to keep at the cloak room everything except Passport, hall ticket, stationery and water bottle. Again when you reach the floor they send you in your examination room batch by batch. This is because they check your passport, stationary pouch before letting you in.
Half an hour before the exam, there is a data verification form given. Contains name, DOB, mother tongue, seat num, address etc. You need to confirm the details by writing Y/N in the sheet.They collect your hall ticket.
Then they play a test CD to allow you to check if the head phone is working properly.
When it is about the test time, they distribute the answer marking sheet. one side for listening. other side for reading.
you need to fill in the seat num and name details on listening side first. this takes 5 min. use pencil only.
They then distribute the Listening question booklet. fill in your name and seat num there. only then the actual test begins. you need not worry about the delay in starting time cos they play a pre recorded CD that has pauses between the sections. The CD plays for about 30 minutes. Now you can mark your answers in the next 10 mins. They advise you to keep wearing the head phones as they mention when 2 mins are left and again when one min is left.
Then you return your question booklet to them.
Now they ask you to turn to the other side of answer sheet for reading. use pencil only.
you need to fill in the seat num and name details on reading side.
They then distribute the Reading question booklet. fill in your name and seat num there too.
The test center where I gave my exam displayed a clock on the screen. And they set the time to 1hr from when we began. So even if they began a bit late than scheduled time it was fine.
Do not wait till the end Fill in your answers in the answer sheet. you may lose track of time sometimes. So somewhere midway make sure you fill the anser sheet and do it again at the end for remaining.
For writing, they distribute two answer papers. One for letter writing and other for essay. you need to fill your seat num etc again in both the sheets as well as the question booklet but with pen only. you can take extra sheet if you wish for essay. You can write the answer with pen or paper. The clock is set for 1 hr again.
They collect the papers, they return the hall tkt with LRW stamp. I was out of the exam center only after 4.
The test duration is about 45 min for L, 1 hr for R, 1 hr W. But there is about 5-10 mins gap between each section for collecting papers, and distributing next paper, and filling details. You are not allowed to use the washroom most of the time. They have too many restrictions on when you can use it. So take care.
Carry your pencil, sharpener, eraser and pen. passport.hall ticket.water.watch.
Hope it is useful. People can add tips or any info i missed.
i thought I should write abt my IELTS experience. Hope it is helpful to some. I am writing only my experience (not the topics i got ) so that first time test-takers know what conditions to expect on the exam day.
I registered for IELTS in bangalore. my speaking test date was 2 days before my LRW test.
Speaking test
I reached the center an hour before the scheduled time.. I could see only a couple of them like me who reached early.
Thankfully the examiner was available. so in ten minutes they verified our identification. we need to show our passport n hall ticket and they clicked our pic and took thumb impression. They also wrote the LRW seat number and edited the reporting time for LRW test. In the email it was mentioned to reach the venue at 11.15 or so. But they confirmed we need to reach only at 11.30 as the test would commence only at 1pm.
I was asked to deposit my mobile phone and bag and asked to go to the room where my examiner was waiting. You are supposed to tell your full name and show your passport. And they begin to record the conversation and the test has begun that means. Goes on for about 10 mins. For the cue card part, you are given a paper and pen. and a stop watch keeps running.. only for the examiner can see it though.
LRW
You need to carry the same hall ticket that you took for speaking as they would have mentioned the seat number there and it contains the speakingtest stamp. The reason why they ask to come an hour and a half early is that there are hundreds of applicants at the center. They send us in batch by batch acc. to seat num. You need to keep at the cloak room everything except Passport, hall ticket, stationery and water bottle. Again when you reach the floor they send you in your examination room batch by batch. This is because they check your passport, stationary pouch before letting you in.
Half an hour before the exam, there is a data verification form given. Contains name, DOB, mother tongue, seat num, address etc. You need to confirm the details by writing Y/N in the sheet.They collect your hall ticket.
Then they play a test CD to allow you to check if the head phone is working properly.
When it is about the test time, they distribute the answer marking sheet. one side for listening. other side for reading.
you need to fill in the seat num and name details on listening side first. this takes 5 min. use pencil only.
They then distribute the Listening question booklet. fill in your name and seat num there. only then the actual test begins. you need not worry about the delay in starting time cos they play a pre recorded CD that has pauses between the sections. The CD plays for about 30 minutes. Now you can mark your answers in the next 10 mins. They advise you to keep wearing the head phones as they mention when 2 mins are left and again when one min is left.
Then you return your question booklet to them.
Now they ask you to turn to the other side of answer sheet for reading. use pencil only.
you need to fill in the seat num and name details on reading side.
They then distribute the Reading question booklet. fill in your name and seat num there too.
The test center where I gave my exam displayed a clock on the screen. And they set the time to 1hr from when we began. So even if they began a bit late than scheduled time it was fine.
Do not wait till the end Fill in your answers in the answer sheet. you may lose track of time sometimes. So somewhere midway make sure you fill the anser sheet and do it again at the end for remaining.
For writing, they distribute two answer papers. One for letter writing and other for essay. you need to fill your seat num etc again in both the sheets as well as the question booklet but with pen only. you can take extra sheet if you wish for essay. You can write the answer with pen or paper. The clock is set for 1 hr again.
They collect the papers, they return the hall tkt with LRW stamp. I was out of the exam center only after 4.
The test duration is about 45 min for L, 1 hr for R, 1 hr W. But there is about 5-10 mins gap between each section for collecting papers, and distributing next paper, and filling details. You are not allowed to use the washroom most of the time. They have too many restrictions on when you can use it. So take care.
Carry your pencil, sharpener, eraser and pen. passport.hall ticket.water.watch.
Hope it is useful. People can add tips or any info i missed.
RabinJi
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Good tips for everybody. Thank you so much.You are a great.My exam is on November 21.
Regards
Rabin
Regards
Rabin
Confidence is the key. Smile, Enjoy the test. Be brave, Don't let nervousness affect you.
Preparation doesn't matter, Personality does.
You can burn midnight oil for the test, but if you don't live the experience, it's not worth it.
Think like, English is a form of an art. IELTS is an experience to express your art freely.
What majority of people think, English is a tough language that requires practice, practice and practice. IELTS is a tough test that requires practice, practice and practice.
Preparation doesn't matter, Personality does.
You can burn midnight oil for the test, but if you don't live the experience, it's not worth it.
Think like, English is a form of an art. IELTS is an experience to express your art freely.
What majority of people think, English is a tough language that requires practice, practice and practice. IELTS is a tough test that requires practice, practice and practice.
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spa said:
It would be difficult if you arent prepared. In my experience, I got a chance to have a self review for more than a month. I made sure that I have time to take some practice test using IELTS reviewers for at least 2-3 hours everyday, ideally in the morning. (i got 8 different books lol). I also watched loads of youtube videos. Limit your time in answering the questions. Just make yourself used with the actual testing procedures. It is not really difficult if you practice a lot. For me, the writing section is the most challenging part of the exam. Fervent prayer also helped. Good luck!