INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF LANGUAGES (ICOL)

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INTRODUCTION TO THE IELTS TEST

The IELTS test has two forms: the Academic test (or module) and the General Training test (or module). The module that you take depends on the reason that you are taking it for. Generally speaking, the Academic Module is for those people who are trying to gain entry onto undergraduate or postgraduate education courses or for professional reasons. The General Training Module is for those people who wish to join some kinds of vocational or training courses, secondary schools or for immigration purposes.

Both Academic and General Training modules try and reflect real life situations to test whether a candidate would survive in English speaking social and academic environments. For example, the Part 2 section of the speaking asks candidates to talk, after 1 minute's preparation, for 1 to 2 minutes on a given general topic. This would test General Training candidates to see if they could give a “work related presentation" to fellow work colleagues and would test Academic candidates if they can give a “university style presentation" to fellow students. It tests whether candidates have the English language capability to perform these tasks under some kind of pressure.

The IELTS test (both Academic and General Training modules) is divided into four parts: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The listening and speaking tests are exactly the same for the Academic and General Training modules but the reading and writing tests are different. Thus the test appears like this (in the order that you will take the different parts):

	ACADEMIC	GENERAL TRAINING
Listening	4 sections; 40 questions. 30 minutes	4 sections; 40 questions. 30 minutes
Reading	3 sections; 40 questions 3 long texts Time:1 hour	3 sections; 40 questions 3 long texts 1 hour
Writing	2 tasks Time:1 hour	2 tasks 1 hour
Speaking	3 sections Time:11 – 14 minutes	3 sections 11 – 14 minutes

THE FOUR PARTS OF IELTS ACADMIC TEST

1. THE ACADEMIC READING TEST

This is a 1 hour test in 3 sections with 40 questions based on 1 reading text per section (ie: 3 reading texts). The length of the Academic reading test will be between 2000 and 2750 words. Candidates are given a question paper and an answer paper. They may write on the question paper but they may not remove it from the test room after the test. All answers must be put onto the reading answer sheet before the end of the hour – there is no extra time after the 1 hour set for the academic reading test for the transfer of answers to the answer paper.

A variety of question types is used. Questions types that you will see will usually come from the following list:

• multiple choice
• short answer
• sentence completion
• notes/summary/diagram/flow chart completion
• choosing from a heading bank to identify paragraphs or parts of the text
• identification of writers opinions/ideas – yes/no/not given
• identification of information in the text – yes/no/not given OR true/false/not given
• classification
• matching lists or phrases

Texts are taken from magazines, journals, books and newspapers. Texts are for an undergraduate or postgraduate readership but assume NO specialist knowledge of the subject. All reading passage topics will be of general academic interest. At least one text will contain a logical argument. One text may include a diagram, graph or illustration. If there are any words or terms of a specialist technical nature, which candidates would not be expected to know, then a short glossary will be provided.

2. THE ACADEMIC WRITING TEST

The AC writing test is of 1 hour duration. Candidates are required to do 2 tasks.

The Academic Writing Task 1 asks the candidate to describe in his or her own words factual information given to the candidate in pictorial form(s). The pictorial form(s) could be a line graph, a bar chart, a pie chart, a table or a picture describing a process. There could be a combination of these input forms. Candidates must write a minimum of 150 words.

The Academic Writing Task 2 asks the candidate to write an essay on a general academic topic. Candidates must write a minimum of 250 words.

3. THE ACADEMIC SPEAKING TEST

The IELTS Academic Speaking Test is the same for both the AC and GT modules. The test is conducted with 1 examiner and 1 candidate. The Academic Speaking test is recorded. The Academic Speaking Test is divided into 3 sections.

Section 1 The Academic Speaking Test Section 1 begins with some general introductory questions. This is followed by some questions on personal information similar to the type of questions one would ask when meeting someone for the first time. Finally the examiner asks a series of questions of 2 topics of general interest. (4 – 5 minutes)

Section 2 The Academic Speaking Test Section 2 is a monologue (1 person speaking) by the candidate. The examiner will give the candidate a card with a subject and a few guiding questions on it. The student must talk for 1 to 2 minutes on this subject. The examiner decides on the exact length. The student has an optional 1 minute in order to prepare for his talk and is provided with some paper and a pencil in order to make some brief notes. After the candidate's talk the examiner will ask 1 or 2 brief questions in order to finish off the section. (3 – 4 minutes)

Section 3 In the Academic Speaking Test section 3 the examiner will ask some more questions generally related to the subject spoken about in section 2. These questions will be more demanding and require some critical analysis on the part of the candidate. (4 – 5 minutes)

4. THE ACADEMIC LISTENING TEST

The IELTS Academic Listening Test is the same for the AC and GT modules. The candidates will listen to a tape and answer a series of questions. The tape will be played ONCE only. The Academic Listening Test is in four sections with 10 questions in each (ie: a total of 40 questions) and will last for about 30 minutes with an extra 10 minutes at the end to transfer answers to the answer sheet.

A variety of question types is used in the Academic Listening Test. Questions types that you will see will usually come from the following list:

• • multiple choice
  • short answer
  • sentence completion

• notes/diagram/flow chart completion

TIPS WHICH CAN HELP TO PREPARE YOURSLEF IN BETTER WAY

1. READING MODULE TIPS

• All have a reason to read a passage (start to take interest into the topic).
• Increase your personal speed.
• Increase your sentence reading speed.
• Manage your time carefully.
• Time is your enemy.
• Remember the test is meant to be change.
• Develope a memory for English.
• Read the topic stances of paragraph.
• Read the instruction carefully.
• Instructions contain clues about the information of the passage.
• Always look at the examples.
• Examples are the correct way to answer, in summarized form, tell more about passage it self.
• Don’t forget to make logic guess.
• Check your answers grammatically true.
• Check your spelling.
• Make sure that your answers easy to read.
• Always write all your answers on the answer sheet.
• Complete the sentence. (Grammatically correct).
• Sign post key words/phrases (where the answers can be found).
• Destination key words/phrases (Close to answer and often from the part of the answer phrases).
• Titles … give the rough idea about main topic if not, word out while reading passage.
• Headings help you to predict what passage is about.
• Bold print words are very important.
• Scan the information and predict and large amount of information.
• Read each art of questions in the logic order.
• Questions themselves provide you value able hints, links, idea contain in

The passage, specific information on your first reading.

• Use questions key words and phrases to find the answers.
• Questions may come before and after the questions.
• See how many questions …… from where to where.
• Likely to be false/true.

TYPE OF QUESTIONS IN THE READING SECTION:

• Match making.
• True/ false.
• Gap fill task.
• Sentence completions.
• Table, chart, diagram completions.
• Multiple choices.
• Short answers.

INSTRUCTIONS: –

1) For sentence completion task & gap fill summary first as its help you in

Understanding others questions.

• Scan and skin.
• Sweep your eyes across the page slowly & smoothly, starting at the top left, in working your way across &down the page in wave like motion.
• Don’t read every word & don’t rush.
• Simply guiding your eyes with your finger, pen, pencil. Stop for a moment when you are going to read something important, that you have found and continuing slowly back and forth, across & down the page.
• Guide your eyes across the page using first three fingers or your index fingers.
• Read the topic sentence or paragraph first.
• Topic sentence …… first, second, third and last.
• Read all the key words in the whole paragraph.
• Matching task.
• Read the whole paragraph from top to the bottom if you have time to read it.
• Leave the most different match to lose.
• Firstly solve the easier match first.
• It is useful to match to match at least three areas of information in a possible answer before closing the answer.
• Place the task across the page where one question end and other start.
• Read the sentence before and after the answer.
• Summaries the part and the whole passage for the conclusions.
• Read it for the general understanding for the text.

2. SPEAKING MODULE TIPS

GREETING &INTRODUCTIONS

• Good afternoon. My name is ……
• Hello my name is… but most of my friends call me …

FACTUAL INFORMATIONM COMENTS

• Generally. Now, let me see.
• Usually. Surprisingly enough.
• Most of time.
• On the whole. Interestingly enough.

INTRODUCE YOUR OWN OPINION

• In my opinion. Well, personally speaking.
• I personally think. It seems that.
• I believe that. From my point of view.
• I feel that. As I see it.
• To my mind. I’m quite convinced that.
• I’m fairly certain that.

PRACTICE CARD

Describe a person whom you admire.

You should say: –

• Who this person is.
• What he/she is like.
• The length of time you have admired this person.
• For what this person is well known.
• Explain why you admire this person.

TASK CARD B

• To start with…
• I would like to begin with…
• I would like to tell you about…

CONNECTIVE

So, next, also, beside, as well as, and then, perhaps, I should mention, after ward, although, however, not only…but, on the other hand, yet, other wise, what, more, though.

FOR EXPLES

• For instant. For on thing.
• Take the way. To give you an idea.
• Take for example. Namely.

FOR COMLETION

• So, in the end.
• To finish off.
• All in all. I’d like to finish with.

COMPARING & DIFFERENCE

• The main difference. Just a little difference.
• One of the differences. Totally difference.
• In contrast/on the other hand. Slightly difference.
• Similarly/like wise. Where as/while.

SPECULATING

• It may/could/might (well) be that May be.
• It’s quite possible that. I guess.
• I imagine that. I suppose.
• I expect.

JUSTIFY

• That’s why. You see.
• § To be honest.
• § Let me explain.
• § The reason why.
• What I mean is. What I’m saying that.

FOR THINK IN DISCUSSION

• Now let me think…
• It difficult to say that…
• That’s an interesting question….
• How shall I put it?
• The best way I can answer is this…
• Hon, that’s a difficult question. Let me see…
• I’ll have to think about that…
• Let’s put it this way…

IN SPEAKING MODULE

There are three parts.

• Speak on a specific topic.
• Discussion topic.

In 1^st part examiner ask you about

• Your self.
• Your home.
• Work or studies.
• Or other familiar.

In 2^nd part examiner ask you about

• Your city.
• Any industry in your country.
• Your favorite personality.
• On some current issues.

In 3rd part examiner ask you about

• Some questions related to 2^nd

INTRUCTIONS

The speaking module assesses whether candidate can communicate effectively in English. The assessment takes in to account fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.

SOME IMPORTANT THINGS

There are some sentences, which are the proper way to communicate ours emotions like,

DISSATISFACTION/DISLIKED

• Un happy about/don’t like…
• I am not comfortable about/with…
• … Is not was I expected/was expecting.
• … Does not suit me/my need.
• … Is too + adjective e.g. he is too good.

GRATITUDE

• Thanks you very much for….
• I am great full to you for….

REGRET/APOLOGY

• I am sorry that I….
• I regret that I ….
• Please accept my apology for + v + ing.
• Please for give me for….
• Unfortunately/regrettable I …

ANNOYAMCE

• Although I stated that…. yet…
• Despite of my request for….
• Even though I telephone about…yet….
• Need/ want/ desires.
• What I am looking for this…
• What is suit me best this…
• I am keen to…
• I would very much like to…
• I would be great full if you could…

PLEASURE/SATIFACTION

• I delighted about/by….
• I thoroughly enjoyed…
• ….was very impressive/enjoyable.

REQUESTS/SUGGESTIONS

• I would like to…
• I am very much interesting in v 1^st + ing.
• Could I suggested that…
• Please avoid v 1^st +ing.
• Wouldn’t is be better if you …
• I would recommend that you …
• I would appreciate it if …

COMMON CONNECTIVE WORDS

ADDITION SEQUENCE CONSEQUENCE

In addition Firstly As a result

And Initially Thus

Similarly Secondly So

Like wise To begin with There fore

As well as Then Consequently

Besides Next It follow that

Furthermore Earlier/Later There by

Also After this/that Eventually

More over Following this/that Then

And then Afterward In that case

Too Admittedly

Not only…but

Even

Beside this CONDITION DEFINATION CERTAINLY

Obviously If Is

Certainly Unless Refer to

Plainly Whether Means

Of course Provided that That is

Undoubtedly For Consist of

So, that

Whether

Depending of

EXAMPLES REASONS TIME

For instant Since Before

One example As Since

For example Because of As

Just as Due to Until

In particular Owing to Meanwhile

Such as The reason why At the moment

Namely In other word When

To illustrate Leeds to When ever

Cause As soon as

Just as

: SUMMARY:

In conclusion In summary

Lastly Finally

To sum up To conclude

To recapitulate In short

: CONTRACT:

How ever On the other hand

Despite In spite of / Despite

Though All though

But On the contrary

Other wise Yet

Instead of Rather

Where as In contrast

Altematively None the less

Even though Compare with

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How to get test date:-

By British Council :- Call at 0800-22000 0r 111-424-424 you need to have copy of NIC (2 color copies) copy of Passport (Optional) + 2 Passport Size photograph.

By Australian IELTS (AEO)

Islamabad 191-A, Street 10, E-7 Islamabad Phone: (051) 2654327, 2654157 Mobile: (0301) 8567776 Fax: (051) 2654215 ; Office Timing (09:30am to 5:30pm) Monday to Saturday

Karachi D-98, Block 4, Clifton, Karachi 75600 Phone: (021) 5879645/6/7 Mobile: 0302 8264264 Fax: (021) 5879648 Office Timing: 09:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday 10:00am to 3:00pm Saturday

Lahore 24-E, Zaman Park Behind Aitchison College Canal Bank Lahore Ph: 92 42 6278936 , 6286220, 6286444, 6286466 Fax: 92 42 6360416 Mobile : 92 300 4880804 Office Timing 09:30 to 5:30

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