IELTS Subtest with the Highest Mortality

Tricky is the perfect adjective for the International English Language Test System and it exactly the reason why many unprepared candidates fail the exam. There are four subtests in the IELTS examination, and the mortality – the rate of which test-takers fail – varies. After all, each has its own pitfall.

1.       Listening Exam. What makes the Listening Exam difficult is the accents and the tendency of test takers to fail in following the recording and answering corresponding questions.

Some Tips to Avoid Failure by Listening Exam:

·         Expose yourself to different English accents: British, Irish, Scottish, New Zealander, Australian, Canadian, American, and even Asian English.

·         Learn and apply techniques to be able to track the recording so you do not miss out on the answers.

2.       Reading Exam. The main challenge in the Reading exam is being able to answer all 3 sections within the allotted time, which is 60 minutes of an hour. Also, it is important to note that the reading examination has questions of different difficulty. The most difficult questions consist 1/3 of the entire examination. A lot of students find Reading very difficult especially if the test-taker has no idea regarding the techniques that may help them in the examination. These techniques can be practiced with the help of review centers.

Some Tips to Avoid Failure by Reading Exam:

·         Read more.

·         Learn speed-reading techniques.

·         Learn how to properly attack the different question types in the examination.

The last two tips can be taught to you by your friendly neighborhood IELTS review center.

3.       Writing Exam. The Writing Test is difficult to many students because of its very particular requirements. It looks into the minute details of Grammar and Word Usage, especially if you need a high score like a band 7. The content of the write-up is scrutinized by the examiners.

Some Tips to Avoid Failure by Writing Exam:

·         ALWAYS practice good Grammar and appropriate word usage.

·         Read a lot. This is useful for content development.

·         Ask your review center coach to help you improve your Writing based on the criteria set by the examiners.

4.       Speaking Exam. The difficulty of the speaking test lies on overcoming anxiety for a test-taker to be able to speak clearly and fluently. Also, the so-called individual long turn, wherein the test-taker is required to speak

Some Tips to Avoid Failure By Speaking Exam:

·         This is quite straight-forward: PRACTICE.

Good luck!

Common Questions in the IELTS Writing Exam under the Academic Module

It has always been said that preparation is the key to any endeavor. Indeed, success is possible when thorough planning and preparing have been considered well. For many Filipinos planning to work and study abroad, the first thing they have to do is to prepare their requirements and one of these is by taking an English competency test – the IELTS or the International English Language Testing System exam.
Due to the test’s popularity, hundreds of Filipinos nowadays are looking for IELTS review centers to get training and courses. IELTS review centers have created class courses that enhance the examinees’ English skills in short span of time. Moreover, Filipino examinees consider IELTS review centers a good venue to learn skills and strategies they need, most especially in the writing section. Writing is one section most examinees consider challenging; hence, they need more practice in this area.

The IELTS writing section is composed of two different tasks. The first task asks the candidate to write a 150-word essay describing a process or compare and contrast data presented in graphs, charts and tables. The topics that are covered in this section are very varied. There are graphs representing age differences in countries, spending habits in shopping, or internet activities of particular age groups. In process or chart data, candidates are presented with processes like making cement, picture booth process, precipitation, or charts of deforestation. Examinees need to understand the graph or the diagrams well to be able to interpret it appropriately.

The second task of the IELTS writing section asks the candidates to write a 250-word essay in 40 minutes. Examinees are tasked to give their opinion on a given topic or statement. The topics that are usually given in the second tasks are topics about old age, globalization, science and technology, environmental issues, lifestyle, education issues, and social issues. Examinees need to be familiar with these topics. Questions on these topics are not too technical so candidates do not need to read a lot on these topics.

Coming up with a good essay on both tasks might be a little difficult at first. However, with constant practice in writing essays, candidates will be able to develop their skills in improving their writing styles. Moreover, coaches in IELTS review centers constantly give feedbacks and comments to their trainees’ essays. They will guide examinees step-by-step until their essays become effective and appropriate for the IELTS examination. Indeed, being part of an IELTS review center creates great advantages one can experience.

IELTS in 4 Parts

The International English Language Test System (IELTS) is an English proficiency examination that gives people the opportunity to work, study, or live in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The Philippines may have a population that primarily understands English, but those who wish to ensure that they will be able to take the IELTS in only one sitting should make sure that they prepare for the exam well, such as practicing English at home or enrolling into a review center.

There are four subtests of the IELTS examination that a test-taker should be familiar with. Let’s have a rundown of each:

·         Listening Exam is a four-section written examination that requires the test taker to answer questions based on recordings that are played. The four sections utilize different English accents so the Philippine test taker must be prepared to understand more than the typical American English. There are 40 questions to be answered

·         Reading Exam is the second test taken on the written section of the IELTS. Academic reading is different from General Training reading in terms of content, but the question types are essentially the same. The question types in the Reading exam are said to be very tricky, but a good review center would teach its students the proper techniques to attack these questions. Just like Listening, there are 40 questions to be answered.

·         Writing Examination is the last test you sit during the IELTS written exam. Academic Writing requires you to describe data in the form of a graph, table, or chart whereas General Training Writing is mostly letter writing. Both module would also ask for an essay. Most people find IELTS Writing difficult because they don’t know what “good writing” in the IELTS really is. This is where coaches and teachers from a review center come in. These people have the expertise to pinpoint exactly what changes and improvements your write-ups need.

·         Speaking Examination is usually taken within the five days before you sit your written examinations. It is a face-to-face interaction between an examiner, who may be a native or non-native speaker of the language. It is actually the shortest examination in the IELTS. In the Speaking Exam would really test a person’s confidence and it is helpful if you get as much practice as you can, both at home and at your review center with your teachers.

Good luck!