Individuals who want to work or study in English-speaking countries must take the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test to acquire a certificate that certifies their level of English language proficiency. Please see below a few words about IELTS, the four main parts in this test, the usefulness of this and the topics and means of taking the test.
A few words about IELTS
IELTS is a test or examination of English that is standard and the most recognised in the world. It is administered mainly by the British Council and has been in existence since 1989. After the test, candidates who wish to work or study in a country that adopts an English-speaking environment obtain a certificate that assesses their level of English. Most of these individuals are individuals who want to start an international career and students who want to pursue university studies abroad. Currently, IELTS is accepted by more than 10,000 private and public organizations.
It is the most popular language test in the world, with more than three million people deciding to take it every year. The test exists in 2 versions. The IELTS General training which is made for professionals who want a certificate of English language level to work abroad. This test is necessary to assess the candidates' ability to work or study in English. The IELTS Academic which is intended for students for their integration into a higher education institution in a country adopting the English language for study, training or work experience. It focuses on basic skills for survival in the wider context of professional and social relations in an English-speaking country. It is notably used by immigration agencies in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and Australia. Both versions of the test require online preparation for IELTS with specialized platforms like
Global-exam so that you will not be surprised the day you take the test.
The four main parts in IELTS
The IELTS exam assesses 4 language skills. The Listening which is a similar test to the Academic test and the General Training test. The 4 parts that make up Listening consist of listening to audio extracts, texts, conversations and monologues. The test taker must answer 40 questions based on what they have heard. This test lasts 30 minutes. The Reading is also a similar test for both versions as the Listening, but the texts to be presented are different. The candidate reads 3 texts and answers 40 questions for 1 hour. These texts are of increasing difficulty and are taken from extracts from websites, newspapers, magazines and books.
The Writing test consists of two essays, the 2 texts are composed of 150 and 250 words minimum to be completed during 1 hour. For the subject of the first text to be written on the IELTS Academic version, the candidate must deal with a table or graph. For the General Training, the candidate must write a letter. The second composition of the test is based on a problematic subject that the candidate must develop his/her point of view. The last part of the test is Speaking. In this test the candidate must go face to face with an examiner. The role of the examiner is to assess the candidate's level of English by giving a mark ranging from 1 to 9. The discussion lasts between 11 and 14 minutes and is divided into 3 parts. This is also similar for both versions of IELTS.
The usefulness of IELTS
The IELTS is a very well-known and well-known test of English that is also taken most often. It offers you professional and academic advantages through its recognition by many institutes and universities around the world. It can open up to 9,000 doors for organisations across 140 countries. This includes South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, but also professional organizations, immigration services and non-English speaking nations. In some of the universities and Grandes Ecoles in France, participants in the IELTS exam can be partially or totally exempted from English tests. This type of test allows them to acquire ECTS credits for certain international programmes.
How to take the IELT test
To take the test, you can register online on the British Council website. After being asked to choose the date and place for the test of your choice, you will be asked to fill in a form containing personal information. Then, you must send by post to the British Council a photocopy of the confirmation email, a photocopy of an identity document, your passport photos... These supporting documents must be sent within five days of your online registration. You have the choice to pay the registration fee by credit card, cheque or cash.