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What is IELTS?

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. If you plan to live, work or study in an English-speaking country, like the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc., then you need to be both fluent and accurate in English. A good score in IELTS can be a testament to a high level of proficiency in English.

IELTS test format

There are two different modules in IELTS, and they are Academic and General Training. You need to select the one that best suits you because there are some variations between them. For example, the sections testing your oral skills, i.e. speaking and listening tests are the same in both modules. However, reading and writing tests vary in format.

Listening test

Listening is the first section of IELTS and lasts for 40 minutes. You’re given 40 questions to answer. You have 30 minutes to prepare your answers plus an additional 10 minutes to transfer your answers.

Reading test

The second section of IELTS is reading test for which you have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions.

Writing test

In the writing section, you need to write two essays or writing tasks in 60 minutes.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

In this task, you are given some visual data in the form of a line graph, table, bar chart, pie chart, map, process diagram and multiple graphs, and you are supposed to distinguish, describe, summarize or explain the visual information in a report of 150 words. You have 20 minutes to complete the report and the reader of your report is a university lecturer. Please consider the following tips while preparing your report:

1. Analyze the visual data to get an overview of the information and structure your report. Focus on general trends, major changes and specific features.
2. Introduction: After recognizing the patterns of the visual data, introduce the visual information in one or two sentences.
3. Body: The body of your report should include 2 or 3 paragraphs. The body should consist of 2 parts:
   1. General Overview: Report main trends in one paragraph.
   2. Specific Features: Describe or explain some specific features.
4. Try to use some intensifiers or adverbs like roughly, significantly, sharply, moderately, noticeably, nearly, and the like. This is especially useful when you need to write approximations while the precise numbers are not given in the visual data.
5. You can write numbers in both word form or digits.

Length of an IELTS essay

1. You need to write your essay with more words than the minimum number, i.e. 120 words in Task 1 and 250 words in Task 2. The best practice for the length of your essay is to consider an additional number of 20 or 30 words except for the minimum requirement.
2. However, your essay should not consist of too many words in a disorganized and messy fashion. In other words, each sentence in your essay must be focused and relevant, and you’re supposed to pay more attention to the quality of your essay rather than its quantity or word count.

Using conjunctions

1. In your essay or report, you can start a sentence with a conjunction like and, but, or for. Conjunctions as transitions make a bridge between the sentences and paragraphs.

Speaking test

Paper-based vs. computer-based IELTS

These days, for either General or Academic Module of IELTS, you can select paper or computer-based test. Both computer test and paper test share the same format, content, and allowed time. So, the only difference lies in your test day experience. Evidently, you’ll take the reading, listening, and writing tests on a computer in a computer test.

However, the speaking test in both computer and paper tests takes the form of a face-to-face interview with the IELTS examiner. In computer-based IELTS, the results are revealed much sooner than the paper-based test. In terms of test availability, computer tests are more frequently administered compared to traditional paper tests.

IELTS Interview on Watching Films

IELTS Candidate: Rupali

1. Hello and good afternoon. I’m Hariri, and in this session, I’m interviewing you for IELTS.
2. May I have your full name please?
3. You should know that this interview is recorded and analyzed.
4. What do you like me to call you in this session?
5. Do you also have a nickname?
6. Do you belong to a large family or a small one?
7. How many siblings do you have?
8. Please mention some of your hobbies.
9. How often do you do physical exercise?
10. What is your mother tongue?
11. Do you know any other languages?

Examiner’s notes

Part 2: Topic Card

Topic Card

Additional Questions

Examiner’s Notes

Part 3: Follow-up Discussion

Questions

1. What is your favorite genre of movies?
2. Do you also like animated movies?
3. Which one do you prefer more, books or films?
4. Why?
5. Is it important to spend your free time properly?
6. Why?
7. Some people believe that your spare time should not be scheduled? Do you agree?
8. Are you satisfied with your time management?

Examiner’s Note

Overall Assessment

• Accuracy and Grammar:
• Fluency:
• Lexical Resources:
• Pronunciation:
• Relevancy:

IELTS Speaking Test on Visiting Places

IELTS Speaking Test on Visiting Places

IELTS Candidate: Sasan

Part 1: Introduction

Questions

1. May I have your full name please?
2. What shall I call you? Do you want me to call you Sasan?
3. Sasan, where are you from?
4. How long have you been practicing English?
5. Do you prefer to study English alone or with your friends in groups?
6. What do you want to learn English for?
7. Do you have a lot of friends?
8. How much time do you spend socializing with your friends?
9. What’s your idea about keeping pets instead of socializing with friends?

IELTS Speaking Test on Giving Gifts

IELTS Candidate: Sasan

Part 1: Introduction

Questions

1. May I have your full name please?
2. Would you please tell me a little bit about your profession? What do you do?
3. Do you like your job?
4. Is your job relevant to your field of study?
5. Is your job rewarding?
6. How long have you been in this profession?
7. Have you been in this job position for four years?
8. Mention some of your favorable recreational activities.
9. Why do you think it’s necessary to have recreational activities?

IELTS Speaking Test on Reading Books

IELTS Speaking Test on Reading Books

IELTS Candidate: Sasan

Part 1: Introduction

Questions:

1. What shall I call you? What’s your full name, please?
2. Do you have any nickname in English, any fictitious name?
3. What nationality are you?
4. Do you belong to a large or small family?
5. What are you specialized in?
6. What do you want to get the IELTS certificate for?
7. Do you know any additional languages, apart from your mother tongue and English?
8. How do you evaluate your French knowledge? Are you a beginner, advanced or intermediate student?
9. How do you compare French and English?

Greeting the IELTS examiner is the first thing you do as soon as you enter the IELTS speaking examination room. As a result, you can create a good first impression on the IELTS examiner if you greet him/her professionally. Greeting the IELTS examiner takes place before Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking section. That’s why greeting the IELTS examiner is technically called Part 0.

Video of greeting the IELTS examiner

Questions about Your Name

During greeting, the examiner introduces himself/herself to you in the following ways:

Good afternoon. My name’s Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl. What’s your full name?

Could you tell me your full name, please?

Your Possible Responses

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl. My name’s Kourosh Afshar.

You can mention the examiner’s name or not. It’s your choice.

You should not give a title to the examiner and mention his/her first name as it is incorrect in English.

Wrong: Good afternoon, Dr. Mohammad Hossein.

Right: Good afternoon, Dr. Hariri.

Right: Good afternoon.

It’s better to use a contraction while mentioning your name to show that you are accustomed to a higher level of pronunciation and fluency. Besides, in the rest of your interview with the examiner, try to use contractions as far as you can:

My name is Kourosh Afshar.

My name’s Kourosh Afshar.

You can also give the examiner your English name if you have any. For example:

You can call me by my English name, Alex.

Questions about Your Nationality

Where are you from?

Could you please tell me where you come from?

Your Possible Responses

I’m from China.

I come from Iran.

I’m from Tehran, which is the capital city of Iran.

In the sentence above, some further information has been given about the candidate’s location, which is recommended. However, remember that you should not give too much information about your location or nationality.

Note that in this part of your exam, you should not ask the examiner any question, for instance:

I come from Berlin. Have you been there?

I’m from Moscow. I think you should really go there.

While referring to the city or country where you live, bear in mind that you should pronounce your homeland in English, and not according to your mother tongue:

I’m from Afghanistan. /æfɡænəstɑn, -stæn $ -stæn/

Questions about Your Identification

Could I see your identification please?

Can you show me your identification please?

May I see you ID please?

Note that “ID” is the abbreviation for identification.

Your Possible Responses

Here you are.

Certainly, here you are.

Of course, here it is.

Some Further Points That You Must Consider in the Greeting Section

1. Try to have a nice smile on your face.
2. Strike a pose that shows you are relaxed and confident.
3. have eye contact with the examiner, but do not stare at him/her.

IELTS Speaking Test Sample | National Festivals

IELTS Speaking Test Sample | National Festivals

IELTS Candidate: Arash

Part 1: Introduction

Questions:

1. What do you do to entertain yourself, what are your hobbies?
2. Are you a professional pianist?
3. Do you play any other instruments?
4. We’re about to start the academic year. Are you ready for your university courses?
5. What about your studying preferences? Do you prefer to study in group, all alone, at home or in the library?
6. How do you try to refresh your mind in the middle of your studies?
7. Do you think it will take you much time to prepare yourself for your university courses?

IELTS Speaking Test Sample | Video Games

IELTS Speaking Test Sample | Video Games

IELTS Candidate: Arash

Part 1: Introduction

Questions:

1. So your name is Arash, right?
2. Do you know any other languages, apart from English?
3. Do you know Polish?
4. Did you take any classes to learn Polish?
5. Didn’t you try to learn the grammar of this language?
6. Why didn’t you try to learn it?
7. Is it easier than English to learn?
8. If Persian and Polish are so similar to each other, it must be easier for you to learn it. Don’t you think so?
9. So, how do you communicate with people in Poland?
10. Are the majority of the people in Poland fluent in English?
11. What about your university courses that you are about to attend? Are the classes taught in English?
12. Do you plan to learn any other languages except English?
13. Do you enjoy learning English, or do you have to learn it? And how much do you spend on learning English?

IELTS Speaking Test Sample 18 with a podcast

IELTS Candidate: Arash

Part 1: Introduction

• Get ready to answer some personal questions about yourself.
• Please note that the entire interview is recorded for analysis.
• This is a dialogue or two-way conversation between you and the examiner.
• Time: 4 to 5 Minutes

Questions:

1. So your name is Arash, right?
2. What are you doing these days?
3. Are you a student, an employee?
4. Have you already specified your major?
5. Are programming and graphic design related to each other?
6. Do you live alone, or you live with your family?
7. So, your father does not live with you?
8. So you don’t need to do all the chores or drudgery at home by yourself, right?
9. It’s summer time. Do you plan to go on a vacation?
10. Have you registered for your university courses in the first term?
11. Do you need to prepare yourself for your courses at the university?

✅ Examiner’s Notes

1. Mispronunciations:
   1. Prepare: Stress is on the second syllable.
   2. Development: Stress is on the second syllable.
2. My major is Application Development ➡ My major is going to be Application Development because you are not a university student yet.
3. My course will starts ➡ my courses / studies will start

Part 2: Cue Card

• You have 1 minute to consider the prompts or questions in the cue card or topic card below.
• After preparing your answers, then you have 2 minutes to answer the questions.

Topic Card:

✅ Examiner’s Notes

1. Mispronunciations:
   1. Birthday: /ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/ US /ˈbɝːθ-/
2. … which is city that I’m living right now ➡ … which is the city that I’m living in right now
3. Birthday ceremony ➡ birthday celebration
4. It was really meant to me ➡ it meant so much to me
5. I appreciate that ➡ I appreciated that
6. Such a good friends ➡ such good friends
7. They gave me some gifts that I really liked them ➡ they gave me some gifts that I really liked

Part 3: Details Discussion

• Answer some follow-up questions generally about the topic card asked by the examiner.
• You should be ready to talk about more abstract ideas and issues.
• Your fluency, accuracy (grammar knowledge) and logic will be closely assessed.
• It is not a monologue. Instead, it is a two-way conversation between you and the examiner.
• Time: 4 to 5 minutes

Questions:

1. Do you know the distinction between being reactive and proactive in life?
2. How do you try to manage and handle crises that might happen to you in life?
3. Do you ever try to consult other people in the face of problems?
4. What about others, do you consult, for example, your friends, too?
5. Do you have any sister or brother?
6. Do you believe that problems can make us stronger?
7. Do you think that planning your future can help you to deal with your problems as a reactive person?

✅ Examiner’s Notes

1. Mispronunciations:
   1. Occur
   2. However: stress on the 2nd syllable
2. I’m not predict ➡ I don’t predict
3. At the first moment ➡ at first / at the start / first and foremost
4. I don’t want to bother others persons ➡ … other people
5. It can make us more stronger ➡ they (problems) can make us stronger
6. You are experienced ➡ you become experienced / you gain experience
7. Near to my goals ➡ near my goals
8. I cannot expect what happen to me in the future ➡ … what will happen to me in the future