The International English Language Testing System (IELTS®) online exam is a test accepted by immigration services, employers, and universities in various countries as a requirement for people who wish to study or work in fields that require a standard knowledge of the English language. This test is given in over 121 countries, and the score is presented to the person as a band score, which is based on nine levels of English language understanding. Preparing for the academic IELTS® requires a lot of time, patience, and dedication. It also is essential that the person understand what is going to be asked by the test and how to score well on each of the four sections.
Listening is the first section of the exam. This section tests the person’s ability to understand and keep pace with native English speakers who may have different tones or accents. The person will need to practice his or her ability to anticipate what a person will say because the tester will be able to read through the questions before the recording is played. It also requires the person to practice being able to listen and write at the same time. Writing is involved, so the person should study grammar, especially verb tenses and plural forms of words.
The reading portion of the academic IELTS® is made up of three reading passages with 40 multiple choice questions in total. To score well on this section, the person must be able to identify the main idea, arguments, and factual information presented. He or she should also be able to infer information from the text. To score well on this section, the student should read magazines, books, and articles on a wide variety of subjects, and he should practice identifying the main idea, supporting arguments, and facts.
In the writing portion, the student is required to write a 150-word explanation and a 250-word essay. To score well on this section, the student must be able to present an introduction, supporting facts, and a conclusion that includes the necessary explanations or arguments within the essay. The student must be prepared to present comparisons and contrasts, relate a sequence of events, and present a well-organized argument. Grammatical accuracy is extremely important during this section of the test, and the scores will evaluate the person’s vocabulary range, including use of nouns, verbs, and punctuation.
The last section of the academic IELTS® is the speaking section. To score well on this section of the academic IELTS®, the person must be able to hold a general conversation with another person, and he or she has to be able to answer direct questions about a certain subject. He or she will also be required to present a speech on a selected topic. Being able to converse naturally with the moderator, understand inflection, respond to questions, present the main idea of a passage, and develop an argument, all while adhering to grammatical rules while speaking, are essential skills to obtain a good score.