What you should know about the IELTS test for overseas job applicants

MANILA, Philippines—Dreaming of migrating to an English-speaking country? Then you will have to take the IELTS Test.

The International English Language Testing System, more popularly known as IELTS, is a language examination designed to assess English proficiency in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS is used for immigration, studies and employment purposes, especially in countries like the United States (U.S), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom (U.K).

In the Philippines it is represented by the Australian IDP and the British Council which administer the test on an average of three times per month for each organization or a total of six test dates for Metro Manila and provincial candidates.

The actual taking of the exam is generally divided into two parts. The listening, reading and writing modules (written exam) are taken in one half-day, morning session. The speaking session is scheduled during the week before a written exam.

The IELTS listening module starts at 9 a.m. You will be asked to listen to a 30-minute recording of several conversations divided into four sections. You will be given a test booklet where you will find questions that you need to answer by listening to the conversation.
There are 40 items. At the end of the 30 minutes, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your final answers to a separate answer sheet.

To prepare for the listening module immerse yourself in the British and Australian language by listening to a CD compilation of the respective language conversations for at least five hours a day for the next two weeks.

To address the grammar issue, it is best that you get a good grammar exercise and vocabulary book and answer all the exercises.

The reading test

The reading exam starts at around 10 a.m. and takes 60 minutes to complete. Unlike the listening exam you will be asked to read the test booklet and answer the questions on the answer sheet within one hour. There will be no extra 10 minutes for transferring the answers. However you will be given a 10 minute warning to inform you of the remaining time. You need to finish the whole set of 40 questions.

Very often candidates, in their desire to get a high score, insist on staying with a difficult item and waste time. Remember you are given the same points for both difficult and easy questions. It would be wise to allot at least one minute for each question. If it takes too long then make a logical guess, mark the question with an asterisk and move on. You can just return to it when you have finished all the questions.

The writing test

The Writing exam starts at around 11 a.m. and takes an hour. The candidate will be asked to write 150 words for task 1 and 250 words for task 2. For both tasks, candidates need to demonstrate their ability to write a response that is appropriate in terms of content, vocabulary and the organization of ideas.

In task 1 of the academic writing exam you will be presented with either a graph, table, chart, diagram, map or drawing and you will be asked to write a summary or description of the information in your own words.

For task 2, the candidate may be asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a particular idea or his opinion on a particular statement. The style of writing for both tasks is formal.

For the general writing exam, you will be required to write a letter either to request for something, give information or explain a situation. The style will depend on the type of letter. For informal letters you can use abbreviations (can’t, couldn’t), and colloquial terms or slang (OK). For the semi-formal and formal style it is best to stick to English words that express a higher level of sophistication.

The speaking test

The speaking examination takes between 11 and 14 minutes to complete. This is a face-to-face, one-on-one interview with an examiner. The exam is recorded. There are three parts of the exam.

In Part 1, candidates will be asked questions about themselves. This usually takes four to five minutes.

In Part 2, the examinee is given a card with a main question and some bullet points on what they need to cover or what they should say in answering the question. They will be given one minute to compose an answer and to make notes. After one minute, they will be asked the question and will be given two minutes to answer. The examiner may ask one or two more questions related to the main question to finish the test.

In Part 3, candidates will be asked questions related to the questions in Part 2. However, these questions will be geared towards abstract issues or ideas. This part lasts between four to five minutes.

It is highly recommended that you wear business attire during the examination to look more professional and to feel more confident. This has a positive effect on your psyche and will reflect on your attitude and performance.

Review centers

You can do a self-review or enroll in a review center. If you plan to review by yourself it is important to immerse yourself in the English language. You need to have the right practice materials and enough time to practice all the modules. It also helps if you devote at least two hours a day every day to any IELTS related activity. You need to be focused, disciplined and flexible.

For those who feel that they need a certain structure to their review, then a review class with a review center can be an option. There are numerous IELTS review providers all over the country. Choose a review center that has an effective teaching methodology and will give you a lot of practice exams using the latest available materials. It would be good if it can offer an unlimited review option at a reasonable price. You should also have enough contact time with the coach or instructor to maximize your learning so it is advisable to look for a review center with a small class size. Lastly, the review center should be flexible enough to adjust to your schedule so you don’t have to take a leave from work or have a major effect on your social or family life.

The author: Tony Santiago is the Head Coach of Queen’s English IELTS Review Center. For comments or inquiries visit www.qeieltsreview.com.