IDP Education administers the IELTS in collaboration with Cambridge Assessment English and the British Council. IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing System.

 The purpose of conducting the IELTS examination is to check an individual’s efficiency in conversing in the English language.

 The eligibility for IELTS is that of a minimum of 16 years of age.

 The purpose of appearing for the IELTS exams is as follows:

• Studies: Foreign colleges accept students based on their IELTS scores.
• Work: The professional institutes in English-speaking countries acknowledge the IELTS score of the candidate looking for a job in various fields like engineering, accounting, medicine, law, pharmacy, and education.
• Migrate: Governments of English-speaking countries consider the score of IELTS for a candidate to migrate in their country.

 IELTS Test Format, and it’s working:

The four phases of the IELTS test track four fundamental abilities of a person. These competencies include the following:

• Listening Module: The listening module checks a person’s capability to comprehend the concepts and their ability to comprehend an argument and track its progression. The thirty-minute test includes ten minutes for writing down the answers on a sheet. In the test, an individual is provided with 4 different paragraphs, which can only be heard once, and the candidate has to read the questions about the paragraphs before the module test begins.
• Reading Module: The reading module is similar for both academic and general training, but the level of texts is different. The module measures the proficiency of an individual in reading comprehension and understanding what the paragraph means and what the author implies in the paragraph.
• Writing Module: The writing module focuses on how an individual can use words and vocabulary in writing responses. The academic test involves topics that are appropriate for both UG and PG students, whereas general training involves topics from books, handbooks of companies, and magazines.
• Speaking Module: The Speaking Module in the IELTS test checks how fluent an individual speaks and the range of their vocabulary. The test checks the communication skills of an individual and how fluently they respond to the questions asked by the examiner.

Types of IELTS Exams:

The IELTS Exam can be broadly categorized into 3 types:

• IELTS Academic: This test focuses on the education purpose which refers to appearing for the test for education opportunities in the universities in various countries.
• IELTS General Training: This test is built to measure the practical English skills of an individual; this refers to a person’s English-speaking skills to survive in a corporate atmosphere, workplace, and any social scenario.
• IELTS for Life Skill: The individuals seeking the UK visa appear for IELTS, this test checks an individual’s proficiency in the English language. The test is conducted at levels A1 and B1.

 How to Crack the IELTS Exam:

• The first step is to understand the format of the exam, the exam is conducted in 4 formats, and plan for each of the formats differently.
• The key to cracking an exam is to practice regularly. This will help you to answer more accurately and improve your exam pace, which will help you to improve your IELTS score.
• Students must develop a study plan that will help them optimally use their time; this will help them score well in all the formats of the IELTS examination.
• The students must seek feedback from their mentors, which will help them prepare for their examination.
• The IELTS Examination is conducted with a time limit for response, the students must learn to manage their time in an optimum manner.
• The students must focus on working on their vocabulary and improve it to score better in their examinations.
• The students must practice writing essays and work on their communication skills.
• The best advice for the students is to be calm and have confidence in themselves and their preparation.

 Tips:

• Writing section: practice by writing essays within a prescribed time limit. Work on the format of your essay; improve your vocabulary. When writing the essay, the applicants must assess their work and make the necessary corrections.
• Reading section: practice reading multiple paragraphs and work on your reading skills. The students must improve their reading speed, and they must work on their pronunciation to sound clear while reading.
• Listening section: the students must work on their listening skills; they must take active notes while hearing; they must understand the gist of what is being spoken.
• Speaking section: The student must practice their speaking skills; they must have clarity in their pronunciation of words; they must improve their vocabulary and use them while speaking. The students must speak with confidence.

Conclusion:

The main focus of the IELTS examination is to check the English communication skills of the candidate. The candidate should prepare well and must be confident while appearing for their examination.