ALL ABOUT

IE L TS
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 All About IELTS

Contents
IELTS 1

What is IELTS? 2

Types of IELTS Exams 4

Marking Scheme 5

Exam Structure 5

Speaking 6

Reading 7

Listening 9

Writing 9

Some Extra Information 12

 All About IELTS

IELTS
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a globally accepted test
that assesses proficiency in the English language. Candidates who don’t have English
as their first language take the IELTS test to prove their English language skills when
moving to an English-speaking country for study, work or immigration. There are over
140 nations in the world that accept the IELTS test as a credible English language qual-
ification. In this blog, we will be discussing all the aspects of IELTS as well as useful tips
on how to crack IELTS.

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What is IELTS?
The IELTS is managed by IELTS, British Council, Cambridge Assessment English in coop-
eration with IDP. This exam is of two kinds depending on the purpose of the test. The
IELTS Academic is the test for those planning to study abroad. If you want to migrate
or shift to another country for work, the exam you have to take is the IELTS General
Training. Irrespective of whichever form of the IELTS you appear for, the eligibility crite-
ria remain the same.

It is compulsory to give the IELTS exam if you want admission to the

academic and training programs in Canada, New Zealand, UK and
Australia. The IELTS score is accepted in more than 3000 US Universities
and other such institutes around the world.

Apart from the academics part, numer-

ous MNC’s and organizations require
your IELTS score, especially if one of the
branches of the country is located in an
English speaking country.

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IELTS is considered as the only English Language Test that is secure enough to be offi-
cially approved for UK Visa applicants by the UK Visas and Immigration. The immigra-
tion authorities of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand accept IELTS Score making it
the best substitute for TOEFL.

Although IELTS does not have strict rules like other examinations like GRE or GMAT, it
has certain rules that need to be adhered to. Some of the rules for IELTS eligibility are:

You should be possessing a

non-expired and valid passport.

Minimum 16 years of age is

compulsory.

If you are planning to migrate or

study in Canada, Australia, USA
or New Zealand.

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Types of IELTS Exams

There are 2 different types of IELTS that a student can appear for.

IELTS General
IELTS General is an
exam that is appeared
by candidates who are
wanting to migrate,
train, or work in a for-
eign country. There is
not much difference
between the two tests.
The writing section in
General IELTS differs
from that of Academic.

IELTS Academic
IELTS Academic is an
exam that is appeared
by candidates who are
planning to study
abroad for higher edu-
cation. This also can
help students get schol-
arships in some univer-
sities.

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Let’s take a look at the difference

between the two clearly

IELTS General IELTS Academic

• This exam includes general • This exam includes academic
writing and general reading. writing and academic reading.

• This exam is for individuals • This exam is for students wish-

wanting to migrate, train, work or ing to pursue their higher educa-
in case of secondary education. tion.

• This exam is mostly attempted • This exam is mostly attempted

by those who want their visas for by students wanting admission
an English speaking country. to foreign universities.

Marking Scheme
For both the IELTS exams, all the candidates are based on a band of 0-9 in each of the
sections. The final score is calculated on the basis of the average of all the 4 sections.
There is also a possibility for the students to get a 0.5 in their band in the average of all
4 sections as well as individually, however, If the average of the four sections ends in
0.25 or 0.75, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next half band or the next
Band respectively.

Pro Tip: Although there is no specification of scores that you

should get unless there is a university demand, it is good to
aim for at least a 7.5 overall band.

Exam Structure
The IELTS exam is subdivided into the following four sections

Speaking Reading Listening Writing

Let’s discuss all these individually with some sample questions of each.

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Speaking
The speaking section tests your ability to speak in English. It is judged on the basis of
the following aspects.

Fluency and
Cohesion Vocabulary Grammar Pronunciation

All the parameters hold equal weight and are tested while the test is going on.
This section consists of 3 parts. Each part is 5 minutes long and the whole section is 15
minutes long. In all the sections, you will be given some topics on which you would
have to present your views and thoughts. You will also be given some prep time for
each section (1 minute).

Some sample topics for each part are:

Why do you enjoy walking?

How popular is walking in
Part -1 your country?

Describe a wedding cele-

bration which you attend-
Part -2 ed and enjoyed immensely

Why are people scared of

visiting dentists in your
country?
Part -3 How have equipment and
anesthetics change the
visit to the dentist during
the years?

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Reading
The reading section is testing your reading skills as well as comprehension skills. You
are given 3 passages and are asked to answer based on these passages. You get 20
minutes per passage. These questions are all objective types, for example, MCQs, True
or False, Yes or No, etc. In total, you have to answer 40 questions in this section.
Here are some sample questions to help you understand the types of
questions asked:

The Story of Silk

The history of the world’s most luxurious fabric, from ancient China
to the present day
Silk is a fine, smooth material produced from the cocoons- soft protective shells- that are made
by mulberry silkworms (insect larvae). Legend has it that it was Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor,
ruler of China in about 3000 BC, who discovered silkworms. One account of the story goes that as
she was taking a walk in her husband’s gardens, she discovered that silkworms were responsible
for the destruction of several mulberry trees. She collected a number of cocoons and sat down
to have a rest. It just so happened that while she was sipping some tea, one of the cocoons that
she had collected landed in the hot tea and started to unravel into a fine thread. Lie Tzu found
that she could wind this thread around her fingers. Subsequently, she persuaded her husband to
allow her to rear silkworms on a grove of mulberry trees. She also devised a special reel to draw
fibers from the cocoons into a single thread so that they would be strong enough to be woven
into a fabric. While it is unknown just how much of this is true, it is certainly known that silk cultiva-
tion has existed in China for several millennia.

Originally, silkworm farming was solely restricted to women and it was they who were responsible
for the growing, harvesting and weaving. Silk quickly grew into a symbol of status, and originally,
only royalty were entitled to have clothes made of silk. The rules were gradually relaxed over the
year until finally during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), even peasants, the lowest caste, were
also entitled to wear silk. Sometimes, during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), silk was so prized
that it was also used as a unit of currency. Government officials were paid their salary in silk and
farmers paid their tax in grains and silk. Silk was also used as diplomatic gifts by the emperor.
Fishing lines, bowstrings, musical instruments, and paper were all made using silk. The earliest
indication of silk paper being used was discovered in the tomb of a noble who is estimated to
have died around 168 AD.

Demand for this exotic fabric eventually created the lucrative trade route now known as the Silk
Road, taking silk westward and bringing gold, silver, and wool to the East. It was named the Silk
Road after its most precious commodity, which was considered to be worth more than gold. The
Silk Road stretched over 6000 kilometers from Eastern China to the Mediterranean Sea, following
the Great Wall of China, climbing the Pamir mountain range, crossing modern-day Afghanistan
and going on to the Middle East, with a major trading market in Damascus. From there, the mer-
chandise was shipped across the Mediterranean Sea. Few merchants traveled the entire route;
goods were handled mostly by a series of middlemen.

With the mulberry silkworm being native to China, the country was the world’s sole producer of
silk for many hundreds of years. The secret of silk-making eventually reached the rest of the world
via the Byzantine Empire, which ruled over the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe, North
Africa, and the Middle East during the period 330-1453 AD. According to another legend, monks
working for the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian smuggled silkworm eggs to Constantinople (Istan-
bul in modern-day Turkey) in 550 AD, concealed inside hollow bamboo walking canes. The Byzan-
tines were as secretive as the Chinese, however, and for many centuries the weaving and trading
of silk fabric was a strict imperial monopoly. Then in the seventh century, the Arabs conquered
Persia, capturing their magnificent silks process. Silk production thus spread through Africa, Sicily,

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and Spain as the Arabs swept through these lands. Andalusia in Southern Spain was Europe’s
main silk-producing center in the tenth century. By the Thirteenth century, however, Italy had
become Europe’s leader in silk production and export. Venetian merchants traded extensively in
silk and encouraged silk growers to settle in Italy. Even now, silk processed in the province of
Como in Northern Italy enjoys an esteemed reputation.

The Nineteenth-century and industrialization saw the downfall of the European silk industry.
Cheaper Japanese silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated by the opening of the Suez Canal,
was one of the many factors driving the trend. Then in the Twentieth century, new manmade
fibers such as nylon started to be used in what had traditionally been silk products, such as
stockings and parachutes. The two world wars, which interrupted the supply of raw material from
Japan, also stifled the European silk industry. After the Second World War, Japan’s silk production
was restored, with improved production and quality of raw silk. Japan was to remain the world’s
biggest producer of raw silk, and practically the only major exporter of raw silk, until the 1970s.
However, in more recent decades, China has gradually recaptured its position as the world’s
biggest producer and exporter of raw silk and silk yarn. Today, around 125,000 metric tons of silk
are produced in the world and almost two-thirds of that production takes place in China.

Questions 1-9
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-9 on your answer sheet.
THE STORY OF SILK
Early silk production in China
• Around 3000 BC, according to legend:
Silkworm cocoon fell into the emperor’s wife’s 1. _______
The Emperor's wife invented a 2. ______ to pull out silk fibers.

• Only 3. _______ were allowed to produce silk.

• Only 4. _______ were allowed to wear silk.
• Silk used as a form of 5. ________
E.g. farmer’s taxes consisted partly of silk.

• Silk used for many purposes.

E.g. evidence found of 6. ______ made from silk around 168 AD.

Silk reaches rest of world

• Merchants use Silk Road to take silk westward and bring back 7. ______ and precious metals.
• 550 AD: 8. _________ hide silkworm eggs in canes and take them to Constantinople.
• Silk production spreads across Middle East and Europe.
• 20th Century: 9. _______ and other manmade fibers cause decline in silk production.

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Listening
The listening section
tests your comprehen-
sion skills in a conversa-
tional format. This is a
30-minute long section
where you are made to
hear pre-recorded con-
versations and asked to
answer questions based
on the conversation. You
are also permitted to
look at the questions and
make notes of the con-
versation that you are
listening to.

Writing
The writing section tests your writing skills as well as how efficient you are with com-
munication. This has 2 parts to it. The first task is related to data interpretation which
marks for 33% of the writing section. You are given 20 minutes to write about the data
provided. The second part is an Essay Question for which you have 40 minutes. You
are asked to write 250 words on a specified topic where you have to share your take
on a situation and share your opinion on the same, providing a reason for the take
you have on the topic.

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Task-1
In the first task, you are expected to look at a certain presentation of the data
which might be in the form of a pie chart, line graph, bar graph or any other format.
You are then supposed to read and analyze the data and interpret it, along with
sharing what the data is showing. Let’s understand it with the data interpretation
question:

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CO2 emissions in metric tonnes

United Kingdom
8
Sweden
6
Italy
4
Portugal
2

0
1967 1977 1987 1997 2007

The graph above shows the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person
in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and
make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer
The graph shows the change in the emission of carbon dioxide in 4 European countries in the
period from 1967 to 2007.
The production of carbon dioxide in Portugal and Italy was steadily increasing during that period. In
1967 the emission of carbon dioxide in Portugal was approximately 1.3 metric tonnes and in 2007 the
emission there achieved 5.4. In Italy at the beginning of the period was a bit higher than 4. However,
it increased only till 7.8 by 2007.
The emission of carbon dioxide in the United Kingdom and Sweden was under decrease during
that period of time. The emission of carbon dioxide in the United Kingdom in 1967 was the highest
one of all these 4 countries. But after 1967, it gradually decreased to about 9 metric tonnes. The
emission in Sweden was around 8, 6 metric tones, in the beginning, then steadily increased to 10.5
metric tonnes. However, in 1977 it got a tremendous deacrease in the emission of carbon dioxide
which underwent till 2007. In 2007 the emission in Sweden was at the same level as Portugal -
around 5.4-5.6
The changes in emission of carbon dioxide can be connected with the changes in economic
development and the appearance of some new technologies which reduce emissions.

Thoughts of the examiner

The candidate has reported all the data in the graph and provides summaries of the main trends
(The production of carbon dioxide in Portugal and Italy was steadily increasing during that period.

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The emission of carbon dioxide in the United Kingdom and Sweden was under decrease during that
period of time.) There are attempts at comparisons (The emission of carbon dioxide in the United
Kingdom in 1967 was the highest one among all these 4 countries, In 2007 the emission in Sweden
was at the same level as Portugal), but there is some irrelevant material in the final paragraph.
There is a clear overall progression, with some use of cohesive devices (However, in the beginning).
The range of lexis is adequate and appropriate for the task (production of carbon dioxide, a bit
higher, increased, decreased) and although there are some errors in the word choice (was under
decrease, underwent/continued) and spelling (tones/tonnes, deacrease), these do not prevent the
message from coming across. There are some attempts to produce complex sentence forms, with
good control over grammatical accuracy.

Task-2
In the second task, you are asked to write about certain situations where you are
expected to give reasons for your stand as well as providing relevant examples.
Let’s have a look at a sample question to get a better understanding.
Write about the following topics:
Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order
to travel to or work in a foreign country. Others say that these are not the only
reason why someone should learn a foreign language.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
Many may say, and I agree, that today’s society has almost erased all its borders and soon will
become limitless in what concerns traveling for both work and pleasure. Therefore, if this is to
happen, then learning a new language is necessary.
Nowadays, learning a new language for the purpose of working in other countries seems to
become more and more popular. Adults in need of money or, why not, recognision are trying to
pursue their happiness far away from home. Also, the hey days of employers looking only for capa-
ble people have gone. It seems that today’s employers are looking not only for multi-skilled
employees but they also want people who know more than their mother tongue. Sooner or later,
those who omitted learning more are prone to become jobless.
However, to my mind, a new language shouldn’t be learned just for traveling or working in a foreign
country. A foreign language should help the learner broaden his mind. By this I mean that the new
language should and will allow us to understand more about the world itself, and maybe our
ancestors’ ways of thinking and acting. Needless to say, knowing another language will help us
when it comes to understanding the human race, because language is the first poem of a country.
All of this being said, I believe that learning a different language should be not only for satisfying our
physical needs, like money, but also our moral needs, because never before had such a big thirst
for knowldge been displayed.

Thoughts of the examiner:

All parts of the prompt are addressed and a clear position is presented throughout the response. The
main ideas are extended and supported. Ideas are logically organised and there is a clear progression
throughout the response. A range of cohesive devices is used flexibly, while each while each paragraph
has a clear central topic which is developed. The lexical resource is sufficient to allow some flexibility
and precision and although there are a few spelling errors, these don’t detract from the overall clarity
of the response. A variety of complex structure is used with some flexibility and accuracy. Grammar
and punctuation are well controlled and error-free sentences are frequent.

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Some Extra Information

When you appear for the IELTS exam, you can choose whether you would like to
appear for a pen and paper test or would like to have it computerized. After
making this choice, while attempting the test, the sections, reading, listening, and
writing are required to be taken on the same day. There is no break allowed in
between these sections. However, the speaking section can be completed a week
before or after the day you appear for the other 3 sections. This test lasts for 2
hours and 45 minutes.

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