IELTS, TOEFL, are an important part of college admissions for study abroad aspirants. Most universities require international students to be proficient in English in the form of standardized language tests such as IELTS and TOEFL. Students from India are required to take language proficiency tests for college admissions abroad.
Cracking IELTS or TOEFL is a tough job. To crack them one must have the best resources, best teachers, best strategy. CATKing is a one stop solution for all your English Proficiency needs. Below you will get all the info on how to Crack IELTS and TOEFL.
Below are Blogs written by some of the best faculties to prepare for IELTS and TOEFL who are graduates from SP Jain, NMIMS, Harvard etc
Competitive exams such as the GRE, TOEFL or the IELTS demand that you follow a systematic routine in order to excel and achieve your target score. The time required to prepare, your college deadlines and efficacy levels in different topic areas are key determiners of your preparation start date. With such exams, it is always better to work backwards, which would give you a perfect schedule to follow.
The GRE consists of two major sections: The Verbal and Quant.
While talking about these sections, diagnostic tests are key analytic components. Once a diagnostic test is taken, proficiency levels can be estimated across different subject topic areas in both sections. Let us take a few pointers that might help you score well on the GRE:
Reading is an important aspect of the GRE, and you, as a student, must get into the habit of reading different sentences and passages thoroughly. Most students are not used to reading and this can be detrimental.
READING skills might take a few weeks to develop, and a few months to master; so give yourself enough time to get reading-ready.
A good repository of vocabulary is essential, helping you eliminate options much quicker than you otherwise would. Questions need to be answered within a specific time duration. Remember that building your vocabulary requires sufficient time. Do not push this towards the last month, or the last few weeks. Cramping your schedule might affect you adversely.
Consistency in preparation; however much you prepare, you need to give yourself sufficient time to solve multiple questions and get exam-ready.
If the quantitative section is your weakness, work hard across the different topic areas.
Mathematics takes time to understand, so please work on your sectional proficiency.
IELTS / TOEFL Preparation
The TOEFL/ IELTS, on the other hand, is a test of your English language proficiency. There is no quantitative section on either of the tests. A few key pointers which should give you a time-estimate are as follows:
How good are you at the English language, across READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, AND LISTENING?
You must be consistent in these four sections to actually perform well on this test. Every student has his or her strengths; while some students might be very good writers, others might be poor ones. Practicing your idea construction, and sentence creation will help you improve your writing skills and help you write essays easily.
College admissions deadlines are critical. Be aware of the different requirements of the universities and know whether you are in time.
As you already know, the GRE, IELTS and the TOEFL require consistent effort, and only with a proper schedule and systematic preparation. All the best for your exams!
Do Checkout the Article Below :
What is the format of IELTS Speaking Section
If you are looking for a mix of contemporary modern cities and Idyllic countryside. Island is the best stop for your study abroad plans. this is one place that has to be on your top list of countries you want to study in. For your study abroad plans. The cultural habitat and cityscapes are impossible to ignore in this country. If you want to study abroad, this cannot be a miss. The best part of the island is that now it is one of the ropes wealthiest Nations. In terms of education too. The universities that are ranked as one of the best in Europe.
Most of islands institutions are rank on the top globally. They offer diverse programs. namely business medicine, law, science, literature, technology, engineering, law, languages, history, philosophy etc. Considering the scenic locations and outstanding heritage. It is one of the best countries to pursue a higher degree of education. If you want to study abroad.
Even in terms of FDI Island stands to be the second most attractive country after Singapore. Does it is a very flourish and country to study in? Thus if you want to study abroad this cannot be a miss. Global MNCs like Facebook Apple Google Twitter LinkedIn HP IBM etc. Do not shy away to set their head offices here.
If you want to study abroad you should know. The best part of studying in Ireland is that you can travel from one country to another in a relatively easier manner. As becoming an EU you resident is not difficult. The country boasts about its population percentage. With over 40% being under the age of 25. it is considered to be the safest and happiest country to live in. According to the institute of economics and peace, it was ranked as the 12th most peace full country in the world 2020. So can you do study abroad? come to Ireland.
apart from that, the country boasts of having quite an affordable living expenditure too. You just got another reason to add this beautiful country to your list of study abroad countries. you always have an option to work part-time by studying and get scholarships from 50-100%. you also get an easy conversion of post-study work visa into a green card and work permit. It is not at all difficult to get one here.
Now that you have decided the course you want to go for. Make sure you make up your mind before applying for the visa for your study abroad plans. Once you get accepted in Irish University. Getting your visa done will not be an issue. You can always go for a C type Visa, which lasts up to 3 months before your arrival. Aur also operator type D which lasts longer. If you are planning to study abroad. You must keep in mind that you must apply for Visa at least three months before. Hope you find this article useful. All the best.
If you have study abroad plans. You know how difficult it is becoming to study abroad. Due to high competition. Every year thousands of applicants apply to institutes having only a few hundred seeds for students. If you want to make your study abroad plans a success. You should have the X factor. that is to say that your profile should stand out from the others. from yours, students have been in this dilemma as to how to get a perfect glowing profile. So today we are here to give you a few strategies to help you get an excellent profile for your masters that will stand out.
1) identify your USP ( unique selling point)
remember in order to get selected your profile should be with different and unique than your counterparts. otherwise, why would the institute select applicants with similar profile and similar academic records? they would want to delve deeper and see what is the x-factor and what is it that makes the other candidate stand out. This can only be done if you have a glowing and unique profile. So now how do you get started? It is quite simple. Start by jotting down your strengths. Give specific examples and quotes to back your strengths. It is always better to prove your credibility by way of showing your strengths and your achievements section.
Also Read: https://catking.in/stock-market/
2) right a succinct and powerful resume
The admissions committee goes through several applications in a day. If you don't want your application to be overlooked. You must create a second brief and powerful one-page resume. That highlights your strengths and achievements the most. It must show credibility about you to the admissions committee. Your resume should show the best side of you. It should tell a story about you. Your story. Apart from these make sure you have a clean layout cover topics like academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, volunteering, certifications, research publications and leadership experience.
3) an interesting and engaging statement of purpose
Your statement of purpose should show a lot of credibility about you. If you plan to study abroad. This is a very imperative part. You cannot miss this. the focus should be clearly on explaining the purpose for which you are applying for a particular specialisation. it should mention all the correct reasons as to why you want to major in that particular course. this particular section requires you to do extensive research on the program curriculum and faculty. while doing so it is always helpful to take the opinions of others especially of that of the faculties and counsellors. if you are planning to study abroad you can also take the help of a few sample SOPs.
Also Read: https://catking.in/how-is-the-job-market-in-canada-for-an-mba-student-study-abroad/
4) letter of recommendation
If you are planning to study abroad. You will know the importance of this particular section. It is needless to underscore that you have a few good letters of recommendations with you. These recommendations pouch for your good academic record motivation creativity communication skills and integrity. if you have work experience of more than a year then you may get at least one reference from your workplace. on the other hand if you are a fresher then you might get it from a few of your faculty members. A good master's degree requires the student to submit at least 3 recommendations. When it comes to studying abroad. This will prove your credibility to your admissions committee.
5) work experience in a prestigious company
if you are planning to study abroad you will know the importance of this particular section. See your work at a company that has a very competitive and difficult recruiting process. This will have a very good impression on the admissions committee. this will prove your credibility and help you stand out from your counterparts. Apart from that if you work in a very reputed company it will have a very positive image of you in front of the admissions committee. It will give you a lot of credibilities. Because that would indicate that students with exceptional profile get admitted into the company.
6) diversify your profile
if you are planning to study abroad you would know how imperative it is for you to diversify your profile. Even if you have a very good profile it doesn't matter it has to be diverse. It has to have an element of diversification. For example, you are taking up a major in a science subject. But if you have done certification courses on subjects that pertain to the art domain. It will give you a lot of diversification. And help you search brownie points.
7) work towards creating a well-rounded personality
Even if you have a very good profile and a strong academic record. It will not be enough if you have only a unidirectional profile. It is imperative to have a well-rounded personality. you can add things like spots dance on any other extracurricular activity to make your profile stand out. you can even add things like creating your own startup or the number of marathons that you have participated in. This will have a good impression on the admissions committee. And help you manifest your study about dreams into reality. All the best
While the covid-19 pandemic has led to more of virtual learning than physical learning. The world is shifting to virtual learning. the proficiency of English has also changed in terms of the pandemic. To bridge the gap between average and A1. Duolingo has its own English test. If you want to study abroad you must consider the test.
This if you have pure study about plants in place. and if you are appearing for the premium English tests. like TOEFL or IELTS for PTE, you should totally consider taking this English test. For those of you who don't know. Duolingo is an app that helps you become proficient in almost any language. It is a great app. Then once you get the hang of it you proceed to further intermediate and advanced levels of the language. If you are consistent enough you will eventually become very proficient in that particular language.
So now what is the how is it different in terms of cost-effectiveness its methodology and convenience as compared to other standard English tests that are available online?
let us take a closer look at the and other exams such as IELTS, TOEFL and PTE. These exams are very cumbersome in regard to their scheduling travel cost and assessment time.
On the other hand, the DET is a technology-driven adaptive exam. That helps in assessing your English language proficiency. Especially if you have study abroad plans. DET is an adaptive and revolutionary exam. The test moves along in an ascending manner of difficulty.
The DET has an intuitive approach to testing but also has scheduling appointments and booking test centres. other exams like to refer and earn as a computer-based test and shall be given from the centre however the can be given from the comfort of your home. With a mere cost of 49 dollars, you can give this exam anywhere anytime. the duration of the test is usually for over and heart and you can get the result in a matter of 2 days. Although you can take the test anytime you want to have many times you want to but not more than twice in a month.
now let's talk about the fact as to why is the test more valuable than the other counterpart exams. The fact that it also includes a video interview section makes it stand out. in this section, you speak for 1-3 minutes on any of the two assigned topics. remember you may also be asked to respond to patients by a particular Procter and the camera will be on.
Apart from that, there will also be a writing sample test that can be sent to your universities of choice. especially the ones you have selected for your study abroad plans. preparedness and English language skills.
Did you know that more than half of the top universities in the US accept it in place of the IELTS for TOEFL? Good news right? therefore gradually the test is gaining popularity across many countries. opting for this particular test one will cut down on several thanks like travelling time can other evaluation period costs. 10 if you are planning to study abroad this is probably one of the tests that you must definitely consider.
In case you need more information about the test. Visit our website and manufacture study abroad dreams into reality real soon.
How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School
Is grad school your next step? Have you chosen your dream-university? If the answer is yes, then congratulations, you’ve already made it halfway. The statement of purpose (SOP) is the heart of your application Now, all that’s left is for you to create a killer application that will guarantee you a place at your dream university.
Most graduate universities perform a holistic review of an applicant. This means that apart from a test score cutoff to pass, there are a few more components. Other than standardized test scores like the GRE/GMAT, graduate schools ask for letters of recommendation, letters of intent, essays, and most often a statement of purpose.
The statement of purpose is the heart of your application because it allows the admission committee to see who you really are and what your purpose behind applying to a program at their university is. While most students find this task overbearing and leave it for the end, it’s actually quite simple. You just have to break it down and start working on it, piece by piece. And we’re right here to help you figure out how to write a successful statement of purpose.
How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School
SOPs are a test against word limits. Most universities require one with 500 to 1000 words. So, it might seem hard to answer all the things they ask and also describe your personality in such a short document. Try to be as concise, and clear as possible and highlight only the most important aspects of your life. Keep an eye on your grammar and sentence formation. A shabby SOP can give off the impression that you aren’t serious about your application. Also, make sure to format it well, check your margins, spacing and use a clear font to make it more readable.
Now to the second part, what do you write for a winning SOP? These essays are a glimpse into your life for the admissions committee and a chance for you to directly speak to them. So, write your story like you’re talking to them in an interview. There are tons of sample statements of purposes for graduate schools online, and do you know what all of them have in common? The questions to be answered.
Tell me about yourself:
Universities are looking for promising individuals who will bring something other than just academic excellence to the table, and your job is to demonstrate that. Start with talking about yourself, your goals and why you want to go to that graduate school. Include their values and attributes that you resonate with.
Why did you choose this program:
In the next part, answer why you want to choose that particular program of study? Talk about your undergraduate degree, projects or work experience and justify their relevance to your chosen program. You can mention a professor whose work you found fascinating or a university project that relates to your work. Try to explain your interest in the field and if possible, describe how it all started. Stories are more interesting, but keep in mind the word limit.
What do you intend to do with the degree:
The last and most important part is to show the committee that you did your research, by talking about the program you want to pursue. Tell them what you are expecting from their department and how it will be useful to you in your career. Remember, SOPs should talk more about the present and the future, and less about the past. Finally, end with a short summary that includes the most important points.
Pro Tips:
Use active voice and a positive tone throughout your SOP.
Use examples and experiences
Be selective with what you include in your SOP
Now, how do you write a statement of purpose for graduate school? There are three simple steps to this.
Content: The first step is to figure out what your most important points are, and what your statement of purpose format will be. Decide on a structure and stick to it. A well-followed format is to answer one of the personal questions discussed above in each part. You can also browse through some statement of purpose sample essays to get an idea of the structure that fits you.
First draft : Use the content you picked out and follow your chosen structure to create a long version of your statement of purpose. Call this your first draft, and it could be up to 1500 words. Write this in comfortable English and focus on putting across your content, you can polish it in the next step to sound more professional, so don’t worry about using fancy vocabulary or intricate sentences.
Edit and edit again: Now is the time to proofread and polish. Try to make your long first draft meet the word limit by shortening sentences and using appropriate vocabulary. You can scratch out any points that seem less important in your final draft. Also, do a thorough spelling and grammar check. And when you think you have the perfect SOP, read it again to find out what you missed. Or better yet, get someone else to read it and give you feedback.
At CATKing, we help you create the best SOPs according to your profile. Our experts provide unmatchable support in writing, editing and proofreading your statements so that you put your best work forward, and increase your chances of getting into your dream university.
Check out the Article Below :
Tips on Structured Statement of Purpose
The Speaking test is the shortest part of the IELTS exam, lasting only 11-15 minutes. However, for many test-takers this brief experience can seem to last an eternity! IELTS Speaking is a quick, but intense in-person interview. It requires focus, creativity, and strong English skills to think of responses to the interviewer’s questions quickly.
It is very important to relax and remain confident during the IELTS interview. Being alert but calm will help you do your best. How can you achieve this? The best thing you can do is study and prepare. Knowing what to expect on the IELTS Speaking exam, practicing a variety of strategies, and answering many, many practice questions will help you on exam day.
This Guide to IELTS speaking covers what you need to know about this short, but challenging part of the IELTS exam. We’ll start with basic (but important!) information to introduce you to IELTS Speaking and how it’s scored. The second half of the post focuses on each of the three main parts of the test, with tips and strategies to help you develop your approach.
IELTS Speaking: The Basics
IELTS uses either a test-booklet or computer format for its Reading, Writing, and Listening tests, all of which are completed together in one sitting. Speaking takes place separately. In most cases, Speaking interviews are scheduled on the same day as the booklet or computer test. However, sometimes the interview can be scheduled up to one week before or after you take the rest of the exam by booklet or computer. You will receive instructions about this when you register for the IELTS at your local test center.
When you take the Speaking test, you will enter a room where your examiner will be waiting to greet you. He or she will ask you to identify yourself, and your Speaking test will begin immediately after that.
The IELTS Speaking Test has three parts. We will look at each part in depth later in this post. For now, let’s just get familiar with each one.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: The Basics
Part 1 is like a personal interview. It lasts about 4-5 minutes. You will in introduce yourself and talk about IELTS Speaking topics related to your life and your experiences in response to the examiner’s questions. Think of this interaction as “small talk.” These are the kinds of questions you might exchange with someone you just met.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: The Basics
Part 2 is called the “long turn.” Here, you are given a question on a topic and some sub-points you must cover in your speech. You will have a minute to prepare a response, and your goal is to speak for about 2 minutes. The examiner may ask you some follow-up questions when you finish your short speech.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: The Basics
Finally, you’ll have a conversation on the same (or similar) issue you spoke about in Part 2. This will be a discussion, much like the first section of the exam (Part 1). However, the questions are more complicated because they require you to offer an opinion or some analysis. To illustrate, imagine your Part 2 topic is to describe a happy memory from your childhood. In Part 3, the examiner could ask you: “What are some important things a person should do in order to live a happy life?” Here, the theme of “happiness” connects both sections.
IELTS Speaking: Scoring
IELTS uses four scoring categories to assess your speaking skills. To help you understand the grading schema better, let’s take a look at each category.
Fluency & Coherence
Fluency and Coherence are measurements of a speaker’s ability to communicate logically, clearly, and without difficulty in English. For Fluency, a perfect Band score of 9 means the speaker doesn’t have to pause to recall words, or mentally review grammatical structures. The speaker can focus on the message she wishes to convey rather than the language needed to say it. Coherence is related to fluency but slightly different. It measures how well a speaker’s ideas make sense together. A high Band score indicates that a person can use a variety of cohesive features and discourse markers with ease in order to articulate ideas in a clear and logical way.
Lexical Resource
This scoring category measures vocabulary. You will be assessed on your ability to use words appropriately (in the right context) and accurately (with the correct meaning). IELTS Speaking rewards test-takers with large vocabularies.
The examiner will be listening carefully to assess whether or not you can use a wide variety of words and phrases (which is good), or whether you use the same language over and over again (which is bad). Related to this, you will also be assessed on whether or not you can accurately paraphrase the examiner’s questions fluently.
Grammatical Range
Your grammar will be assessed on the Speaking exam. You should try to use a wide range of grammatical constructions appropriately and accurately. Keep in mind that your grammatical range score is not simply about avoiding grammar mistakes. Limiting errors is important. However, you can only reach a very high band score if you can also demonstrate that you have mastered complex sentence structures, verb tenses, and other advanced grammatical features.
If your grammar skills are limited, or you have a lot of grammar mistakes when you speak, it is especially important that you record yourself when you answer practice questions. Listen for errors that you make regularly and think about how you can fix them. Get feedback on your grammar from a native English speaker if at all possible.
Pronunciation
IELTS Speaking also measures your pronunciation. Top Band scores only go to those test-takers whose pronunciation is “effortless” for a native English speaker to understand. Scores are reduced for mispronunciation, especially if pronunciation problems make it difficult to comprehend a speaker’s message.
Keep in mind that pronunciation involves more than just articulating individual words correctly. Many students have even larger pronunciation problems at the sentence level. These problems occur when a student doesn’t have a feel for native-like rhythm or intonation patterns. Unfortunately, there is no easy fix for most pronunciation issues. Generally, the best way to improve is to use your English in daily life.
If you can’t use English on a regular basis, then it can be helpful to listen to recordings of English speakers. Pause the recordings occasionally and attempt to pronounce entire sentences exactly the same way as the speaker. Try to copy the speaker’s tone (the rise or fall of the voice). Also try to copy how the speaker speeds up, slows down, and pauses throughout the sentence. Even try to mimic the speaker’s emotion! You may feel a little silly doing this exercise, but that is actually a sign you’re doing it correctly! Over time, you will develop your ear to hear the sounds of English and reproduce them more accurately.
Good luck with your IELTS preparation, and happy studying!
If you’re thinking about preparing for IELTS, read our blog post on IELTS Writing Section:
How to improve your IELTS Writing Skills
The IELTS listening exam causes many students problems. If you’ve taken the IELTS exam or completed some IELTS Listening practice questions already and you’ve struggled, this is very normal. The test is challenging for a variety of reasons:
You only hear each recording only one time.
The Listening passages get more difficult as you progress through the exam.
There are a variety of question types with which you must be familiar.
You must stay focused in order to answer questions well.
You must also develop your skills at predicting answers by analyzing the questions.
There is a range of English accents represented on the exam.
This Guide to IELTS Listening will address all of these issues and provide you with the key strategies you need to improve your Listening scores. It should go without saying that the more English you know, and the better you understand native English speakers, the easier IELTS Listening will be for you. However, most people who take the IELTS need strategies to earn the extra points that will boost their Band scores. Each extra point can really make a difference. Keep reading to learn about the basics of IELTS Listening, the question types on the test, and the IELTS Listening practice that can help you to achieve your IELTS goals.
IELTS Listening: The Basics
Before we get to strategies, let’s take a look at some basic information you should know about the IELTS Listening paper.
General Training vs. Academic
There is no difference between the General Training and Academic IELTS Listening papers. IELTS Reading and Writing are the only sections that differ between the two IELTS exams. Therefore, everything in this post is relevant to Academic and General Training IELTS preparation.
Timing for IELTS Listening
IELTS Listening will take about 40 minutes. Approximately 30 minutes of this time is devoted to actually listening to recordings and attempting to answer questions in your Question Booklet. The Question Booklet is the place where you will see the instructions and the questions you need to answer. The Question Booklet is separate from your Answer Sheet. The Answer Sheet is where you will write your final answers for grading. ONLY the answers you write on your Answer Sheet will be marked. After you listen to the final passage, you will have 10 minutes to transfer answers from your Question Booklet to your Answer Sheet.
You should use this “transfer time” to your advantage. There is no reason to mark final answers on your answer sheet until the 10-minute “transfer time” at the end. Use this time to write carefully and neatly. The grader needs to be able to read what you’ve written! Misspellings are marked incorrect, so you should also use this time to check (and double-check) your spellings.
You will hear four different listening passages on the Listening exam. You will answer 10 questions in each section (40 total). The passages get tougher as you progress through the exam.
Passage 1: This is usually a conversation between two people. Typically, the conversation will involve a basic exchange of information. For example, someone might be placing an order over the phone, or confirming details for a reservation. The topic will be a daily-life situation.
Passage 2: This is usually a monologue (one person speaking). Passage two will also come from a common daily situation. For example, you might hear someone providing directions, or presenting basic information about a place or an event.
Passage 3: The topics become noticeably more challenging in Passage 3. This will be a conversation, often among several people, about an academic topic. You might hear a few students discussing something from class, or a professor providing feedback about an assignment, for example. Passage 3 is tougher because the vocabulary is more difficult, the topics are more complicated, and there are more speakers involved in the discussion.
Passage 4: This will be a lecture from a professor. It could cover any topic from a typical college course. You are not required to have specialized knowledge about the subject matter. However, the language will be difficult and the lecture will be complex. This is the toughest passage on the Listening exam for most students.
Scoring is fairly straightforward for the Listening paper. Each question is worth 1 point, so you can achieve a “raw” score up to 40 points. From there, IELTS converts your “raw” score into your Band Score. However, keep in mind that each version of the IELTS is slightly different. Therefore, getting 24 out of 40 correct on one version of the IELTS may earn you a Band Score of 6.5, while on another version of the IELTS you may only get a 6. Nevertheless, the tables can give you a general idea about how Listening is scored.
As noted above, the passages get tougher and tougher as you progress through the Listening paper. However, question 1 is worth the same number of points as question 40 (one point each). Therefore, you must treat the questions from Section 1 the same as you do for the questions from Section 4. Read the directions carefully, make sure you spell words correctly, etc. You don’t want to miss easy points in the first sections due to silly mistakes.
Additionally, since all points are worth the same, you don’t want to lose points because you’re focusing too much attention on a particular question. Sometimes, despite your best effort and close attention, you might not hear the answer to a question or you may not understand a large section of the listening passage. If this happens, just make your best guesses and move on. Don’t miss points on upcoming questions because you can’t figure out the answer to the question you’re currently working on.
The Directions for IELTS Listening Questions
Attention to detail is very important on the IELTS Listening exam. Unfortunately, too many people lose points unnecessarily because they don’t pay close attention to the directions. Here are some general guidelines to follow:
Make sure you write the correct type of answer on your final Answer Sheet. For example, on Multiple Choice questions, the correct answer will be a letter (A, B, or C). Sometimes, students mistakenly write the words or numbers that come after the letter on their answer sheet and therefore answer incorrectly.
Various types of short answer questions are common on the Listening paper. You may need to fill in a summary, a map, some notes, or just listen for some specific words that you must fill in on your answer sheet. The IELTS will always tell you how many words and/or numbers you are allowed to use in your answers. YOU MUST read the directions for each set of questions because the requirements change. One set of questions may allow a short answer of three words, but the next may only allow two. If the directions tell you that you may not use “MORE THAN TWO WORDS and/or A NUMBER,” then your answer will be marked incorrect if you write down three words or more than one number.
IELTS Listening: Strategy
Although each Listening question type has unique features, the basic approach to each one is the same. There are three things you must do for each set of questions you encounter:
Analyze the questions
Predict the answers
Track questions and the speaker
IELTS Listening Strategies 1 and 2: Analyzing and Predicting
The first two steps require practice because you must be able to do both quickly during the actual exam. Before each recording, the IELTS gives you some time (30-40 seconds) to look at the questions in the next section. Some students use this time to check their answers from the previous section, but this is a big mistake. It is very important to study the upcoming questions. Remember, the best approach to IELTS Listening is to answer questions in your Question Booklet while you’re listening to the speaker. If you try to answer questions without looking at them first, there is a very good chance you’ll get lost and miss the information you need.
The best approach is to use your 30-40 seconds strategically. First, you should analyze the question. Quickly determine:
What type of question is this? (Question types are discussed below)
How should you answer? Look at the directions, which will tell you whether your answer should be a letter, numbers, words, etc.
What are the keywords in the questions? Quickly underline words and phrases that seem most important in each question, keeping in mind that correct answers are almost always going to be paraphrases of these words. Underlining them helps you to focus your attention on what’s most important as you listen.
IELTS Listening Strategy 3: Track Questions and the Speaker
The final IELTS Listening strategy is called Tracking. Tracking is something you do while you listen to the recording, and it requires great focus and attention. Basically, your goal is to keep track of where the speaker is in the passage, and which question you should be answering in the Question Booklet at the same time.
Tracking works because IELTS Listening questions always provide contextual clues to help you know where you should be in the passage. Importantly, IELTS Listening questions also come in order.
As you listen, you should focus on the question you’re trying to answer and you should keep your eye on the next question as well. If you miss an answer to a question, you’ll know because the professor will be discussing something related to the next question, not the one you’re on. In this case, it is very likely that you missed an answer. While that can be frustrating, it is much worse to get completely lost as the speaker is talking. You will have to make a guess about the question you missed in this case. It is more important to continue tracking the speaker and the current question so you don’t get completely lost.
Do check out the article below to know more about IELTS
What is the IELTS exam everything you need to know
Good luck with your IELTS preparation, and happy studying!
IELTS Score Requirements for Canada’s Top Universities
Canada has over 600,000 international students, ranking as the fourth most popular country in the world for overseas students who want to pursue their university education abroad.This is not surprising considering Canada’s top three universities (the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and Mc Gil) are ranked within the global top 50 of the 2020 US News & World Report Rankings, with a further nine in the top 300.Therefore, if you are looking to study at an elite university, in one of the world’s most developed nations, applying to study in Canada can be an attractive option. Would you like to be one of these international students? Let’s take a look at the top 4 universities in Canada and find out the IELTS score required for each.
Well, now is the time to apply, as schools are actively recruiting the best and the brightest to study there over the next few years in a bid to double their international student numbers by 2022. However, you need to have the right English proficiency requirements for each. Let’s take a look at the top 4 universities in Canada and find out the IELTS scores required for each.
The University of Toronto is Canada’s top-ranked university, located in Canada’s largest city. It ranks 18th in the world. Its specialist degree programs include literary criticism, communication, and theory. They are the birthplace of insulin and stem cell research.
Proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated by all applicants educated outside Canada whose primary language is not English.
The minimum required score is 6.5 with at least 6 in each section.
However, many graduate degree programs at the University of Toronto require a higher score. To check on the IELTS requirements of individual programs, contact the program or programs that you are interested in. You can find program contact information in the University of Toronto’s Degree and Diploma Programs by Graduate Unit web page to determine whether a higher minimum score applies.
Test results that are older than two years at the time of application cannot be accepted. In these circumstances, the applicant must retake the English-language proficiency test.
2. University of British Columbia
Over on the west coast, the University of British Columbia ranks 30th in the world and is home to about 53,000 students (about 16,000 of whom are international students) at its campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna.
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.
When you submit your application make sure that your test is taken with 24 months.
The minimum required score is 6.5 with at least 6 in each section.
Individual graduate programs may require higher English language proficiency scores. And may require minimum scores on individual components of the test. Please check individual program websites to verify English language score requirements.
You have to send the official score electronically from the test center.
3. McGill University
Ranked 49th in the world, McGill University is the third highest-ranking university in Canada. Based in Montreal, the university has international students from over 150 countries.If you are looking for a medical-doctoral university then this is the school for you, as Mac leans has named McGill first in Canada in this area for the last 13 consecutive years.
International students wanting to study here as undergraduates will need an overall IELTS band score of 6.5 or better and individual component scores of 6.0 or better on the Academic version. Graduate studies also require a 6.5 IELTS score. But don’t have the additional requirement of 6.0 per individual section. Note that some graduate programs may have higher requirements; electrical and computer engineering, for example, requires an overall score of 7.0 or higher. Check with the program you’re applying to be sure.
Graduate admissions accept both the regular Academic test and the test for UKVI.
McGill does not accept paper IELTS score reports. So send your IELTS results electronically.
There are some instances where an applicant can be exempt from proving English proficiency. So have a look at the McGill English proficiency requirements website first.
4. McMaster University
Ranked 126th in the world in the US News and World Report this year, McMaster University is particularly well-respected for its health and science courses; it actually has one-fifth of Albert Einstein’s brain in its collections!
For undergraduate admissions at McMaster, a total IELTS Academic score of at least 6.5 is required, with no section less than 6.0. For graduate studies, a 6.5 is also required, though sectional scores of 5.5 are acceptable.
Some graduate programs at McMaster University may have higher-than-standard IELTS requirements. So be sure to check with your program of interest before applying for graduate studies at this university.
Fulfillment of the listed requirements does not guarantee admission, and McMaster may ask for more proof of English proficiency. McMaster University reserves the right to use discretion in determining language proficiency. This is even if your English proficiency needs are met. This is particularly true if your test scores are much higher than your grades in English prerequisite courses.
This Guide to IELTS Reading begins by covering some basic IELTS Reading information so you can become familiar with the test. However, this post mostly focuses on IELTS Reading practice tests, strategies, and tips to help you perform better.
Whether you started preparing for the IELTS only recently, or you’re familiar with the exam already, this guide will give you the information and strategies you need to push your score even higher.
If you’re struggling to get the results you want on the IELTS Reading paper, you’re definitely not the only one. Many people find IELTS Reading to be very tough. The vocabulary alone is difficult, not to mention the wide variety of question types IELTS uses to measure your skills. Try not to get discouraged. Instead, get to work! Smart and consistent preparation can really pay off on IELTS Reading.
IELTS Reading: The Basics
There are two versions of the IELTS exam: Academic and General Training. If you don’t know already which version you need to take, check with the institution(s) to which you plan to apply. The Reading and Writing sections (but not Speaking and Listening) are quite different between the two formats. You don’t want to prepare for the wrong one!
The Academic and General Training Reading papers do share some features. For example, both take 60 minutes and contain 40 questions. Also, even though the Reading passages are quite different between the two exams, the strategy for answering questions is actually very similar. This is because the question types are generally the same on both versions.
However, the Academic and General Training Reading exams differ in some important ways. Let’s take a look at their unique features, along with some official IELTS questions for both versions of the test, so you can get a sense of what to expect.
IELTS Reading: Academic
Academic IELTS Reading passages cover a wide range of subjects, such as science, history, the environment, etc. You do not need to be an expert in any of these fields. However, test-takers with a large vocabulary have a huge advantage. Academic IELTS Reading passages may contain some technical terms and even visual materials such as charts and graphs. IELTS commonly uses passages from professional and academic journals, textbooks, reports, and newspapers.
The Academic Reading paper consists of three passages. For each one, you will answer 10-14 questions.
IELTS Reading Tips: Keys to Success
All of the information in this section applies to both the Academic and General Training IELTS Reading exams. Let’s start with some important keys to success:
Pacing
Pacing is critical in order to do well on the IELTS Reading paper. This is especially true for the Academic IELTS, but it also applies to the General Training Reading exam. Sixty minutes is not a lot of time get through all of the passages and answer 40 questions. Since each question is worth the same amount of points (1), it makes most sense to divide the 3 sections equally—spending 20 minutes per section.
Instead of reading each passage carefully, it works much better for most people to “skim” the Reading passages. I advise to spend 3 to 5 minutes quickly skimming the passage before looking at the questions. That leaves 15 to 17 minutes to study the questions and find answers in the text.
Ace your GRE prep with the best: @GREKing
Scoring
Scoring is fairly simple on the Reading section. Each question is worth 1 point, so you can achieve a “raw” score of up to 40 points. From there, IELTS converts your “raw” score into your Band score. However, keep in mind that each version of the IELTS is slightly different..
It is also important to keep in mind that the hardest questions and the easiest questions count equally towards your final Reading score. Therefore, if you’re struggling to finish all of the questions within 60 minutes, make sure you’re not losing out on easier points because you get stuck on hard questions. Sometimes, you simply won’t understand a question or a segment within a passage fully. Other times, no matter how hard you try, you won’t find an answer in the text. If this happens, just make your best guess and move on so you don’t miss out on easier points later in the test! You can always return to a difficult question later if you have spare time at the end.
Vocabulary
The more vocabulary you know, the easier the IELTS Reading exam will be for you. Vocabulary is very, very important if you’re aiming for a high band score. As you prepare for the exam, make sure to study new words regularly. Your goal should be to learn 15 to 20 new words each day.
Focus on the Directions
Attention to detail is very important on the IELTS Reading paper. Unfortunately, too many test-takers lose points unnecessarily because they don’t pay close attention to the directions. The directions for each task will tell you how to mark answers on your Answer Sheet. For example, some questions require numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc), while others require letters (A, B, C, etc). Short Answer questions are even more complicated. The directions may say something like, “Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.”
Each set of questions will have its own instructions telling you how to mark your answers. As you practice, get into the habit of looking at these instructions every time. You don’t want to miss points because you didn’t notice a key detail in the directions.
IELTS Reading Tips: Strategy
The IELTS Reading exam is probably different than the English reading tests you’ve taken in school. Most of the time, reading exams involve carefully reading a passage from beginning to end, and then answering comprehension questions about it. In theory, this is also what you should do on the IELTS Reading paper.
In practice, this approach doesn’t work very well for most people. The reason is simple—there simply isn’t enough time on the IELTS Reading paper to read each passage slowly and carefully and answer all of the questions. This is especially true on the Academic IELTS, where you only have 60 minutes to read 3 long and complex passages. On the General Training IELTS, it may be possible to read each passage carefully if you are a proficient reader. Nevertheless, I still recommend a different approach. Try these strategies as you practice:
Strategy 1: Skim each passage for 3 to 5 minutes before looking at the questions.
Strategies 2 and 3: As you skim, underline or highlight keywords in the text and write short notes as reminders in the text.
Strategy 4: Study the questions, noting keywords, and SCAN the text strategically for answers
IELTS Listening: Top Methods to Improve Your Score
Good luck with your IELTS preparation, and happy studying!
If you are planning on an IELTS retake, you can schedule a new test as soon as you like. But slow down! Before scheduling your retake, here are some things to consider first.
Things to Consider Before an IELTS Retake
Do you have other options aside from an IELTS retake?
When your IELTS score is bad, you may have other options. You may be able to get your target school to be flexible on their score requirement. Or you may be able to find a different program that will accept you with the score you have. You also might personally find that it’s easier to get a qualifying score on an alternate test such as the TOEFL.
When do you need to send your IELTS scores?
Find out when you need to submit your IELTS scores. You will need to take an IELTS exam at least 13 days before this deadline. Sometimes, schools will take scores after this deadline, but it is rare. Once you’ve found what the score deadline is, you can see if there are IELTS exams offered before then.
Are there exams offered before this deadline?
Find out when the next exam is at the nearest testing center. If the closest exam center doesn’t have an opening for an exam before your deadline, check other exam centers that you can get to.
If no testing centers have an opening, don’t give up! Seats become available when people fail to complete their applications. This happens all the time. Check the exam registration website every single day. If a seat opens up for a particular date, then you’ll be able to register for that exam. Register for your IELTS retake immediately! There may only be a single seat available, and if someone else registers before you, then you’ll lose your opportunity.
Preparing for Your IELTS Retake
Retaking the IELTS? Reschedule freely.
This is the easiest part. As I’ve said, you may schedule an IELTS retake whenever you like. Unlike most other standardized tests, the IELTS places no limits on how many times you may sit the exam per year, or how frequently you may schedule a testing session.
So you can reschedule as quickly as you want, or as slowly as you want. Think about how long you need, and how soon — or how much later — you should take the test again. Then do whatever you must in order to have a better test day the next time around.
Retaking the IELTS? Consider what went wrong the first time.
Did you study enough?
If not, then make a good, well-organized study plan for your retake.
Did you study with the right materials?
Official IELTS practice materials from IELTS.org, IELTS Essentials, and the British Council, are a must. You should also get your hands on some official IELTS books from Cambridge University Press if you can. And any third-party IELTS resources should be reputable and very similar to the real thing.
Did you have a low IELTS score because you struggle with some aspects of English?
If you did particularly poorly in one section or another, focus on your weaknesses. Maybe you need to work more on your speaking, reading comprehension, accent reduction, written grammar, or other specific skills. Our diagnostic quizzes for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing can help you evaluate which areas need more attention.
Did you have trouble with certain skills or strategies?
As you carefully assess your skills, you may realize that test skills hurt your score. Sometimes IELTS test-takers get low marks because they use poor strategies for multiple-choice questions. Make sure your skills at organizing essays and spoken responses are also sufficient for an improved score on your IELTS retake.
Were you feeling well on test day?
In some cases, a person may have gotten a low IELTS score simply because they were ill or were not well-rested when they last took the exam. In that case, self-care and improved luck may be all you need for a successful retake!
How to Stay Motivated for Your IELTS Retake
Think Positive
I know that this sounds a little new age, but extensive research shows that regularly telling yourself a positive statement can actually help make that statement come true. Create a positive IELTS statement that you say to yourself every morning before you get out of bed, and every evening before you drift off to sleep.
Find Someone to Hold You Accountable
Find someone that you can rely on to regularly ask you about how you are doing with your IELTS studying. Make a commitment to work on the IELTS for a set amount of time each day, and tell your friend about that commitment. Ask them to regularly check-in to see how you are doing. Trust me, telling your friend, family member, or colleague that you didn’t do your studying today because you were tired or too busy is much harder than just letting yourself down.
Get Some Praise
It is easy to become discouraged with studying and your IELTS scores. So here, I want you to find someone else to evaluate your work. This someone needs to be able to give you regular positive encouragement on your progress, big and small. A professional ESL teacher is best; however, any native English speaker that you can regularly meet with to check your progress will be great for this.
Track Improvement
Be sure to remind yourself regularly how far you have come. To start, set achievable, short-term goals. Maybe for IELTS Writing, you have the following goals: “By the end of week 1, I will know how to write a concise introduction. By the end of week 4, I will be able to write Task 2 within 50 minutes.” Next, evaluate yourself each week to see how you are improving. This will help refresh your confidence and remind you that your hard work is having a benefit.
Picture Your Goal
Why are you taking the IELTS exam? Are you trying to get your dream job? Do you want to have a better life to provide for your family? Find your reason, then put up a picture or note that reminds you of that reason. Put it up somewhere you will see it regularly throughout your day: on your phone, above the desk, you study at, on your bathroom mirror. Regularly reminding yourself of the end result will help keep you motivated for your IELTS retake.
Check out the Article below to Know more about IELTS
IELTS Speaking Section: 8 Common Mistakes To Avoid For An 8 Band Score
All the Best!
If you can’t use English on a regular basis, then it can be helpful to listen to recordings of English speakers. Pause the recordings occasionally and attempt to pronounce entire sentences exactly the same way as the speaker. Try to copy the speaker’s tone (the rise or fall of the voice). Also try to copy how the speaker speeds up, slows down, and pauses throughout the sentence. Even try to mimic the speaker’s emotion! You may feel a little silly doing this exercise, but that is actually a sign you’re doing it correctly! Over time, you will develop your ear to hear the sounds of English and reproduce them more accurately.
Good luck with your IELTS preparation, and happy studying!
If you’re thinking about preparing for IELTS, read our blog post on IELTS Writing Section:
