| As IELTS is the most widely used test for entry | | | | are based on synonyms and paraphrasing. For |
| to UK universities, I will look at it in more detail in | | | | example, if the text says: |
| terms of the test format and strategies for | | | | Anthropologists have proposed over one hundred |
| success. Universities vary on the entrance | | | | different definitions of the term culture.a typical |
| requirements set in the four papers in relation to | | | | IELTS short answer style question might be as |
| their courses; some will specify higher scores for | | | | follows: |
| reading and writing, especially for social science | | | | Who have put forward a wide range of meanings |
| subjects and humanities compared to | | | | of culture? |
| mathematics and the hard sciences. This usually | | | | Here we can see the use of the following |
| reflects the amount of reading and writing | | | | synonyms to test comprehension:propose = put |
| required to pass the postgraduate course. A good | | | | forward a wide range of = over one hundred |
| knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar is | | | | different definitions = meanings. |
| only one area you will need to score highly in | | | | Note: There is also a clue in the question with the |
| these tests. You will also need to be able to skim | | | | word "have" which tells you that the answer |
| and scan texts for specific information, listen for | | | | needs to be plural. If the question said "Who has", |
| specific and general information in the listening and | | | | you would need a singular noun as the answer. |
| be able to present your views on topics in a clear | | | | Writing - 1 hour |
| and logical way in the productive skills of writing | | | | There are 2 tasks in the writing paper. Task 1 |
| and speaking. The main point to remember about | | | | requires you to describe some visual information |
| the IELTS is that you need to prepare and know | | | | usually a graph or table in 150 words or more. For |
| the strategies and techniques for doing the test. | | | | task 2 you must write an essay explaining your |
| It is likely that you will have strong and weak | | | | views on a general social topic, such as education |
| areas in the 4 papers and also in the question | | | | or the environment, in 250 words or more. Task |
| types so preparation and knowing your strengths | | | | 2 is worth more marks so you should divide your |
| and weaknesses are the keys to success. | | | | time as follows: 20 minutes for task 1 and 40 |
| Listening - 30 minutes + 10 minutes to transfer | | | | minutes for task 2. For task 1 you should be able |
| answers | | | | to present statistical or graphical information |
| The listening has four sections based on | | | | clearly using specific language. In task 2 make |
| conversational dialogues between 2 to 4 people | | | | sure you know the structure of an academic |
| and lecture style semi-academic monologues. | | | | essay in English and are able to present your |
| There are 40 questions and the question types | | | | ideas logically with examples and support to |
| include the following: completing text or diagrams, | | | | explain your views. |
| choosing from a list such as multiple choice and | | | | In the writing it is important that you answer the |
| matching or classifying. | | | | question and do not attempt to change the |
| It is important to familiarise yourself with all the | | | | question in any way. You will be marked on four |
| types. Remember to read the instructions | | | | areas: task achievement, meaning did you answer |
| carefully as there are often clues in the questions. | | | | the question, coherence and cohesion, lexical |
| You must spell words correctly. You have some | | | | resource (vocabulary) and grammatical range and |
| time at the end of the exam to transfer your | | | | accuracy. |
| answers on to the answer sheet. | | | | Speaking - 11 - 14 minutes |
| Reading - 1 hour | | | | The speaking test has 3 sections and is between |
| The reading is generally thought to be the most | | | | the candidate and one examiner. The first section |
| difficult of the 4 papers because there is a lot to | | | | is a general conversation about topics which are |
| read - 3 articles of approximately 700 - 800 | | | | familiar to you such as your home town or family. |
| words each. Like the listening, there are 40 | | | | The second section requires you to speak about |
| questions covering the same types; completion | | | | a topic for 1 - 2 minutes and the third section is a |
| text and visual information, selecting from lists | | | | discussion about the topic in a more abstract way. |
| and matching or classifying. | | | | It is important that you expand your answers and |
| The texts are taken from books, journals and | | | | demonstrate a wide range of grammatical |
| magazines and will have a semi academic content, | | | | structures and vocabulary. Remember that the |
| although no specialist knowledge is required. You | | | | examiner can only grade you on what you say in |
| are not expected to read the texts in detail (even | | | | those 11 - 14 minutes so make sure you have |
| a native English speaker would find this difficult in | | | | some high level grammatical structures ready |
| 60 minutes) so you need to develop your ability | | | | such as conditionals, passives or modal verbs. |
| to skim the text for a general understanding and | | | | You will be marked on four areas: fluency and |
| scan for specific information. | | | | coherence, lexical resource (vocabulary), |
| Note on the listening and reading: | | | | grammatical range and accuracy and pronunciation. |
| Most of the IELTS listening and reading questions | | | | |