IELTS vs TOEFL - Comparing the two English language proficiency tests.

Today's best IELTS information is about the difference between TOEFL and IELTS.

Recently, a huge number of people have asked me what the difference between IELTS and TOEFL is.  I recently came upon this 'youtube' video of a Belgian guy who has taken both tests and thought you might find it interesting. I have just one point to add, though, and that is that some of his comments are more specifically related to taking the tests in Belgium.

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For IELTS Speaking Test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

Alanna

 

The best way to practise listening for the IELTS Listening Test while you're relaxing.

Today's best IELTS tip is about how to practise for the IELTS Listening Test whilst you're relaxing.

So, how many of you feel guilty when you're watching TV; 'I should be studying', you think.  Now, I'm not going to suggest you spend all of your free time watching TV but I am going to suggest you can make it part of your study plan for the listening test.

If you live in an English-speaking country, make sure you always watch TV in English.  I've had too many students over the years who always watch TV from their own country via satellite.  Now I understand that this is very comforting and that you want to stay in touch with current affairs and popular culture from your own country but it isn't going to help you very much with your English study.

When watching TV in English, turn on the teletext sometimes so that you can also see the written form of the words you are hearing; a good way to improve your vocabulary.  Sometimes it's also a good idea NOT to turn on the teletext so that your comprehension depends totally on your listening skills.

Tryk to watch a variety of programs; documentaries, the news and yes, even soap operas sometimes!

If you don't live in an English-speaking country, you can follow the above tips if you have access to satellite TV.

Another ways to improve your listening skills is to watch movies on DVD; make sure you turn on the English language version; subtitles (in English) are also a good idea.  You can also access movies and TV programs in English on the internet.

I don't particularly watch much TV but when I was living in Italy and Germany, I watched a lot!  The main reasons for this was that when I first moved ot those countries, I didn't really have any friends :-( and then I realised how useful it was for practising my Italian and German!

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

Alanna

 

Best Procedure for Writing IELTS Task 1 letters.

Today's best IELTS tip is about writing letters for General IELTS Writing Task 1.

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Here's the four step procedure for writing letters that I give my students.

Step 1

Read and understand the task; understand the topic; the question and the requirements.

Step 2

Plan what you are going to write: greet; state the purpose; give/request information; request action; close and sign off.

Step 3

Write your answer on the answer sheet.

·         Write a greeting

·         State your purpose (why you are writing)

·         Give/request information

·         Request action

·         Close

·         Sign off.

Step 4

Check your writing; check the content; the language; and the presentation.

 

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

Alanna

 

Word limits in the Writing Test.

Today's best IELTS information is about how many words to write in the IELTS Writing Test.

I am frequesntly asked about IELTS Writing Test word limits.  OK, for Task 1, the test says to write AT LEAST 150 words and for Task 2, AT LEAST 250 words.  The crucial words are 'at least'; if you write less than 150 words / 250 words, you will be penalised.  But what about an upper word limit?  The test doesn't specity one.

As a teacher, I usually advise my students to write between 150 and 170 words for Task 1, certainly not more than 180 words.  Why not?  Well, you don't need to; you can use your time better; constructing a good answer, checking grammar and vocabulary etc.  This point also applies to Task 2, where I advise students to write between 250 and 280 words; certainly not more than 300.

 

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

 

Alanna

 

 

 

 

How is my IELTS score calculated?

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Today's best IELTS information is about how your IELTS score is calculated.

 

Over the years, nearly all my IELTS students have asked me “How is my IELTS result calculated?” I’ve also had a few requests from visitors to this site to write a post about the answer to this question. So, here it is…

IELTS Listening and Reading Tests. 

In the Listening and Reading Tests, each correct answer is awarded one point. A conversion table is then used to translate this number into a band score, which will either be a whole or a half band. The marking is absolutely objective as answer papers are marked against a set of model answers.

IELTS Writing and Speaking Tests. 

The Writing and Speaking Tests are marked by a specially-trained examiner who uses a set of descriptors: different ones for Writing Task 1, Writing Task 2 and Speaking.

As can be seen from the descriptors, the examiner considers a number of criteria when deciding which band you fall into.

Writing. 

The final band score for each writing task is an average of the scores for each of the following criteria.

• Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2)
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy

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Task 1 carries one third of the final score and Task 2 carries two-thirds. The final score is rounded to a whole or half band.

Speaking. 

The Speaking Test is marked according to the following criteria and the final band score is an average of the scores for each of the following criteria. The final score is rounded to a whole or half band.

• Fluency and Coherence
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy
• Pronunciation

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The criteria and the band descriptors are designed to make the marking of the speaking and writing Tests as objective as possible.

Overall Score. 

Your overall IELTS band score is calculated by averaging the scores for each of the different Skills tests and rounding to the nearest half band.

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For example:
Listening: 6.5
Reading: 6.5
Writing: 6
Speaking: 7
Overall: 6.5

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

 

Alanna

 

 

 

 

Best Tips to improve your IELTS Listening score - flow charts.

Today's best IELTS tip is about how to tackle flow chart completion in the listening test.

One of the possible question task types in the IELTS Listening Test is flow chart completion.  Here are a few tips to help you deal with this task type successfully:

• Study the words and phrases in the chart
• Look at how the chart is organised.  Look at any boxes and arrows on the chart and ask yourself what they represent
• The structure of the chart will also gives you clues about the information you are going to hear.
• When describing a process (so that you can fill in the flow chart), the speaker will use various sequencing words such as; 'first of all', 'then', 'after x has been done', 'finally' etc.
• The verb tenses usually used are present/present perfect simple when describing a process and verbs are often used in the passive voice.
• Flow charts follow the organisation of the recording you hear.  This means that the answers you have to write are in the same order as the information on the recording.

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna

 

Tips for the Table Completion Task Type in the IELTS Reading Test.

Today's best IELTS tip is about the table completion task in the IELTS Reading Test.

In the IELTS Reading Test, you may have to complete a table with information from a text in note form.  Here are a few tips on how to approach this task type:

• Study the layout of tables carefully.  You should especially take note of the organising features, for example headings at the top of the columns.  Look carefully at the rows and columns to see what you need to write where.
  

• Look at the headings and key words in the table and scan the text for them..Then read that part of the text carefully.

• This kind of task type usually has a word limit e.g.  NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.  Make sure you take note of that instuction; I have seen too many students make the mistake of writing too many words in practice tests in class.

• Make sure your answer makes sense and is gramatically correct.

For speaking test tips, why not download my free IELTS Speaking report; Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor.  I'm sure you'll find it useful!

If you're enjoying my best IELTS tips, why not look me up on 'youtube'.  My channel is 'bestieltsonline'.

 

Alanna