Dazling Daz Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Hi everybody. Has anyone recently taken the ielts exams? In order for me to get enough points to lodge a visa application I need to sit the ielts exams and achieve at least a 7 across the board. I thought that it would have been pretty easy due to the fact that anyone with a British passport automatically receives a score of 6, so it cannot be too hard to get a 7. How wrong was I! I found some online tests and tried them. The listening one, I thought was hard. I initially got a 6. At that point my heart sank and panic set in. I looked at the correct answers and my mistakes were silly compared to them. For example, one answer was "1 1/2 days", I wrote "one and half days". Does a computer mark the real tests or is it someone with a sense of intelligence and common sense. The writing exam looked quite hard too. Another reason for me been a bit 'tongue in cheek' about the exams is that I have a degree and I am currently studying for a Masters in Administration. Surely I cannot be that illiterate? Anyone got any confidence boosters. If I do not get 7's across the board, then my dreams will be shattered. Daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshirepudding Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 IELTS is evil!! Its part marked by computer but the writing is marked by a human!! Practise like mad, for reading don't read too much into it, but read the question/statement very carefully. Writing get you partner to give you spelling tests, practise letter writing, signing off a letter and practise essay construction and punctuation. Check your hand writing make sure you don't write in block capitals, seriously I don't write anything apart from form filling which always says write in block capitals, this is how I failed by first test lmao Listening you only hear the tape once so zone everything around you out, speaking price of cake. You will be fine just practise, practise, practise. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazling Daz Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Hi Yorkie Pud Thanks for the advise. I am guessing you passed it. Am I right? I am sitting the test on 31st March in Leeds. If I fail it I will not have a great deal of time to sit another because I will not get the results until the end of April and then wait another 6 weeks to sit another test. This would take me up to mid June to get the results back hopefully. Just in time for the Visa July deadline. Daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rocki Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hi I sat it twice- the first time I got 7s and above but then they changed the points test so decided to go for 8's in all sections, the thing that helped me was the Cambridge ielts book which i got off Amazon. it has exercises and Cds and i just went through this the weekend before- in terms of listening it is really easy to let your mind wander and you just need to be aware of this. in the reading test it is all about not making assumptions and sticking to the facts you have read if it doesn't say it explicitly you put not given etc. I used pencils so I could rub out my answers. Ensure you write with an introduction, a middle and an end in your letter and your essay. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshirepudding Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hi Yorkie Pud Thanks for the advise. I am guessing you passed it. Am I right? I am sitting the test on 31st March in Leeds. If I fail it I will not have a great deal of time to sit another because I will not get the results until the end of April and then wait another 6 weeks to sit another test. This would take me up to mid June to get the results back hopefully. Just in time for the Visa July deadline. Daz Yeah I passed it then celebrated by taking the ielts books and burning them in the back garden Hey your not that far away I am a Scarborough lass. I am sure you will pass it just put in the work and you will have no problems, also go to search on here I bet there's hundreds of old thread on ielts with tips just type in ielts on the search bar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shelly23 Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Hi everybody. Has anyone recently taken the ielts exams? In order for me to get enough points to lodge a visa application I need to sit the ielts exams and achieve at least a 7 across the board. I thought that it would have been pretty easy due to the fact that anyone with a British passport automatically receives a score of 6, so it cannot be too hard to get a 7. How wrong was I! I found some online tests and tried them. The listening one, I thought was hard. I initially got a 6. At that point my heart sank and panic set in. I looked at the correct answers and my mistakes were silly compared to them. For example, one answer was "1 1/2 days", I wrote "one and half days". Does a computer mark the real tests or is it someone with a sense of intelligence and common sense. The writing exam looked quite hard too. Another reason for me been a bit 'tongue in cheek' about the exams is that I have a degree and I am currently studying for a Masters in Administration. Surely I cannot be that illiterate? Anyone got any confidence boosters. If I do not get 7's across the board, then my dreams will be shattered. Daz Hi Daz I'm in the same boat also resitting on 31/3 but in Bangor. I need 8's, my last one got 3x9 and 7.5 in writing, which like you have only just finshed my masters in Sept, so was devistated did appeal but they didn't increase my score hence resit 4th time. The listening really isn't that bad, you have a few minutes to read the questions before the tape starts again, some people start transfereing their answers then, but don't as you have time at the end. when you read the questions you can sometimes know whats coming so just listen for the words. Speaking is easy. reading isn't easy, but general is easier than academic, (I've sat both). Definately look at examples on line, there are lots, and practice lots. I jumped from 7.5-9 when I practised. Again the writing, it's not hard, but just just have to put what they want, ie paragraphs. I bought the ielts book aswell, anything that helps there is also a website that you can pay and examiners will give you feedback. www.takeielts@britishcouncil.org Our dreams will be over too if can't get the 8 in next few months, which is awful. good luck for 31st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazling Daz Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Hi Shelly Thanks for you reply. Fingers crossed, and toes. I feel I need a soap box moment. I can 't believe that anyone who holds a British passport automatically receives a 6.0 on the ielts scale. You can't tell me that everyone who falls in to this catagory can speak, listen, read and talk sufficiently. Therefore the difference between a 6.0 and a 7.0, for me is a millon miles away. (Soap box moment over) Daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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