Please share Your IELTS Experience-Badly needed

[gareth and lisa]

I did the general paper.

 

I actually asked if I could switch to the academic test because I found the reading section easier as the language tended to be more precise in the sample questions, though the vocabulary used was more difficult. The centre wouldn't let me, as it would have been a last minute change.

 

Big difference between the two, i did many practice sessions on the general before i realised i had to do the academic. The general is much, much easier.

[Guest mike08]

I found the IELTS test pretty easy, and passed first time with 9s in every band except writing, where I got an 8.5.

 

One problem that I had (and I emailed the IELTS organisation about) is that some of the sample questions would have a very tenuous logic to them. For example, you might get a passage along the lines of:

 

South American countries have dominated football for the last fifty years.

 

Then the question might be:

 

Are North American countries soccer specialists? (True, false, not given.)

 

Strictly speaking, it's not given. If I tried to pull that sort of logic off in an essay then I'd be rightly marked down. But the IELTS sample paper had a question like that where the answer was false.

 

 

I suspect that a lot of the comments about IELTS not being fair are down to two factors:

1. People don't get the marks that they expect. Especially when they're native speakers.

2. Exams aren't necessarily a good way of assessing ability accurately. A few years back I heard that A-levels could easily be a grade out in either direction for a candidate.

 

 

Thanks for your example about the tenuous logic used in the reading test. I found the same thing is another test and I will assume that your example happed in the last few questions in a reading test.

In my opinion, these types of ambiguous questions are used to separate the high scorers of 8 and 9. However, to offer such ambiguous question which most non-native English speakers would work out is more of a lottery, where guessing is encouraged.

One must also remember that the reading test is carried out under time pressures and most people would not have time to weigh up the pros and cons of which answer to give.

In the real world, if someone asks such a question, the listener would ask for clarification. But then, IELTS claims that it offers real world experiences.

[Guest Irmaal]

No blaming, just suggested that rather than paying the full amount again to sit the whole exam that the person could just resit the part they didn't make the grade on.

 

Believe me, there is people out there (and I think many) who do not think about money. I myself would happily pay someone many thouthands of dollars in order I can get additional 0.5 points to my 6.5 currently hold. Or at least for the information, what topic will be on the test. I can even go to Antarctida or Amazon jungle for taking IELTS if the money can lift the final outcome.:arghh:

[Guest mike08]

Hi Mike. My name is Catherine, and I did pass the IELTS first time (was totally astonished that I did)!!! It was an awful experience. I think they make the reading passages so difficult and irrelevant on purpose!!!! There were 3 reading passages and no one could read and answer all the questions in 1 hour!!! The fact that your whole life in Australia rests on this exam is horrible......... If you read the other blogs about the IELTS you will see that people feel it is a money making scam and nothing else. If you want me to answer any other questions please feel free to ask.

 

Bryansc, is English your first language. If not, what is it? Just curious.

 

I don't want to make you feel more miserable, but the reading questions are worded differently to the section they relate to in the body of the article. Not only do you have to understand the question, but you also have to understand the reading article. Furthermore, this is under severe time limits which are deliberately done to stop people translating back and forth with their mother tongue.

Tenuous logic is used in the reading test. I found the same thing in one test I did for fun and it can be usually found in the last few questions.

In my opinion, these types of ambiguous questions are used to separate the high scorers of 8 and 9. However, to offer such ambiguous questions to most non-native English speakers would turn the IELTS into a guessing game, a lottery, where guessing is encouraged.

 

In the real world, if someone asked such a question, the listener would ask for clarification. But then, IELTS claims that it offers real world experiences. I don't think so.

 

Thanks for your comment.

[bryansc]

Bryansc, is English your first language. If not, what is it? Just curious.

 

I don't want to make you feel more miserable, but the reading questions are worded differently to the section they relate to in the body of the article. Not only do you have to understand the question, but you also have to understand the reading article. Furthermore, this is under severe time limits which are deliberately done to stop people translating back and forth with their mother tongue.

Tenuous logic is used in the reading test. I found the same thing in one test I did for fun and it can be usually found in the last few questions.

In my opinion, these types of ambiguous questions are used to separate the high scorers of 8 and 9. However, to offer such ambiguous questions to most non-native English speakers would turn the IELTS into a guessing game, a lottery, where guessing is encouraged.

 

In the real world, if someone asked such a question, the listener would ask for clarification. But then, IELTS claims that it offers real world experiences. I don't think so.

 

Thanks for your comment.

 

Hi Mike. Yes English is my first language.:biglaugh:

[Emma2]

Hi everyone

I took my IELTS 2 weeks ago and was just wondering how long everyone had to wait for the results? I found the exam tougher than I expected but whether I've passed or not I don't know. I was speaking to one of the exam invigilators afterwards and said that I didn't know how people who didn't have English as their first language managed to pass the tests. He said that it was all about technique and that they tutored people in the specific techniques needed to pass to exam. This is probably why English speakers have problems, because most do not have any tutoring prior to the exam. I think it's the usual thing that they're not testing your English just your ability to pass that specific exam!

 

Emma

[Guest cantwaittogo]

Hi guys.

I am native English. I sat my first ielts test in may and unfortunately I did not get the required results. It was the academic version - I got 9, 8.5, 7.5 and only a 6.5 for the reading!! - needed a 7.0 in all 4 sections for my nursing skills assessement. I resat the exam last week thursday (15/07) and will get my results next thursay. Personally I think the second test was harder than the first!!! although I mangaged to finish the reading section this time (just!!!). I had researched a lot on the net and practiced alot - even though the reading lessons say to be able to skim read the paragraphs - you still need to understand them in order to answer the questions !!! I found it horrendous. I can't even take a guess as to how I did - will just have to wait for the results ! I pray and have all fingers and toes crossed that I get through this timje - I couldn't imagine having to do it again.....

I am born and bred English and think the standard for Ielts is ridiculous for the Academic version.

will keep you posted how it went !!!!

Tina

[Emma2]

Just to update, I got my results yesterday and passed, hurrah!!

 

Emma x

[Guest cantwaittogo]

Yay - finally passed my Ielts - 2nd time lucky. Its been a very long 2 and a half months.

I needed a 7 in each category for my ANMC skills application. Unfortunately got 8.5 and 9.0 in all barr the reading in the first test. Just got my results and scraped through with a 7.5 in the reading and 8.0 and 9.0 in the others.

I think its an absolute farce !!! A money making scheme.

All I can say to others who are doing the test - practice reading !!! I am native english and found the reading hectic - to much to take in in the allocated time.

Research as much as you can and practice skim reading , circle dates and names as suggested in the practice tests - it helps a great deal.

Hopefully its onwards from here.

 

Good luck to everyone !!

 

Tina:biglaugh:

[zion77]

I have shared my IELTS experiences in the blog below. I scored 8.

http://ieltswiththomas.blogspot.com

 

Cheers,

Abeesh

[dibongo]

Hi all,this is my first post but I'm that wound up I've got to say something ,my wife took her IELTS in Peterborough in oct needing 7 throughout. She got listening 8 reading 6.5 speaking 9 and writing 7.5. Surprise surprise 0.5 out on one score. Now as we didn't really need the points at the time(just extras) we didn't ask for a remark, however her TRA took so long to come back we lost some points due to age(turning 33). So she has just resat at Leeds Harrogate and got her results yesterday (fri the 13!) and guess what....

listening 7.5 reading 7.0 writing 6.5 speaking 9.0. What I can't understand is why the ask you why you are taking the test, the see immigration to Australia and must be rubbing there hands together,we also put on the online application that she had taken it before but this has not been put on the new certificate as it should( can't they read?!!). So if I was to describe the ielts in two words it would be. F@#¥+NG CON. or RIP OFF. Thank you for letting me get that off my chest, I feel much better now...........