Maruska Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi, I am booked for IELTS this coming April. I am not a native speaker but in the past I passed TOEFL/TSE and OET w/good results, unfortunately they are expired ( I got it for my USA license 7 years ago). I just looked at the sample IELTS test and it seems to be way more difficult :huh:, especially the writing section . I have to do the academic module. I wrote a lot of essays at school but it`s been a while ( and never wrote any in English). Can someone who did IELTS and TOEFL or OET compare them? What kind of questions did you get on the writing part ( the sample was a graph showing CO2 emissions of different types of transportation and the other one was a London subway map......crazy) did you have difficulty to get 7 in all components? Which part did you find most tricky? :no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 There are lots of IELTS practise websites out there that can give you a range of practise and will mark the listening and reading questions for you, as well as a couple of (paid for) services that will mark a written answer for you and give advice, and the Cambridge IELTS book (think the latest is still version 8) is good as it gives example answers for the different bands in writing as well as the other bits. If you really are worried about it, I really would suggest getting a tutor - an hour or two shouldn't be too expensive (sorry, I don't know how much private tutors charge in the US in the UK you would be looking at around £25-£35/hour depending on where you are in the country, for a properly qualified and experienced tutor - they do need to be, otherwise you are just wasting your money) - it will assist with the specifics of what to do, but more importantly will build your confidence as well. I've got some tips and stuff on my blog site, if you want to have a look - follow the link in my signature and go to the 'Information' 'IELTS' section (my Mother in Law is head of international students at a school, which delivers IELTS to the overseas students and I tutor and mark exam papers so know a bit about IELTS now), which might help as well as some info on tutors (would add I'm not touting for business myself - I'm currently in the UK, but leave for Oz in two days and will be travelling around once there, so not looking for any work myself ) HTH a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks! I don`t really think I will need a tutor but I want to do as many of the practice tests as I can. The point is, I need 7 in all 4 components for skills assessment but if I got 8 overall it will be additional I think 10 points for immigration ( I have the required 65 points if I pass at 7 but I don`t know if they will be willing to accept all my work experience so trying to earn as many points as I am able to.:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracoldwell Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks! I don`t really think I will need a tutor but I want to do as many of the practice tests as I can. The point is, I need 7 in all 4 components for skills assessment but if I got 8 overall it will be additional I think 10 points for immigration ( I have the required 65 points if I pass at 7 but I don`t know if they will be willing to accept all my work experience so trying to earn as many points as I am able to.:wink: Hey Maruska, I share your worries. I need an 8 in all 4 components. I totally agree with you about the questions, some of them are ridiculous and ask about things that Im not even sure what the are. I think practice practice and we should be OK. Its the grammar side of things that worries me, i think ill have to just stick , ; and : in just randomly throughout the writing and hope for the best:laugh: xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi Laura I am not worried about , ; at all.... I will write short sentences only:biglaugh::biglaugh: but yes, I do find some of the questions plain weird:unsure: ( for the writing component ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracoldwell Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi Laura I am not worried about , ; at all.... I will write short sentences only:biglaugh::biglaugh: but yes, I do find some of the questions plain weird:unsure: ( for the writing component ) Ha ha good idea I think i will try that too. I read one asking me to describe the pros and cons of globalization. Now im not daft but i have no idea what that is or what i would say. Eeek! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Law Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Ha ha good idea I think i will try that too. I read one asking me to describe the pros and cons of globalization. Now im not daft but i have no idea what that is or what i would say. Eeek! xx To clear 8s you will need to use more complex punctuation and write longer sentences using good complex joining words not just the and and buts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 OK I am gonna try to sneak some , ; : in so that it doesn`t look like elementary school style writing:wink: Heather I love your Avatar, I am hoping to see whales in Australia ! I`ve seen a couple 6 years ago on our trip to Washington state ( Seattle and the islands) but since then only the ones in captivity at Seaworld:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracoldwell Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 To clear 8s you will need to use more complex punctuation and write longer sentences using good complex joining words not just the and and buts... Cheers Heather, Have you done the IELTS? Can i ask if you managed to clear your scores first time, as I am pretty worried. Like I said i do need all 8's. I finished uni in September so I am hoping that I managed to retain some information from that. I am sitting the academic test. Just wondered if you can remember what questions you had for the writing? x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Law Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Cheers Heather, Have you done the IELTS? Can i ask if you managed to clear your scores first time, as I am pretty worried. Like I said i do need all 8's. I finished uni in September so I am hoping that I managed to retain some information from that. I am sitting the academic test. Just wondered if you can remember what questions you had for the writing? x I took 4 attempts to pass, i always got .5 under for one of the components and 1 point under for the 3rd writing test. 2nd i got 9 9 7.5 9 and finally on the 4th attempt i got 8 8 8.5, 8.5. you will need to do lots of practice and get the technique right for the writing. Hope i havent scared you off! I had to get 8s otherwise i would not have been able to get 65 points for SS visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracoldwell Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I took 4 attempts to pass, i always got .5 under for one of the components and 1 point under for the 3rd writing test. 2nd i got 9 9 7.5 9 and finally on the 4th attempt i got 8 8 8.5, 8.5. you will need to do lots of practice and get the technique right for the writing. Hope i havent scared you off! I had to get 8s otherwise i would not have been able to get 65 points for SS visa. Argh I was really hoping to pass 1st time. Ive been practicing loads but the writing does look difficult. As long as i get 7's i can put in for my skills assessment and the re do the IELTS to get 8's before my visa application. xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 My husband too is a complete nerd and he took him the third attempt to get band 9. Its not designed for native english speakers so thats part of the problem. He said on some of the questions you had to infer the answer and he didnt like that you only had time to skim the reading. PRactice practice practice and ensure your technique is right. like need opening, closing state explain illustrate type answers in the writing. I was so proud when he got it I put it up on the wall as a laugh. Its an achievement! Best of luck with it xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.