What is Computer Based IELTS exam?

TYPES OF IELTS EXAMINATIONS

1. IELTS academic exam: You're required to clear this exam to enter further education in universities of many English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and most famously, Canada! It is becoming more and more popular for entrance to the US education system as well.

2. IELTS general training exam: This exam is for visas, work permits, and showing potential employers - or current employers - your level of English.

3. IELTS life skills exam: This is a test of oral English, so you're assessed only for speaking and listening. The test is usually for visa purposes. However, it is also used for what's called a spousal visa. So, if you're going to join a married partner in the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, you need to take this test of speaking and listening skills only, so it doesn't contain reading and writing.

IELTS Academic exam IELTS General training exam

Academic texts: the texts are more academic; they are the kind of texts that you would be reading in further education Texts are different. You might have an information document; it may be instructions for how to do something. You can portray that by developing and utilizing good IELTS Vocabulary in your IELTS test. Academic vocabulary can be useful in the general training exam too. You will find examples of the same on the general training IELTS exam, particularly in the second and third texts. The general training exam doesn't require you to have a vivid vocabulary, except in essays. But it will definitely help you to perform better overall.

Task 1: The first task on this exam is a description of data. It could be a graph, a table, a bar chart, or an illustration of a process that you need to describe. [should we enter images?] Task 1: On the general training examination, the second task is a letter of 150 words Task 2 will be a discursive essay of 250 words on both papers.

ABOUT IELTS COMPUTER-BASED TEST

The computer-based IELTS test is the same as the paper-based IELTS test. The only significant difference between the two is the mode of submission/answering. It's just typing your answers into a computer rather than physically noting them down on paper.

The IELTS Speaking test does not change and will still be conducted by a trained IELTS examiner.

One advantage that computer-based testing has over paper-based tests is that it provides you with more options in terms of the test date

Is CD IELTS difficult?

Computer-delivered IELTS tests and paper-based IELTS tests are equally challenging.

A help button is provided on the computer-delivered test to assist you.

Which is better, paper or computer based IELTS?

There is no difference in the level of difficulty in both the exams. They are equally challenging.

Is computer based IELTS accepted?

There are no differences in the acceptance of paper-based or computer-based IELTS scores globally. IELTS is accepted by every college, whether the test is conducted on paper or by computer-delivered testing.

How to choose the test date and centre for your IELTS test?

You can check for test centres near you and book your test with IDP IELTS.

Currently, it is not possible to take IELTS examinations in certain areas and have been postponed in others. Therefore, you will need to check with the official test centres to book an examination.

HOW TO PREPARE

Now that you know about the exam, the next most important thing is to improve all aspects of your English to get the IELTS score you need. I have some tips that you can follow to develop your English proficiency.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Find as many sample questions as you can. Then, take an online practice test to experience computer-delivered tests first hand.

Check the Marvel official Facebook page and for helpful guides & Practice papers.

There are separate articles specifically about the listening and the speaking sections on the Marvel official practice app. Please go and check those out. Share the links with your peers to help them with their preparation. Practicing computer-based tests is more accessible now.

To maximize your score in the IELTS, Keep practicing.

Try to keep a little vocabulary record of things that you hear, things you've read, words that you think would be useful for your writing tasks. We're all different kinds of learners; try to discover the way that you can learn best.

There are different learning styles and if you know how you learn and remember things better, use that knowledge to tailor your learning.

For example, if you're a visual learner, try making yourself flashcards or mind maps. Use different colours when you're making your notes.

If you're what we call an auditory learner, why not try using your phone? Record chunks of audio of the language or record vocabulary. Playback to yourself, maybe make it into a little song.

Try to find these memory techniques with yourself. Some of us learn better by movement, strangely enough. So, if you discover you're what we call kinaesthetic learners. It could be an excellent idea, walk around while you're trying to learn something or maybe go and write something on the noticeboard up in your study room.

These are good ways to memorize vocabulary, which is the key to success in IELTS.

Here are some more valuable tips to prepare for IELTS at home!

1. You can record yourself doing an IELTS speaking test
2. Practice your skills with our practice questions
3. Try taking a computer delivered IELTS test
4. Look for informative textbooks on your shelf
5. Make sure to maintain a high level of general English knowledge
6. Read. There is a wealth of text available out there. Reading anything and everything, it's a good tip.

If you want to look at the entire academic word list, search a little on the Internet, and you will find it very interesting. You can find all of these lists online. In addition, you can download academic word lists in PDF format.
There is also something in English called a general service list, which is a list of the most common words used in English. However, we are concentrating on the academic one.

ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM

The most important thing is to be prepared, although I don't think doing past papers is the best way to prepare for the examination. I believe you need to develop all kinds of different aspects of your English language understanding, not purely these skills involved in the IELTS exam.

However, exam technique and strategy is very, very important, so make sure that you have done a few practice papers of the four areas, or two if it's life skills,

Before you sit for the examination, you need to check with your test center precisely what you need to bring with you. You will need some official identification issued by the government.

Generally, a passport is required, but you'll need to check with your test center. Take along a pen and pencil. Again, it does depend on your test center, whether you will be using your equipment or whether the centre will provide equipment for you. This has to be enquired about beforehand.

There are certain stipulations and rules, nowadays, about the watches, you can wear.

Then I'd like to give you some general tips:

1. Go to bed early the night before.
2. Don't forget to get plenty of sleep.
3. Make sure to have a good breakfast. You don't want to be hungry halfway through.
4. Know what to expect, learn about the test format and the test center
5. When you've sat for the exam, and then you come out:
6. The first thing to do is don't stress out and don't worry. As when the examination is finished, there's nothing more you can do.
7. Please don't talk with other candidates about how they did in the paper. In general, all we do is stress ourselves further when we compare how we think we've done with how somebody else thinks they've done. And the same goes for speaking.
8. Suppose you talk to other test-takers about the topics that they had in the speaking. It can make you more concerned and worried about how you did because the other test-takers will not have the same questions as you.
9. So, when it's over, pat yourself on the back. Now you know you worked as hard as you possibly could for the exam, so now patiently wait for the results and keep your fingers crossed.

RESULTS

When will I get my results?
If you've taken the computer based IELTS examinations, your results will be available to preview online between two and five days.

If you've taken the paper examination, it will go off to be marked and assessed. Those results will be available 13 days later.

The results will be given to you in four different areas. First, you will see four different reading, writing, speaking, and listening scores added together and divided by 4 to obtain an overall score.

How long is the IELTS result valid for?
For two years, the results of IELTS are valid, and there is no limit to the number of times to take the exam.

Also, it is possible to ask for a remark if you didn't get the desired results. However, the examiners and the markers are generally pretty good. It's possible to ask for a remark, but you have to pay for it, so that is that.

If you are sceptical about whether you need to take the academic for further education or general, it's also a requirement for certain professional working visas, namely medicine.

Please go on here and have a look, which test is right for you. Of course, it would be best if you did as much follow-up reading practice as you could. For more information about IELTS and IDP, click [Link]

Due to the prevailing situation, it is possible that the exams are not yet being conducted in your region. You can visit this link to find out the current status of the examination in the place you're living. [link]

FAQs

Q1. How are the academic reading and general training reading papers different from each other?

There's much difference.

In academic reading, there are three quite dense texts that get progressively harder. And in the general reading section, it could be an advertisement that you're reading. It could be stages of a procedure. It could be an instruction manual.

I'd suggest you first investigate which test is most appropriate for you, and then you can see some examples.

Q2. How to grasp everything in the listening test effectively?

A big listening tip that I can give you at the moment is to practice your listening with Marvel's software.

Additionally, I am sure that we all are following everything that's happening worldwide due to the coronavirus, so why not listen to that information for our benefit! First, in your own language and then in English.

When you listen to the information in English and on different websites (Try British accents), you will begin to understand words without much effort. You can also watch shows and movies in English, that could help! (Also, it's fun)

Try a British newsreel, then an American one, maybe an Australian one as well. It could be an excellent way to familiarise yourself with different accents.

More and more of us are going to be speaking to each other online. So again, that's a very good tip at the moment. Just talk to people - engage with people. You're improving your listening skills while working to improve your speaking skills at the same time. That's definitely the way to go.

Q3. What types of essays are usually on the exam?

There is always a discursive essay. For example, it could be a discussion of advantages and disadvantages, problem -solution or cause and effect, etc.

Now all of the topics are connected to social issues that we all face. So again, if you go to the Marvel website, you will find lists of topics. And that's something I would suggest for preparation, and also to make a list of these topics and see lots and lots of tasks in two titles rather than trying to write all of these out.
Why not just brainstorm ideas. You could do it with your friends. You could do it using social media. You can do it to improve your listening - just bouncing around ideas with other students.
Think about topical vocabulary; for example, if your task was about public transport, have a collection of lingo that you would need to talk about or write about, including the all-important collocation.
Collocations are groups of words which naturally fit together - and it's something that will push up your score in IELTS if you have some examples of collocation.
Another good tip for the reading section is to look for anchors. It means looking for keywords. Look for synonyms and read the instructions extremely carefully.

Q4. Does the level of difficulty of the general reading papers differ from the academic reading papers?

Yes, the general reading paper is more straightforward. However, the balance of scores is slightly different between the general and the academic. So that means to get a six on the general paper, you would need to score proportionally more marks on the academic paper.

Q5. How are ideas assessed in writing task 2?

That would be in your task response, task achievement - the first area. Are your ideas relevant to the title (to the topic)? They need to be linked explicitly to the title. Not too vague, too general, or irrelevant.

One of the pitfalls for some test-takers is that they look at the title, spot a word that they recognize, and answer in a way that showcases vague and extremely general ideas that are not directly linked to the title, or the question being asked.

What I suggest you do is spend a few minutes analysing the title, analysing the question.

• Identify keywords and micro-keywords, and make sure all of your ideas are directly linked to what you're being asked.

• Brainstorm, do a little mind map beforehand.

• Bullet-point a few points

• Before you start writing, just check, am I answering the question?

Q6. How can you improve IELTS speaking band scores?

Have a look at the public descriptors for how your speaking is assessed. For example, in one of my articles about speaking, I talked about moving up the bands.

Again, you can find the public descriptors on the IDP website. Find your current band, then look at the band above it and notice where the differences are on those public descriptors and make them your targets.

Think about the four areas that your speaking is assessed on and try to work it out. Do you have a weakness in one of those areas? How can you push it up - a band - a little bit higher?

Q7. How can you improve your writing skills?

Reading model answers - good model answers - is a great way to see the register and style you need for both tasks. So, whether you're on the academic or the general paper, look at task 1 and task 2, introspect the public descriptors and contemplate how your work is assessed.

Q8. Do I have to give a general response?

What I think is being asked here is: do you have to tell the truth?

This is a question I'm asked time and again. No, you don't. Since you're not being assessed on your ideas, opinions, or whether you're telling the truth, it is a test of your ability and proficiency in English language.

However, it's generally easier to talk about something true than something that is not.

Keep your eye on Marvel's Facebook page and Marvel's website for any updates.

Like there have been some minor changes in the listening test subset in 2020. There are changes, but they are minor - like there is no longer an example for one of the sections.

Just keep practicing. That's the most important thing to do for IELTS preparation. Marvel wishes good luck to anyone who is taking the IELTS exam this week. Keep working hard, stay safe.