Overview of IELTS, with Daniel Marsh, Episode 1 [VIDEO]

If you've done really well in your test, post it on LinkedIn, post it on Facebook. Take the time to celebrate because that is worth celebrating. Welcome to the very first episode of IELTS Prepared by IDP, your trusted guide for test day success. Over the next 10 episodes, I'll be taking you on an IELTS preparation journey.

My name is Rocco Negro. I've been involved in the English language teaching industry since 1995. And during this time, I've been involved in teaching, teacher training, assessment. and academic management. In today's episode, I'm joined by Daniel Marsh. Daniel is a linguist who recently finished his PhD and has joined us at IDP IELTS. Daniel now helps universities and organisations in Australia. and New Zealand understand IELTS and how we test English language.

In today's episode, Daniel's going to give us an introduction to IELTS. We cover everything from how to choose the right IELTS test to the different ways you can take IELTS before moving on to how the test is structured. Daniel, welcome. Thank you. Now, there is a myth that the IELTS test is harder than other English language proficiency tests. Is it true?

I've heard that a lot as well. It's not really a difficult test, but more so it's an accurate test. If a test was too easy, how can we trust that the results of it are reliable? So let's talk a bit about choosing the right IELTS test. Is there more than one test available for people to choose from? Yes. So there's...

two main types of IELTS tests that you can take. So there's IELTS general training and there's IELTS academic. Before you take an IELTS test, think about what your plans are for what you're going to use these results for. People use these results for university, for immigration, for...

to professional organisations such as accounting or engineers teaching, for example. So different organisations have different types of English that they require. Does that mean like a university will always accept? academic and not general.

Yeah, so most universities will require someone to do IELTS academic, but I mean, of course, it depends on the program as well. So for things at a certificate or diploma level where they're studying something like culinary arts, you might only need general training. But if you're studying something at the bachelor level or higher, usually you'll need IELTS academic. You said something about registering with professional organisations, like with accounting, for example. Is that normally an...

An academic test or IELTS general training test? Generally what we see is that academic results are required. So usually for professional organisations like accounting, teaching, nursing, medical registration, you will be expected. most of the time to do an IELTS academic. There are a few that do accept IELTS general.

However, you should be checking with the organisation which tests that they accept before you book your test. So always check directly with the organisation? Absolutely. We try and keep as much information as possible up-to-date and relevant. on our IELTS websites, but of course, organisations, requirements and expectations.

of language test results are always changing and always being evaluated so make sure that you check that organization's websites or even contact them to confirm what test results they accept how about with the general training test when would people take that one So for general training, think about visa or immigration purposes. A lot of the time IELTS general training is accepted for things like that. So if you're moving to a country such as Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada.

Ireland. For certain working visas you might only need an IELTS general training. Actually speaking of the UK Daniel what are the requirements for someone who wants to go and study and live and work there? So for immigrating to the UK you need to take what's called an IELTS IELTS UKVI. A lot of people hear that and they think, oh, it's a completely different test. It's not. No, it's not. No. So the format of the test in IELTS UKVI is the same.

as any other IELTS test that you would do for any other purpose. It's just that the security requirements are quite different. So the UK government has very specific requirements of what they expect in terms of security purposes for language tests. So preparation-wise, people just...

prepare the same way? Exactly. Yeah. So you can prepare for it the same way. The format of the test is the same and the same types of questions will be asked of you in an IELTS UKVI as you would see in other IELTS tests. Daniel, there was... One thing I wanted to ask you about is the IELTS OneSkill Retake. Can you tell me a bit more about that? IELTS OneSkill Retake is a relatively new development in IELTS, which is, I think, really great.

and it really supports our test takers so of course as you know ielts is a four-part test so we test for speaking listening reading and writing. And when you do an IELTS test, you get results for each of those four skills. So what happens a lot is when people apply to organisations, they'll need an overall result.

or an overall requirement that they need to pass, but then there'll also be requirements for each of the subscores. And sometimes people will do really, really well in three of those skills, and then they'll just fall short in just one skill. And that's... devastating, right? It's really upsetting. So this is an option for them, is it? Yes, exactly. So if someone has completed a full IELTS test and they've received all of their results, but only one skill.

is just a little bit short of the requirements that they need for admission to the organization that they're applying to, they have the option of doing a one skill retake. So that means once you've completed a full IELTS test, if one of your skills is just a little bit short, have the option of retaking just that one part of the test within 60 days of your full IELTS test. So it must be within 60 days. Yes. And what happens if the result is better?

if the result is better after doing one skill retake? Yes. So after you do an IELTS one skill retake, you get a new test report form. It'll be a new number and everything, and your score will be updated. However, there'll also be some administrative comments on the test just to let the organisation know that this result was from an IELTS OneSkill retake. And it will also let them know the test report form number of their original test as well. So organisations can see.

how your results have changed as well. So IELTS is being really transparent about how we do our testing and how we give our results. That's a great option. Yeah, absolutely. Because, you know, testing... It's so stressful, right? We've all done tests in school, at university. For some people, doing an IELTS test can be the difference between

getting into the university that you want or having to wait for the next semester to do your IELTS test again. So something like IELTS OneSkill Retake, it's giving people a second chance to be able to prove my English actually is quite proficient. Let me have another go at that again.

Let's move on to the different ways that people can take the IELTS test. Daniel, is it only on computer or can someone take the IELTS test on paper as well? So we offer it primarily in two different formats. So yes, there's IELTS on computer and there's... on paper. The format of the tests is the same.

whether you do IELTS on paper or IELTS on computer. So the questions are the same and the rating and the assessment is the same? Exactly. So the types of questions that you would come across in computer or paper versions would be the same. Some people think one is easier than the other. Is that true?

annoying answer but it really does depend on the person. For most of us who've done tests through schooling our most common experience of doing testing is on paper so most people feel more comfortable doing their testing. on paper. However, there's a lot of advantages to doing IELTS on computer as well, because you're able to highlight, you're able to make notes, you can cut and paste in the writing section. So if you've accidentally written one paragraph.

in an awkward place, but you want to move it somewhere else, you have the option of doing that on computer as well. Whereas on paper, you would have to cross it out and write it again, which can take a lot of time. So I think IELTS on computer has a lot of advantages as well, but not everyone.

is literate in using a computer. So with IELTS we offer both options of doing it on computer or paper so that people can take the test in the way that's most comfortable for them. And what about with the results? Is there a difference there with the turnaround?

With IELTS on paper, the results do take longer than IELTS on computer. With IELTS on computer, you can expect to get your results back within three to five business days. And with IELTS on paper, it can take up to 13 days to get your results. back. And that's just has to do with how the results are collected and then given to examiners to assess. And then also how the results are reviewed by examiners at Cambridge University as well.

If you're choosing to do an IELTS on paper, be mindful that it does take longer to get your results back and plan accordingly. So when it comes to booking an IELTS test... are there more options available for ielts on computer yes there are so ielts on computer can be held

and conducted much more often than the ielts on paper tests and that just has to do with distributing and getting the paper tests to our test centers whereas ielts computer it's much more streamlined it's much easier to deliver the test on a computer so In terms of booking a test, it's certainly more flexible if you're looking to do an IELTS on computer. So that's something else to be mindful of if you're doing an IELTS on paper is that there...

are fewer times to be able to do it and it does take a bit longer to get that turnaround on your test results as well. Is IELTS online and IELTS on computer? the same thing. In terms of the test format and the test questions that you get, yeah, they are the same. However, IELTS on computer, that's done in a test centre. So you'll be expected to come to a test centre with your relevant documentation. There will be invigilators.

you'll actually be physically face-to-face with a speaking examiner. Whereas with IELTS online, that can be done in the comfort of your own home. So that would be done on a personal device, in a room, in your home.

with preferably no other people in it because, you know, we need to make sure that you're doing the test yourself. Yeah, so IELTS online, it's really just a way that we've made it more flexible for people to be able to take IELTS. So, for instance, it can be really advantageous for someone.

who lives in quite a remote or rural area, places like the Pacific Islands, for example, where we don't have many test centres or, you know, staffing is quite restricted and we can't have many tests a month. IELTS online might be... A reasonable solution for somebody who really needs to take an IELTS as soon as possible. And with organisations... that accept the IELTS online, is it the same as those who accept IELTS on computer or IELTS on paper? That's a good question. IELTS online, it's not...

Accepted by everyone, because obviously some organizations really want the assurance of security.

at a test center they need to be able to trust your results as well so some organizations they have concerns about ielts online which is fair they're allowed to have those policies and those rules and those concerns as well but there are some organizations such as you know or other education providers that will accept IELTS online, it's really important that you make sure with that organisation that they will accept results from IELTS online.

before you book that test. I see, I see. With the IELTS on paper test, there is transfer time, for example, in the IELTS listing test. You've got 10 minutes to transfer your answers. Does the same thing apply to the IELTS on computer test? Yeah, when you do an IELTS... on paper. During the listening test you'll have your question booklet and then you'll have the separate answer page that you have to copy your answers onto after you finish.

the listening test. However, when you do an IELTS on computer, you're typing in your answers in real time as you're listening to it. So that time for transfer of about 10 minutes. isn't really there for IELTS on computer because you're able to write in the answers in real time. Whereas with IELTS on paper, you have to transfer the answers onto a different sheet of paper. I see.

Now Daniel, in... The next part, I'd like to ask you a bit about the test structure for IELTS. Let's start with timing. How long is the IELTS test? So the IELTS test goes for about two hours and 45 minutes. Obviously, it'll run over or under by like a minute or... 30 seconds depending on the length of the listening part, but you can expect it to go for about that long. How long is the IELTS listening test?

The listening test goes for 30 minutes, but if you're doing IELTS on paper, you'll be given an extra 10 minutes to transfer those answers onto your answer sheet. But for IELTS on computer, it'll just be the 30 minutes of listening and you'll be writing the answers at the same time. So the...

IELTS reading test and the IELTS writing test, are they the same length as the listening? No. So the writing test goes for one hour and the reading test also goes for one hour as well. And with the speaking, is there a fixed amount of time that it goes? The speaking test goes for about...

11 to 14 minutes. And of course that depends on how confident the test taker is in being able to speak at length in a speaking test. So, you know, if your answers are quite short, you could expect your speaking test to be 11 minutes, but if you give...

more longer, more detailed answers, you might expect it to go up to 14 minutes. Obviously, the more that you're speaking in a speaking test, the more that the examiner has to work with. So definitely try your best to speak. Of course, of course. What about the... order of the test, if I'm a test taker, which one do I do first? Is it speaking first or another skill? That's a good question. Writing, listening and reading are all...

joint together in one session and speaking happens in its own session. So when you come in on a test day, it might be that you do those three sections first. So you'll start with listening, then reading, then writing. and then you'll have a break and you might do your speaking.

test after maybe an hour later or two hours later or at the end of the day. However, there are some instances where the speaking test may even be done before as well. So it really depends on the booking and the availability. of the examiner on the day. Is it possible for the IELTS speaking test to be conducted a day earlier or even a day after? Yes, so that is possible as well. So depending on the test centre and the availability of a speaking examiner, because that's what makes...

The IELTS test so unique, right, is that there is that face-to-face speaking exam. A speaking examiner might not always be available on the same day, so you may be doing it a day before, a day after, or a couple days before and after. So with the... IELTS general training tests and the IELTS academic tests, are they completely different sections? For IELTS academic and IELTS general training, the only parts of the tests that are different from each other is the reading section.

and the writing section. So for IELTS speaking and for listening, you can prepare for those parts of the test in the same way, whether you're doing IELTS general or IELTS academic. So they're the same questions regardless? For the... Listening test and the speaking test, yes. However, for the reading and the writing test, those sections will be different. Now, just thinking about the IELTS test results, Daniel, how will someone know their result? How will they be notified? Oftentimes...

people will be notified of their results via email so we'll make sure to let you know when your results are available and if you have the application on your phone as well you will get a notification that your results are available and you can even look at your results through the app as well or look at it through the link in your email and look at it online.

That's great. So if it's on their app, can they share it with others? Yeah, absolutely. If you've done really well in your test, post it on LinkedIn, post it on Facebook. I even see forums on Reddit where people will anonymously post their IELTS results online and they'll just... celebrate with strangers about how well they've done on the test so you know if you've done really well take the time to celebrate because that is worth celebrating.

Daniel, we've got some test taker questions I'd like to share with you. First of all, one question is if I perform not as well in two skills, can I do the... IELTS one skill retake. So with IELTS one skill retake, you're taking one skill one time. So if you've done a full test and you've fallen short on two skills, unfortunately, you may have to re-sit.

a full ielts test again so ielts one skill retake is designed for people who need to reset just one component of their ielts another question that we've been asked is that if i don't get the score I need when I do the IELTS one skill retake. Can I take it again within the 60 days? When you do a full IELTS test, you'll have the opportunity to do an IELTS one skill retake. one time. So you can't do it multiple times. You can only do IELTS one skill retake one time per full IELTS test.

Now, Daniel, that brings us towards the end of our discussion today, but I just would like to end off with perhaps three things that test takers should bear in mind. When you choose to take IELTS, you're choosing to take an English language test.

that is the most globally trusted amongst organisations. So when you take IELTS, you can rest assured that you can use it for just about any university, professional organisation or immigration purpose.

Great. Lots of choice there. Yes, absolutely. And secondly? You're also going to be given a lot of support in preparing for the test as well. So make sure that you keep a lookout for upcoming IELTS masterclasses, but also look to our websites for... free preparation resources and sample tests as well.

And masterclasses are free as well. Yes, absolutely. Great. And what about the third takeaway? So with IELTS, you're taking a test that gives you flexibility as well. So with IELTS OneSkill Retake, if you've just fallen short in one of the skills, whether it be... listening, reading, writing, or speaking, you're going to be given a second chance to prove yourself. It's a great option, isn't it? Absolutely.

Well, Daniel, that brings us to the end of our discussion today. Thank you so much for your time. Your insights have been very, very helpful. Thank you. Thank you very much for having me. Don't forget to look at the show notes where you can find links for free. IELTS preparation materials and resources about today's topic. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends. In the next episode, I'll be talking to IELTS expert Rose Aravanis.

about how the IELTS test is scored. Thanks for listening to IELTS Prepare by IDP, your trusted guide for test day success. See you next time.