Hello I'm Bee.
In this video I'm going to cover two things.
First I'll give you an overview of the IELTS test.
Then, I'll give you a brief guide on what to expect
as you go through our ELC online IELTS
materials.
OK, so first IELTS is an international
English test. It tests your English
abilities in all four skills: listening,
reading, writing and speaking.
And in total the test lasts just under three hours.
You'll take the listening, reading
and writing test all on the same day, and
one after the other.
There are no breaks in between the tests.
And those tests are always taken in this
order: listening, then reading and then writing.
Your speaking test will either
be after a break on the same day as the
other three tests,
or, up to 7 days before or after them.
Alright, so what about your scores?
Well, first don't worry! You cannot fail the test!
IELTS is designed to assess English
language skills at all levels whether
you're a beginner or an expert speaker.
You get IELTS scores based on each of the
four skills on a scale of 1 to 9, and
you'll also be awarded an overall band score.
You can score whole bands, for example
bands 5, 6 or 7, or half bands,
for example band 5.5, 6.5 or 7.5,
in each part of the test.
So you're probably wondering how can
these online ELC materials help you?
Well we've created a structured learning
package so you can be motivated to keep
progressing and keep practicing sample
scenarios you'll likely face in
listening, reading, writing and speaking.
In each section there's a video with an
overview and detailed information about
the test, so you can visualise what it
will be like.
You'll also find general
tips to help you do better in the test;
practice activities to help you prepare
for the test; suggestions about helpful
materials that can be found in the
Center for Independent Language Learning;
and links to extra online materials.
Still not enough?
We also have extra suggested materials
for each of the different test sections.
We hope these materials will give you
the extra practice and feedback you need
to help improve your band score.
So what can you expect in our listening test materials?
We have two whole practice
test which will give you a feel for the
real thing, and extra practice listenings
for each of the four listening sections.
This will give you more exposure to
materials you will likely face, and all
of our listening activities have
interactive online quizzes with
immediate feedback.
This will give you more practice so you
can know areas you did well, and areas
you can go back to improve.
Next, in our reading test materials we provide
practice activities for all the
different question types.
In total we have 9 different reading texts, and
24 different question sets. I think there's
lots here to leave you feeling more
confident and well-prepared.
And all of our reading materials also have
interactive online quizzes with
immediate feedback. So you can keep
practicing to get a higher score, and
hopefully a higher band.
Our speaking test section includes a
video of a complete IELTS sample speaking test,
plus extra annotated videos for
parts one, two and three of the test.
As well as the videos we have many short audio
recordings of sample responses to
different topics.
Here's a way you can use them.
First listen to the recordings.
Then record yourself with our online voice recorder.
Next listen to yourself and think about how
you can improve your performance.
And record yourself again.
This may take time and patience
but it's truly one of the best ways for
you to enhance your spoken fluency and
have more confidence when you walk into that room.
We know there are many
unknowns with the speaking section so we
also have materials on the different
ways questions are asked. What to do if
you don't understand something the
examiner says. Don't panic. Use these
materials and practise so you can learn
how to take control.
Of course, don't forget to make use of CILL for one to one practice
and feedback. What better way to practice than
with a teacher!
And finally, I'm sure this is your favourite! What can be
found in the writing section?
We have sample questions for Task 1 and Task 2.
We have lots of sample answers to these
practice questions with feedback on how
the answer could be improved.
We've also included some high-level
answers which you can compare your
answers against. But we also strongly
suggest using the facilities in CILL
for one to one feedback.
Finally we have some resources on
proofreading your written work and
common errors Hong Kong students make.
OK, that's it for this video.
Remember, the best way to do well on the IELTS test is
to practise, practise, practise your English.
So make use of these online materials.
Or, make use of a friend so you
both can motivate each other to do better.
Don't have a friend studying IELTS?
That's OK. You can always make use of the
resources and help the ELC offers here
in CILL! Come in, practise and build up
your confidence!
Goodbye and good luck on the IELTS test!