General Tips for the IELTS Listening Exam

Stay focused while you’re listening and then carefully transfer your answers to the answer sheet. 

Use the time when examples are being played to read ahead through the questions – if you’re familiar with the exam you know the format, you don’t need to listen to the long example at the very beginning

You have 30 second at the end of each section to read over answers but this could be better spent looking at the next section

Practice the full exam, at home, lots of times.

The IELTS is very particular about answers. If you spell a word wrong, it’s wrong. If it asks for one word, and you write two, it’s wrong. Accuracy is crucial. However, you have time at the end to transfer your answers, so worry about spelling at that point, not while you’re listening.

The sample questions we look at are taken from the IELTS website here

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 1 

Look at the question sheet we are discussing here

A conversation, two people, usually booking or organising something

Lots of names, numbers, dates

Learn the alphabet! Especially A, E, and I.

Rob’s handy tip works really well for a lot of students – e-mail, iPhone. You can’t go wrong!

Before you listen, think about what type of answer you need (noun, verb, number, etc). Can you predict any answers?

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 2 

One speaker often giving a talk (but not a lecture, that’s section 4), welcoming a group to an area, a guided tour, etc

It’s harder than section 1 because it’s not a conversation.

You may have to complete sentences, give short answers, match sections, or label a plan/map/diagram (this one can be difficult – you need to look carefully at the picture, and orient yourself)

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 3

Several speakers, some type of academic discussion, usually between a professor or tutor and two students, discussing a project, getting feedback, etc

Be careful who says what and what exactly you’re being asked

There are lots of synonyms and distractor words in this section

Similar format to section 1 but harder answers, more complex vocab and constructions

Like all the parts of the IELTS exam, synonyms are important, because they show you understand the meaning, you’re not just picking out words you don’t understand. And so building your vocabulary is a huge part of this too. 

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 4

An academic lecture

It is very long – you really need to pay attention

There are often long gaps between answers

Section 4 is not easy. But remember you can still get several questions wrong in part 4 and get a 7 or 7.5 on the exam, as long as you have got most of the other sections right. 

More Listening Practice

If you are looking for some more listening practice, you might let me recommend my other podcast. It’s called Words To That Effect and it’s not an English language podcast – it’s a show about popular culture, history, science, and fiction. If you’re interested, and you want to practice your English with a very different podcast, I’d love if you had a listen. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts or at wttepodcast.com.

Vocabulary

Flustered (adj.) – to be flustered is to be worried and agitated, a bit confused maybe. If you get flustered in the exam, maybe because you miss an answer, you need to try to keep calm and just move on to the next question.

Rob says that in the exam they might throw around a few answers before landing on one. That is, they’ll say lots of nearly correct possible answers, before making the true answer clear.

To scribble (sth) down or to (sth) jot down – to jot something down is to write it quickly and informally, maybe in shorthand (a form of writing where you use lots of abbreviations and acronyms). 

To scribble means to write or draw on a page, but in a messy or meaningless way. Young children scribble before they learn to draw, for example.

Prepare for your IELTS with us: IELTS preparation course in Dublin

Get more free IELTS resources

Learn more about the exam

The post IELTS Listening Tips – IELTS Listening Tips appeared first on Everest Language School.

IELTS READING TIPS:

In this week’s podcast Conor and Rob discuss the the IELTS reading test. The give you lots of IELTS reading tips, strategies and techniques. As well as this they look at the trickiest reading question, the dreaded True, False, Not Given.

Enjoy and please let us know on Facebook or Instagram if you are enjoying the podcast 🙂

Skimming & Scanning

Skimming and scanning are skills you have to practice. It’s not a natural way, or a comfortable way to read a text. The IELTS is about very, very quickly processing information and finding answers. There’s no time to consider the text in any detail

Skimming is very quickly looking at a text to get a general idea of what it’s about

Scanning is very quickly looking through a text to find a specific piece of information

Other IELTS reading tips

Underline keys words in questions

Practice more generally by reading academic/scientific/current affairs magazines aimed at a general readership – e.g. New Scientist, National Geographic, The Economist, etc This is the style of reading you’ll get

Do lots of practice under exam conditions – one hour is very short. Time yourself, think about how long you will spend skimming, reading questions, scanning for answers. You have to be very strict with yourself.

Types of questions on the IELTS reading exam

• True / False / Not Given – be very careful with the “not given” answer
• Completing a table or a chart – look at the order information is presented in and work through logically
• Summary completion – be very careful – if it’s words from the text it has to be exact words from the text
• Matching Headings – there are always more headings than paragraphs. You need to quickly eliminate answers. This question involves a more general understanding of the text (it’s more about skimming than scanning) 
• Multiple choice – these can take longer as you have 4 often similar statements. You need to quickly rule out options

IELTS Sample Paper

To finish off, Rob and I took a section from an IELTS sample paper and thought about how we would answer it. This is a sample exam from the IELTS website and there’s a link on the podcast website so you can follow along if you like. 

First look – glance at the heading, the opening & closing sections, and skim quickly through paragraphs

Look at the questions – what do we need to find (underline key words)? What format are answers in? Any predictions about answers?

Back to the text – read quickly again while scanning for answers

Make sure your answers are in the format required (A,B,C, one word, two words and/or a number, etc)

We have lots more IELTS resources and IELTS courses in Dublin for you

Here is some more information about the exam

The post IELTS Reading Tips – IELTS Ep.2 appeared first on Everest Language School.

As I know, most of you are preparing for your IELTS test and not only with us in Everest (IELTS Dublin), also by yourselves.

I’ve tried to find the top 10 free preparation blogs for you. There are quite a few, but my favourite ones are listed below.

• http://www.ielts-blog.com/

This is probably the most popular and oldest one with most tips and exercises.

• http://ieltsielts.com/

This website is owned by Ryan Higgins, who’s offering to correct your writing. Unfortunately the correcting is not for free but you can find many other free tips and hints on the top of the page.

• https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-practice-tests

British Council is the probably the best source for free online IELTS practice materials, tips, tricks and resources.

• http://www.dcielts.com/

Dominic Cole runs this website. He’s a teacher and offers all his work for free. You can find over 700 lessons for IELTS preparation.

• https://ielts-simon.study/

Simon is an ex-IELTS examiner and has his page full of great exercises. You can find the different topics to your lefthand side.

• http://www.ieltsbuddy.com/IELTS-blog.html

This is a very active page with many updates. You can subscribe to get notified about new posts such as lessons, sample essays, practice tests or vocabulary.

• http://ieltsadvantage.com/

Christopher Pell is the man behind this daily updated website. Check this website for “instant access to hundreds of free articles, band 9 sample answers and lots of free advice and tips.” He also offers a free writing eCourse.

• http://ieltsliz.com/

Liz is providing free lessons and tips for students aiming for band score 6, 7, 8 and 9. All tips, models and advice are examiner approved. She completed the IELTS examiner training in 2008.

• http://www.ielts-mentor.com/

“If you are preparing for the IELTS exam on your own, you are advised to learn about the exam format, commonly asked question, different modules/ sections of the IELTS exam and then browse the IELTS Preparation section.”

• https://www.ielts.org/usa/ielts-practice-test

The official IELTS website is of course the best place to check for official information about the exam. They also have lots of practice resources to help you to prepare for your exam.

I hope they will bring you a little bit closer to achieving your goals in your exam.

Good luck and all the best!!!

Tom Port

The post IELTS Blogs – Top 10 – Updated 2023 appeared first on Everest Language School.

IELTS Writing Evaluation Service

IELTS writing tutorials and essay correction from expert IELTS teachers

How does the IELTS writing correction service work?

IELTS writing correction service : Choose any IELTS writing task from your books or online. Send us a typed writing along with the question and we will correct it. Your writing assignment will be given to one of our professional IELTS teachers and they will use the IELTS marking scheme and band descriptors to give you an accurate estimate of the level of the writing. They will also give you tips on where you can improve you writing. Please remember that the marks that we give are not official IELTS marks, they are estimates from experienced IELTS teachers. You can send your writings to our online correction service today to see what mark you can expect in your IELTS test.

What is included in the IELTS correction service?

You will receive a detailed report on your writing. The teacher who corrects your IELTS writing will use the official IELTS Band Descriptors, and will mark you on the four areas (explained below). Additionally, they will look at specific areas of grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc, where you need to improve. They will give you specific advice on how to improve your IELTS writing score. You will be send a PDF report with all of this feedback. You will receive similar feedback that a teacher would give you in an IELTS writing tutorial, but for a fraction of the price.

How are IELTS writing tasks 1 & 2 marked?

All sections of the IELTS exam are scored on the ‘9 band’ scoring system. You can also get .5 scores such as 5.5 or 7.5. In the IELTS writing task 1 you will be asked to describe various details or explain data you have been shown in form of a graph, table, chart or diagram. Whereas, in writing task 2 you will be asked to write a response to an opinion piece, argument or problem.

Writing Tasks 1 and 2 are marked on this system and there are 4 main areas that you will be marked on, these areas are categorised into ‘band descriptors’:

IELTS writing marking scheme

1. Task Achievement

IELTS correction for task achievement looks at how well you understood the task you have been given. This means you must cover all of the tasks asked of you.

For example, if you are presented with a graph that shows an increase in birth rates in the past ten years in Ireland, in order to get the highest marks, you must be able to present, highlight and illustrate key features clearly and show a clear understanding of what you have been asked to do. IELTS examiners will be searching for clear and concise bullet points or paragraphs and will want to be sure you covered all features and answered all the questions.

Misunderstanding of and failure to address the task will result in a low band score. So you should always carefully read the question!

In writing task 2, as it is generally asking for your opinion, you must present a clear argument throughout with supporting ideas that closely focus on the topic you are writing about.

2. Coherence and Cohesion

IELTS examiners will also be scoring you on your coherence and cohesion when correcting your IELTS writing. This basically means how much they can understand your writing and how well-presented your ideas are, such as the flow of sentences and paragraphs from one to another. 

They will be checking that you are not under or over using paragraphs. In your IELTS writing task 1, you will need to sequence information in a logical and clear way. In task 2, you will need to showcase a clear beginning, progression and conclusion throughout your writing.

Your ideas need to be organised logically. Making abrupt changes to the topic you are writing about or writing about unrelated topics will result in a poor band score.

3. Lexical Resource

Lexical resource refers to your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary, your ability to use it correctly and also your spelling.

You will be marked higher by the IELTS examiner if you use less commonly used vocabulary, but make sure you use it correctly! In the blog posts linked below you will find some advanced IELTS writing vocabulary.

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The IELTS Examiner will also be checking to make sure your grammar is accurate! This means using your tenses correctly i.e. past, present and future etc. To get a higher band score you will be expected to be using more advanced grammatical structures such as relatives clauses, passive voice and conditional sentences. 

Sample IELTS correction report

from our IELTS Writing Correction Service

Additional Resources

The reason we started this IELTS writing correction service is that any students find the writing tasks to be the most difficult aspect of the IELTS exam, but there are plenty of great resources online and in the classroom to help you get the best result you can in your IELTS writing tasks!

In addition to the IELTS writing correction service, Everest Language School has some great blogs with tips on getting higher marks in the IELTS writing tasks and even some sample answers! Please see a list of these blogs below:

1. IELTS Task 1 Sample Answer

This blog is written by two of our very own past students of our IELTS Preparation Courses. It is sample answer of task 1 which shows a pie chart, which is a typical graphic you might be shown.

It gives you tips on varying your language when writing, and what phrases you might use to maximise your band score. The blog explains the score the students got and why they got it, and the areas they need to improve on. This blog is helpful to give you an idea of what you will be presented with in task 1 and is great for showing you where the students went wrong and where they excelled.

If you’re looking for the perfect model answer with no flaws at all and that will get you an (estimated) IELTS band score of 9, just follow this link – IELTS Task 1 Band 9. The sample answer is provided for you, and then broken down in detail as to why it is a band 9 score answer so you can see for yourself what you should be aiming for!

We have another great blog that helps prepare you for task one and the processes you should follow, but this time is a flow chart, rather than a pie chart. It gives you great tips and examples of essential grammar, key vocabulary and sentence structuring! – IELTS Task 1 Processes

2. IELTS Task 2 Sample Answer

Similar to the first blog, this is another example of a writing task, except this one is for task 2! This blog focuses on discussing both sides of an argument and then giving your own opinion. It gives you great examples of how to paraphrase and restructure sentences that will make your writing task 2 answer stand out to the examiner! We have another great blog that focuses entirely on paraphrasing also

Another great way to prepare for writing exams is checking out tutorials on Youtube. Below are the 4 best IELTS writing Youtube videos.

Task 1:

IELTS – How to get a high score on Task 1 of the IELTS

IELTS Writing Task 1 – What to write!

Task 2:

IELTS Writing Task 2 – How to write an Introduction

IELTS Task 2 – How to score 8+

There are thousands more online to choose from, and the majority are only 15 minutes, so there is no excuse. IELTS essays are generally considered the most difficult part of the exam. Getting online IELTS correction, IELTS writing tutorials, reading blog posts about IELTS writing and watching videos will all help you. But the most important thing is to practice a lot and always get a teacher to check your IELTS writing. The worst thing that you can do is to practice writing, but get no feedback.

The post IELTS Writing Correction Service appeared first on Everest Language School.

What is the IELTS Exam?

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. IELTS exams are designed to assess students abilities in speaking, writing, reading and listening to English. IELTS exams are internationally recognized in countries such as Ireland, the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. For many employers and universities in these countries, IELTS exam students are a much more attractive candidates than those without. For some employers and universities IELTS exams are an absolute necessity for a student to be considered. It’s for this reason more than 2 million people take the test each year!

Preparing for the IELTS exams is often a VISA requirement for a lot of students coming to study academic year courses and renewal visa courses in Ireland. This includes students from Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Russia all the way to the Philippines!

Here at Everest Language School we find that many students opt to improve their English by working towards the IELTS exam. It gives students who are learning English a goal to focus on and it’s a great way to test how far along they have come since they began studying.

In this blog, we will give you the best tips and advice you will need to help you improve your English and prepare for your IELTS exam.

What’s the first step?

First things first, you will need to decide which IELTS exam you want to prepare for! At the moment there are 2 types – IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic. In each exam the listening and speaking tests are exactly the same. The exams differ when it comes to the reading and writing components.

It can be difficult knowing which IELTS exam you want to prepare for. Our advice would be to check out the workplaces or universities that you are hoping to go to and see what their IELTS requirements are – Academic or General. They will also be able to tell you what score you will need to apply – scores are between 1 to 9, with most universities and workplaces expecting a minimum of 6 or 7. Check out the IELTS 9-band scale to see how the scores are measured.

What’s the difference between IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic?

IELTS General Training is generally geared towards practical, everyday English speaking. This includes the kind of English speaking that you would use in your everyday life in social situations and the workplace, such as speaking with work colleagues, customers and clients. The IELTS exam is a great exam for those who are looking to gain work experience or do internships in an English speaking country.

IELTS Academic exam preparation focuses on the English language that will improve the English of students who are hoping to study undergraduate, postgraduate or further education courses in an English speaking university or college. Popular Irish universities such as UCD and Trinity College Dublin look for students who have done well in their IELTS Academic exam. Everest Language Schools Director of Studies Anne-Marie Connolly studied at Trinity College herself where she completed a PHD on the cognitive benefits of bilingualism and adult language learning!

What is the IELTS exam format?

The IELTS exam is divided into 4 different sections – Listening, Speaking (Interview), Reading and Writing. You can also do practice tests for all sections!

Listening

The listening test is the same for both Academic and General Training IELTS exams. This section consists of 4 different recordings that you will listen to in the space of 30 minutes. You will answer about 10 questions on each recording. You will have to listen carefully as you only get to hear the recording once! On top of this, each recording will consist of a variety of voices and accents.

The recordings will vary from conversations or monologues about a range of different topics, some of which will be academic and some that will be everyday topics. Your exam paper will have a variety of different questions to test your listening abilities. For example you may be asked to summarize what they are saying or there may be multiple choice questions.

A great way to prepare for the listening exam is to listen to podcasts. You can check out which podcasts Everest Language School recommends to learn English on our blog – Podcasts for Learning English

You can also download IELTS listening tasks here.

Speaking

The speaking test is the only part exam that generally falls on a different day to the others. You can sit this part either 7 days prior or 7 days after you have completed your listening, reading and writing tests.

The speaking test usually lasts about 15 minutes and is divided into 3 parts.
The first part is 4-5 minutes and included an introduction between you and the examiner and some general conversation. Small talk basically!

The second part, you will be given a card with a written description of an issue or concept. You will have one minute to take some notes and then you will be asked a couple of questions about it. This takes about 4-5 minutes also.

The final part of the test is again 4-5 minutes where the examiner will attempt to have a more in-depth and detailed conversation about the topic raised in part 2 of the examination.

Check out these speaking test samples to help you prepare.

Another great way to practice your speaking is to stay with a host family while you study, as you will be able to practice your English speaking outside of the classroom, as well as getting a good grasp of the different accents for your listening test too!

Writing

The writing test is different depending on whether you have chosen to do the IELTS Academic exam or the IELTS General Training exam. Both consist of 2 pieces of writing and the exam is 1 hour long.

Academic Writing

In the first part of the writing test you will be shown a graph, table, chart or diagram. You will be then asked to describe various things about what you’ve been shown. This may include explaining data that is shown on a chart, to describing stages on a graph.

In the second task you will be asked to write a response to opinion piece, argument or problem.

For the Academic writing exam you should keep your writing in a formal style.

General Writing

In the first part, you will have a choice whether to write to a letter in either formal, semi-formal or personal style. In the letter you will be asking for information or to have a situation explained to you.

In the second task you will be asked to write a response to opinion piece, argument or problem. The only difference here, is that you can write the response in a less formal manner than in the Academic exam.

Here are some great articles you can read to help you prepare for the IELTS writing exam. You can also check out this blog on a writing sample and it also shows you the marking scheme which is worth having a look at in order to see which areas you need to improve in the most!

Even just writing your texts and emails in English is great practice. A good idea is to write an email in your email drafts without any help. Afterwards you can copy and paste it into Microsoft word and take note and analyze the grammatical and spelling errors that show up!

Reading

As with the writing test, the IELTS reading exam differs between the Academic and the General. Both consist of 3 sections, 40 questions and the exam is 1 hour.

Academic Reading

The academic reading exam consists of three different texts taken from publications such as magazines, books, newspapers and academic journals. The content of the texts will be academic and aimed towards subjects you might look at if you were studying an undergraduate or postgraduate course.

Some of the texts may even include graphs, diagrams and illustrations. A glossary is provided if the texts contain any technical terms.

Check out these Academic reading sample tasks.

General Reading

In the first section, there will be two or three short texts about an everyday topic.

The second section will consist of two short texts about topics that are workplace related. This may include applying for jobs, pay conditions and staff training.

The third and final section is again a topic of general interest. However it is slightly more difficult, longer and complex reading than the first two sections!

Check out these General reading sample tasks.

Practising for your reading exam doesn’t mean you have to sit down with a big English coursework book. You can make it fun! Read magazines, books and online new sites and journals that you find interesting. Everest language school has tonnes of IELTS blogs you can read and also comment on if you have any questions or just need advice on the exam!

Where can I take the exam?

Dublin has two test centres. You can take the exam in CES or UCD or with Mobile Testing Solutions. Just make sure to register and check out which dates they are on. The cost of sitting the exam is €200.

Where is the best place to prepare for the exam?

There are loads of different ways to prepare for your IELTS exam, you can do practice tests, sample questions and many more options. However the most effective way to prepare for the IELTS is to study on an IELTS Preparation course. These courses are taught by teachers who know the IELTS exam inside out, and can help make sure you go into your exam confident that you will get the result you want!

At Everest Language School, there are IELTS preparation courses to suit students who have all sorts of levels and timetables. We have Intensive 24 hour a week courses and part time courses in both the morning and the evening! They have had great reviews which you can check out on Facebook and Google. All you have to do is complete our online booking form and a member of our team will get back to you with all the information you need to start preparing for your IELTS exam and help you decide what the best course is for you!

Click here if you want one of our teachers to correct your IELTS writing: https://everestlanguageschool.com/ielts-writing-correction

The post Preparing for the IELTS Exam in Dublin in 2019 appeared first on Everest Language School.

IELTS Task 1 Band 9

Below is a sample IELTS Task 1 question and a model answer. The answer is estimated to get a Band 9 Score. Have a look at the answer first and then we can look at it in more detail.

source: IELTS Buddy

The table below shows the estimated oil capacity of six countries, in millions of barrels per day, from 1990 to 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write at least 150 Words.

Model Answer

The bar chart illustrates the estimated amount of oil produced in 6 countries between 1990 and 2010, measured in millions of barrels per day.

Overall, oil production capacity tended to increase during this 20-year period. The figures for Saudi Arabia were significantly higher than in the other countries, while production was lowest in Qatar.

From 1990 to 2010, there was a significant increase in oil production in Saudi Arabia. In 1990, just over 8 million barrels per day were produced and this rose steadily, reaching a peak of over 14 million barrels per day in 2010. In contrast, the smallest producer was Qatar. Despite a slight increase in 2000, production in Qatar remained relatively stable at less than 1 million barrels per day.

The other countries saw a slight rise in oil production over the period. The estimated figure for Iran in 1990 was over 3 million barrels per day, compared with around 2 million barrels in the other three countries. Although production did not increase in 2000 in the UAE, the amount of oil produced peaked in 2010 in Iran at over 4 million barrels and at almost 4 million barrels in Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE.

(198 words)

IELTS Task 1 Band Score 9

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9

Analysis

Paragraph 1

The opening paragraph has all the key information about the graph but it paraphrases the question. This is very important. Make sure you use synonyms and rephrase your answer. For example, in this case:

“shows” to “illustrates”

“oil capacity” to “amount of oil”

“from 1990 to 2010” to “between 1990 and 2010”

Paragraph 2

This paragraph gives a clear overview of the chart. The overall trend is that the capacity increased, but there is a big difference between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This paragraph demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the required grammar and vocabulary. “Tended to increase”; “20-year period” (and not 20-years period); “significantly higher than”.

Paragraph 3

This paragraph goes into detail about the two most significant countries: Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It follows clearly from the previous paragraph which has highlighted these two countries. All the key vocabulary to describe movement in a graph is used correctly (“significant increase”; “rose steadily”; “reaching a peak”; “remained relatively stable”). There are two sentences about Saudi Arabia and then two about Qatar, correctly using the linking phrase “in contrast”. The paragraph is very well structured and cohesive, with no grammar mistakes and an excellent range of vocabulary.

Paragraph 4

Paragraph 4 gives details about the four remaining countries. Again, all the language for describing a graph is accurate – “saw a slight rise”, “peaked in 2010”. The prepositions are also used correctly (something students often mix up) – “a rise in production”, “in 1990”, “compared with”, “peaked in 2010 in Iran at over 4 million barrels”  

Overall

This answer displays everything needed for a Band 9 answer on IELTS Task 1. The answer is clear and well-structured with a skilful use of paragraphs and links. There is a wide range of very natural vocabulary needed to describe a graph and there are no spelling mistakes. There are no grammar mistakes in the answer and there is an excellent range of complex structures.

IELTS task one marking scheme:

IELTS task 1 Writing band descriptors PDF

This post is by Everest Language School teacher and literary podcaster Conor Reid

You can prepare for the IELTS exam in Dublin in one of our IELTS preparation courses.

The post IELTS Task 1 Band 9 – Writing sample appeared first on Everest Language School.

Which IELTS do I need (Academic or General)?

If you are doing the IELTS for the Irish Medical Council you will need to do the Academic IELTS. The Academic IELTS is needed for most courses in colleges and university. The General Training exam is used for visa purposes in some countries but will not be accepted by the Irish Medical Council.

Where can you take the IELTS in Dublin?

There are a number of places in Dublin where you can take the IELTS. You can see all the available IELTS exam dates here. If you are studying with us in Everest we can help you with booking your exam.

How often is the IELTS exam held in Dublin?

We have written a guide to applying for the exam here. As the IELTS exam is now very popular for those needing accreditation by the Irish Medical Council, it is now being held very frequently in Dublin. In most weeks throughout the year the exam is held multiple times in multiple locations around the city.

What is “effective communication skills”?

According to the Medical Council they will accept one of these as evidence of your level of English:

1. Academic IELTS Certificate with an overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each module (Valid for 2 years). We will explain more about this in a minute.
2. An equivalent English language test (7 in IELTS is equivalent to an advanced level) approved by the Medical Council.
3. Proof that you got you Higher Qualification from a postgraduate training body in a country where English is the language spoken by the majority of the population
4. Proof that your basic medical degree and internship training were completed through English in a country where English is the language spoken by a large majority. These countries include: Australia, New Zealand or USA where over 90% of the population speak English.
5. Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – With a level of C1 (Advanced)
6. USMLE will also be accepted (if all of part 1 and part 2 have been completed). This is a medical exam from the United States.

What IELTS Score do you need for the Irish Medical Council?

The most important thing is that your IELTS certificate is in date. An IELTS certificate is only valid for 2 years, so if it is too old you will need to take the IELTS exam again. If your exam is in date the next thing is the mark. The IELTS is marked by band scores. The Irish Medical Council asks that you have 6.5 in all parts of the exam. 6.5 is equivalent to a B2 level which is a high upper-intermediate level. You must get 7 (advanced in at least 2 papers to get a 7 overall).

How is the IELTS marked?

In the IELTS there is no pass or fail. You will be marked on a scale from 1 to 9.

What are the four parts of the IELTS (needed for Irish Medical Council)?

Reading: 3 Long academic texts. These usually deal with themes of science, the environment and technology. There are a variety of question types and gapfill exercise which test your comprehension and ability to recognise the same data presented in various types of language.

Writing: 2 Writing tasks. In this section you are give 2 questions and you need to write 2 essays. In the first task you are given a table, chart, graph, map or flow chart and your job is simply to describe what you see. The second writing is a discursive essay (similar to a university essay). In this section, you are required to look at 2 sides of a argument and are usually asked to give your opinion.

Listening: 4 Listening sections. In these 4 parts you will hear the audio once and need to complete the answers as you listen. These parts get progressively more difficult as the exam goes on.

Speaking: 3 parts. In the first part you will need to introduce yourself and talk about basic topics. In the second section you will be given a question card and will need to answer in a mini-presentation style. The final section is where the examiner will test your level by asking more challenging questions.

Where can I prepare for the IELTS for Irish Medical Council in Dublin?

There are a number of IELTS preparation centres in Dublin and it is up to you to find a school with a good reputation, good reviews and a timetable that suits you. In Everest, we have IELTS intensive and part-time IELTS courses.

Learn more about the IELTS for Irish Medical Council requirements on their website: Irish Medical Council

If you want to prepare for the IELTS exam in your free time check out our podcast where we did a whole series on preparing for the IELTS exam.

The post 8 Most Common Questions about IELTS for Irish Medical Council (2023) appeared first on Everest Language School.

Are you preparing for IELTS in Dublin?

Everest Language School offer IELTS preparation courses in Dublin and now we offer mock IELTS exams in Dublin city centre.

Date: 22/08/16

Time: 2:30pm

Location: 15 Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2

Price: €5 (for Everest Students), €10 (for non-Everest students)

In the IELTS mock exam you will complete all parts of the test including the speaking, writing, reading and listening.

The test will be graded by experienced IELTS teachers and will give you an approximate estimate of the mark you can achieve in the exam. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@everestlanguageschool.com

The post IELTS Practice Mock Test – Monday 22nd August appeared first on Everest Language School.

Do you want to prepare for IELTS in Dublin?

In Everest we offer IELTS preparation courses in Dublin and last week the head of our IELTS department offered some advice to the readers of the Free IELTS Course blog.

The post features four contributor:

Paul Dixon, IELTS Manager at New Zealand Language Centres

Guy Brook-Hart, Co-author of the Complete IELTS series published by Cambridge English

Louis Rodgers, Co-author of Foundation IELTS Masterclass published by Oxford University Press

Rob McComish, Head of the IELTS Department at Everest Language School, Dublin

The topics covered are:

The secret to success in your IELTS Writing test is… reading

“…if you need to improve your writing band score, start reading regularly in English. A good place to start is the NZLC IELTS Flipboard magazines, which we update with new articles…”

Developing the thinking skills needed for IELTS

“…The IELTS Academic Module is not just a test of your grammar and vocabulary. It’s a test of your thinking skills as well…”

Preparing for the IELTS Speaking test

“…It’s important to learn how you are graded in the IELTS Speaking test. You are marked in four main areas…”

How to prepare for IELTS the day before your test

“…Stop studying! On the day before your exam, don’t try to learn anything new. Calmly take the time to review what you already know…”

The post Prepare for IELTS (Advice from the experts) appeared first on Everest Language School.

IELTS tips from Pete Jones

We spoke to IELTS expert Pete Jones about the exam and tips about how to get a 7 in the IELTS. A lot of our students need to get 7 in IELTS for Dublin Universities, the Irish Medical Council and for certain jobs. Pete has some great ideas and strategies.

About Pete Jones

Pete has been teaching IELTS candidates around the world since 2003 and is the author of the free IELTS course and IELTS blog.

Pete’s Experience as an IELTS teacher

What is the most rewarding thing about preparing students for the IELTS?

I know how important IELTS is to students and really like being able to share the knowledge that I’ve built up over many years. It’s very satisfying to help candidates get the band score they need or offer them some reassuring advice when they don’t.

What is the biggest challenge your students face?

I think the biggest challenge for many students is understanding that there isn’t one tip, one magic answer, that will give them the band score they need. Succeeding at IELTS is about understanding the test, having strategies for answering different types of question, and continuing to improve your English.

How do you help them overcome this problem?

I help students become familiar with the IELTS test, give them advice about the best way to answer questions, and help them improve their listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.

How to get 7 in IELTS

What one tip would you give a student who wants to get 7 in the IELTS
reading?

Whatever band score you need in the IELTS Reading test, it’s important that you maximise your chances of getting that score. You can do this by answering all questions and writing your answers clearly on the answer sheet. Even if you don’t know the answer to a question, there’s a chance you could get it right if you guess rather than leave it blank. Writing your answers in capital letters is a good way of making sure your answers are clear.

What one tip would you give a student who wants to get 7 in IELTS speaking?

My one tip would be to understand what has prevented, or is preventing, you from getting a band score 7 and then work out how to improve that aspect of your speaking. For example, if you make too many grammar mistakes to get a band score 7, you’ll need to start noticing and correcting the grammar mistakes you make

What one tip would you give a student who wants to get 7 in IELTS writing?

As with Speaking, my one tip would be to understand what has prevented, or is preventing, you from getting a band score 7. It may be, for example, that you need to focus on improving your vocabulary because you make a lot of spelling mistakes or sometimes choose the wrong word(s) to explain an idea.

What one tip would you give a student who wants to get 7 in IELTS listening?

As with the Reading test, it’s important that you maximise your chances of getting the score you need by answering all questions and writing your answers clearly on the answer sheet. An additional tip is to use the 30 seconds at the end of each section to look ahead to the next set of questions. When you hear the instruction to check your answers at the end of Section 1, for example, you could start reading the questions in Section 2.

Questions from IELTS students in Everest

How can I improve my overall band score from 6.5 to 7?

If you’ve already taken an IELTS test and got an overall band score 6.5, you should already know the answer to this question. If, for example, you got a band score 6.0 in Writing, a 6.5 in Speaking, and a 7.0 in Listening and Reading, you’ll need to focus on improving your writing from a 6.0 to a 6.5.

What should I do the day before my IELTS examination?

It’s important to go into the IELTS test as confident as possible. One way to do this is to look back through your notes from your IELTS preparation and make a list of things to remember in your test, e.g. Remember to spend longer on Writing Task 2 than Writing Task 1 because it’s worth more marks. Making your own list can be a more effective way to build your confidence than looking at a list someone else has written.

How can I improve my writing score in the IELTS?

To improve your writing score in the IELTS test, there are two kinds of writing practice that are important. The first is timed writing practice where the focus is on completing your answers in a limited time, and the second is supported writing practice where the focus is on improving your English through using your dictionary, looking at feedback you got on previous writing tasks, or asking someone for help if you get stuck. In my experience many IELTS candidates tend to focus on one kind of practice but not both.

The post Get 7 in IELTS with Pete Jones appeared first on Everest Language School.