8 facts about IELTS

Hello everyone.

My name is Hong and welcome to my first

teaching video related to IELTS.

If you are new to the test, then I believe this video is

just right for you.

But if you're already preparing for it,

then you can visit weloveielts.org for more

test-taking strategies and information from IELTS experts.

By the way, don’t forget to subscribe

to our YouTube channel, Learn English with Cambridge,

for more English learning tips.

What is IELTS, I-E-L-T-S?

It stands for International English Language Testing System.

It's an English proficiency test for people who

would like to live, work, or study abroad in

a country where English is the main language of communication.

For example, the UK, the US,

Canada or Australia.

The test covers four language skills; listening, reading,

writing and speaking.

These four skills are tested separately.

It's different from other English proficiency tests,

for example, TEFL, in which two skills can be tested together.

After taking the test, you will receive a band

score for each individual skill.

This is a score from zero to nine, where zero is the

lowest and nine is the highest.

These individual scores are then averaged and rounded to give you

an overall band score.

There are two types of test.

IELTS General is for working or immigration purposes,

while IELTS Academic is for university study

or professional registration.

These two types are different in reading and writing,

but they are exactly the same in speaking and listening.

It's very important to choose the right type of test,

so check carefully which one you need before booking your test.

IELTS is provided both paper-based and computer-based.

What to choose?

It comes down to personal choice,

whether you are used to taking an exam on

paper or on computer, and whether you're more

comfortable typing or writing.

For your information, the computer test offers a wider

selection of test dates, so you can pick a convenient time.

You can receive your test result after

three to five days, while it is 14 days

for paper tests.

Many people may not realise it, but the IELTS test is

only valid for two years, so it's wise to plan ahead

so your test result will not expire when you submit it.

Now you know about the tests, a really useful next step

is to check whether your current English level is

sufficient before doing any further IELTS preparation.

There's a quick way to do it.

You can take the English level test from Cambridge

Assessment English, called Test Your English.

You will receive a result in CEFR skill,

which can be converted back to IELTS band score.

The next thing to do is to look for reliable test material.

You can visit the official IELTS website, ielts.org.

You can also visit weloveielts.org for videos,

blogs, worksheets and much more.

A really useful book is The Official Cambridge Guide

to IELTS, written by the team behind We Love IELTS.

Of course, you cannot miss the authentic practice test series

also from Cambridge.

The latest book is 15, which I'm holding in my

hand right now.

There is one version for General Training,

and one for Academic.

I will keep posting more videos about IELTS.

If there is any topic of interest, you are

welcome to leave a comment below.

Thank you very much for watching.

Bye for now and see you real soon.

Bye-bye.