Lesson 6 · Lesson guide
Meet IELTS: Your Road Map
Hello, my dear student!
Hello, my dear student!
You know the letters and the numbers, you can say hello, and you can ask your teacher for help. Now let’s look at the big goal: the IELTS test.
Today you will learn what IELTS is, its four parts and how your score works. A long road is easier when you can see the map. The English in this lesson is simple, and these are words you will read on every IELTS page: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking, band.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
Your browser has no English voice, so the listen buttons are hidden. Everything is written on the page.
What is IELTS?
The test
An English test for university
IELTS shows how well you use English. Universities in the UK, Australia, Canada and many other countries ask for it. This course prepares you for Academic IELTS: the test for university.
- Academic IELTS is for university.(Academic IELTS universitet uchun.)
Four parts
Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
You do Listening, Reading and Writing on one day, one after another. Speaking is a conversation with a real examiner, on the same day or a few days before or after.
- Listening(tinglash)
- Reading(oʻqish)
- Writing(yozish)
- Speaking(gapirish)
Your score
Bands from 0 to 9
Each part gets a band from 0 to 9. Halves are possible too, like 5.5 or 6.5. There is no pass or fail: each university says which band it needs.
- band six point five(6.5 ball (olti yarim))
- my overall band(mening umumiy ballim)
Remember!
Four parts, a band from 0 to 9 for each one, and an overall band: the average of the four.
The four parts at a glance
Tap each part to hear it.
Listening: 30 minutes, 40 questions
four recordings; you hear each one once
Reading: 60 minutes, 40 questions
three long texts
Writing: 60 minutes, 2 tasks
Task 1: 150 words or more. Task 2: an essay, 250 words or more.
Speaking: 11 to 14 minutes, 3 parts
face to face with an examiner
Your road map: seven levels
This course has seven levels. You are at the start of the first one.
Beginner: band 0 to 2.5
You are here! Letters, numbers and your first sentences.
Foundation: band 3 to 3.5
Everyday English and your first IELTS tasks.
Bridge: band 4 to 4.5
All four IELTS parts, one theme at a time.
Core: band 5 to 5.5
Every IELTS question type, step by step.
Competent: band 6 to 6.5
The band many universities ask for.
Good: band 7 to 7.5
Clear, accurate English in every part.
Expert: band 8 to 9
The top of the road.
Remember!
One level at a time. Every lesson is one small step.
Things students often believe
Each first sentence is wrong. Read the true version.
Not: You pass or fail IELTS.Say: There is no pass or fail: you get a band from 0 to 9.
Each university decides which band it needs, for example 6.5.
Not: The Speaking test is with a computer.Say: The Speaking test is always with a real examiner.
Even when you do the other parts on a computer, you speak to a person.
Not: My overall band is my best part.Say: My overall band is the average of the four parts.
Add the four bands and divide by four. Then IELTS rounds it to a whole or a half band.
Not: You can use a dictionary in the test.Say: You can’t use a dictionary or a phone in the test.
That is why we learn words every day, before the test.
Check yourself
What are the four parts of IELTS?
What is the highest band?
How many times do you hear each Listening recording?
Which level comes after Beginner?
Now it’s your turn!
6 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher