IELTS Test day-FAQ (2024)

FAQs

Should I memorize some answers before the test in IELTS? ›

Examiners can spot 'model answers', so do not memorise them and use them in your test or it will be deemed invalid. Make sure you spend a few minutes re-reading and amending your answers where necessary.

In Part 1, the examiner can only repeat the question – as examiners, we are not allowed to rephrase or provide explanations for any vocabulary, so if you ask the examiner to repeat the questions they will – but generally only once before they move on to the next question.

If you take IELTS on Computer, you will do the tests in the following order on the same day: Listening, Reading and Writing, with the Speaking test before or after this test session. If you take IELTS on Paper, you will do the tests in the following order: Writing, Reading and Listening.

- You can only request a copy of your IELTS exam answer sheet within 40 days of the test date. After this period, it will no longer be available. - You can request a copy either by mail or in person, depending on the test center's policy.

One of the most challenging parts of the IELTS exam is the writing section. This is because it requires not only strong language skills, but also the ability to organize your thoughts and present them in a clear and cohesive manner.

Drink plenty of water; Don't try to 'cram' information beforehand; Eat well the night before and the morning of your IELTS exam; You can even control your blood sugar during the exam with a fizzy drink – you can contact the test centre you're with to make sure this is allowed.

The examiner awards band scores for your spoken English language skills. The Speaking test will take place in a face-to-face interview with a qualified IELTS examiner in a quiet room. Examiners assess your performance against four criteria: fluency and coherence.

Examiners assess your performance against 4 criteria. Fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Your Speaking results are given as band scores which range from a band 0 to a band 9.

Thus the raw score obtained out of 40 will be converted into the band score. There is no negative scoring for incorrect answers. The IELTS academic reading band score can be a whole or half-band and in order to score 7.5 in reading, a candidate has to get 33-34 answers correct.

Therefore, the best time to take this exam would be before the questions change, meaning in the months of August, April, and December. During this time, the candidate will be aware of most of the topics, which will help in scoring a better band.

Can I retake IELTS reading only? ›

You can retake any one section of the IELTS test, whether it's Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking. The format and timing of that IELTS One Skill Retake test is the same as that individual skill in a normal IELTS test. But you save time because you do not need to complete the other three skills.

There are no restrictions on the dress code while taking the IELTS exam. The candidates can wear any attire they are comfortable in.

You can't ask other questions. The examiner is limited to asking questions only in speaking part 1 and can't help you or explain. The examiner can't explain questions and can't explain words. You can't ask any questions in part 2.

You will be given a score from 1 to 9 for each part of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The average produces your overall band score. You can score whole (e.g., 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half (e.g., 5.5, 6.5, 7.5) bands in each part of the test.

An Overall 7.5 IELTS score is considered to be a very good score. It means that you have a high level of English proficiency and can communicate effectively in a variety of situations. A band score of 7.5 is equivalent to a CEFR level of C1, which is the upper-intermediate level of English proficiency.

Improve your writing skills. Having good grammar and sentence structure is essential for performing well on the IELTS exam, particularly in the Writing and Speaking sections. The exam requires you to use a range of grammatical structures accurately and appropriately and to express your ideas clearly and concisely.

While preparing for the IELTS exam in just 2 days is challenging, it is not impossible. Here's a realistic approach to make the most of your limited time: Familiarize Yourself with the IELTS Format: Understand the structure, question types, and time allocation for each section of the IELTS exam.

Without preparing and knowing what actually the test is, doesn't fetch you a good score. IELTS is basically going to test your English knowledge and other than that there is nothing technical in it. So, I would suggest you to prepare at least for a week and take up the exam.

Read the Questions First

This will give you an idea of what information you need to look for while reading the passage. Underline or highlight the keywords in the questions, as these will help you to identify the relevant information in the passage more easily.