IELTS

ASTRAL GLOBAL EDUCATION offers the best IELTS classes in India. With the high number of selections in the SPOKEN ENGLISH, Astral is consistently giving the top results. 

IELTS is not a difficult course, but you will need good coaching to understand the concepts better and get valuable guidance. And ASTRAL GLOBAL EDUCATION is one such IELTS Institute that understands the needs of the exam and the students.  

WHAT IS IELTS? 

IELTS is the most popular high staked English proficiency test which is accepted across the world. ASTRAL GLOBAL EDUCATI0N, recognized as one of the best IELTS coaching & training centers in Gurgaon, provides free of cost Academic IELTS classes that enable the students to score high bands up to 8 (and 9 in some exceptional cases). It has developed a specialized course module that helps in mastering reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills with unmatched excellence. 

To reach the global standards, ASTRAL GLOBAL EDUCATI0N takes care of objective assessment of students’ English ability and guides them in practicing it to achieve the desired score. Furthermore, it takes the students through a strategic learning approach that can further advance their language skills for a better future. 

STRATEGY FOR IELTS EXAM PREPARATION 

Preparation for IELTS exam is based on the practice time spent on engaging with English language. Communicating in English in every minute of the day, watching films, reading books and publications help in improving the language ability. 

IELTS Syllabus: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) has two exams – IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. You can opt for either one of them depending upon your requirement or the university/ course you will be applying to. Candidates should be well informed that both versions of the IELTS are instrumental in providing a valid and accurate assessment of a candidates’ listening, reading, writing, and speaking language skills. In this article, we will inform you about the IELTS exam syllabus. 

Types of IELTS 

Before learning about the IELTS Syllabus, we discussed that the IELTS exam is of two types: 

IELTS Academic 

IELTS Academic is for candidates who are interested in applying for higher education or professional registration to countries that use English as their fundamental language of communication. The main purpose of the examination is to judge whether a candidate is ready to begin studying or training in the English language. Countries that widely recognize IELTS for studying are the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 

IELTS General Training 

IELTS General Training is for aspirants who are looking to migrate to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, US, and the UK or applying for secondary education, training programs, and work experience in an English-speaking environment. Here the examination focuses on the basic survival skills of a candidate in a broad social and workplace environment. 

Highlights of IELTS Exam Pattern 

Section	Description	Questions/Duration
Listening	It encompasses four recorded monologues and conversations	4 30 minutes
Reading	Three long reading passages with tasks. Texts range from descriptive and factual to discursive, and analytical includes non-verbal material like diagrams, graphs, and illustrations texts are authentic (taken from books, journals, and newspapers)	40 60 minutes
Writing	A writing task of at least 150 words where the candidate must summarize, describe, or explain table, graph, chart or diagram, and another short essay task of at least 250 words	2 60 minutes
Speaking	The face-to-face interview includes brief questions, speaking at length about a familiar topic, and a structured discussion	3 11 to 14 minutes

IELTS Section-wise Syllabus 

• Writing syllabus 
• Reading syllabus 
• Listening syllabus 
• Speaking syllabus 

IELTS Writing Section 

Writing: Candidates take an academic writing module. Responses to the academic writing module are short essays or general reports, addressed to an educated non-specialist audience. There are two compulsory tasks. Task 1 requires 150 words, and candidates are asked to look at a diagram, table, or data and to present the information in their own words. Task 2 requires at least 250 words, and all candidates are presented with a point of view, argument, or problem and asked to provide general information, present a solution, justify an opinion, evaluate ideas and evidence, etc. 

Total no. of questions: 2 
Total time: 60 minutes  

Writing- IELTS Academic 

• It includes two tasks wherein the topics are of general interest and relatable for candidates applying for an undergraduate or postgraduate program. 

• For your first task, you will be handed a paper that would contain either a diagram, table, or graph. You will be required to recapitulate and define the given data in your own words. You may be asked to explain a certain data entry, process the given information, or a flowchart to logically arrive at a conclusion. 
• In the next task, you need to author an essay as a response to your deduction from the given data and support your argument with relevant examples, through the given data. Please note that the writing style should be strictly formal. 

Writing- IELTS General Training 

• It also includes two tasks, yet, it is much easier than that of the academic format. 
• You will be asked to write a letter as per the given situation. The letter can be formal, semi-formal, or personal depending upon the situation presented. You will be asked to explain, request something, or support your argument to a certain authority. 

• Based on the above viewpoint, you will be asked to draft an essay on the same. The arguments and opinions mentioned here should be supported by relevant instances and the writing style can be a bit personal. 

IELTS Listening Section 

Listening: The Listening module is divided into four sections. The first two conversations are concerned with social needs, while the last two are concerned with situations more closely related to education. They will all be around three minutes long. The conversations could be both monologues and dialogues. These conversations can be heard once only. A variety of question types are asked, like multiple-choice, short-answer questions, note completion, sentence completion, labeling a diagram, etc.  
Total no. of questions: 40+ 
Total time: 30 minutes 

Sections 1 and 2 are about everyday social situations 

• Recording 1: The first recording would have a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context. 
• Recording 2 – The second recording would happen to be a monologue set in an everyday social context. 

Sections 3 and 4 are about educational and training situations 

• Recording 3 – The following recording would be a conversation between four people set in an educational or training context. 
• Recording 4 – And the final recording would be a monologue on an academic subject 

IELTS Speaking Section 

Speaking: The Speaking part is like a structured interview with an emphasis on general speaking skills. It assesses whether candidates have the required knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with native speakers of English. 
Total no. of questions: 3 parts – Personal Interview, Little Speech, and a Discussion 
Total time: 11 to 14 minutes 

Part 1 introduction and interview (4–5 minutes) 

For the first five minutes, you will be asked some mundane questions about yourself such as family, home, studies, hobbies, and interests, and so on. 

Part 2 long turn (2–3 minutes) 

Next, the examiner will hand you a flashcard that would contain a certain topic. You will be given a minute or two to familiarize yourself with the topic as you would need to speak on that topic for about two minutes. Post your speech, the examiner might ask a few questions based on your understanding of the topic. 

Part 3 discussions (5–6 minutes) 

Deeper questions and abstract discussions would take place based on the given topic and your speech. You will get the opportunity to explore your given topic and delve into deeper issues. You can expect this part to last for five-six minutes. 

Preparation tips for IELTS 

There are two ways to prepare for IELTS: one is self-study and another is attending coaching classes. Which way you will choose depends on your language proficiency and comfort level. If you are already fluent in English, you need not attend coaching classes, you can prepare for the exam on your own. You just need to figure out when to start preparing for IELTS. 

Also Read: FAQs (Frequently Asked Question) for IELTS Exam