IELTS TIPS

Hina A. Raz

Dow Medical College

Class of 2009

 

 

Hello everyone! Here are some tips for the IELTS exam and also some websites links which really helped me…

First and the foremost, I would like to say that it is an easy exam and if you keep it easy and simple, you don’t have to study much as this exam is all about how fluent you are and how well you understand English.

IELTS has 2 modules

1. ACADEMIC
2. GENERAL.

All doctors have to take ACADEMIC module. The GENERAL is for work visa and business purposes.

It has 4 parts:

1. Listening 40 questions…60 mins
2. Reading 40 questions…60 mins
3. Speaking has 3 sections:

• 1st is about general questions for 4-5 minutes like want do you do? Where do you live? What you like the most? Etc…
• 2nd part is that you will be given a CUE CARD which will have a topic and you have to speak for about 1-2 minutes and you will be given 1 min preparation time.
• 3rd is round off section in which the topic you got in 2nd part you will get questions related to them and examiner will ask different questions to see how fluent you are and how is your grammar.

4.   Writing- 60 minutes…2 tasks:

• 1st task is to define or describe a graph or pie bar chart in 150 words.
• 2nd task is to write an essay either argumentative or discursive form for 250 words.

For the LISTENING part, I used to listen to Podcasts from the British Council and referred to learn English websites. There are hundreds of podcasts there which I used to listen daily. You can easily download 10 to 15 podcasts in your iPod or MP3 player or you can just listen to them on your PC or laptop. Also, CNN and BBC have some useful podcasts and you can listen to them as well. I saw a lot of English movies as well.

For the SPEAKING part, as I was in UK for about 6 months before my exam, so I used to speak daily with my family. Also, I used to speak on usual topics like my favorite program, my favorite movie, my favorite book, any hobby, any work I like to do, any holidays I spent, so I used to practice speaking on these usual topics daily for about 15 to 20 minutes.

For WRITING, which I considered the most difficult, I used different websites.

• While preparing for thewriting task 1, and I practiced how many words I can write so it will make 150 or 200 but not too lengthy or too short.
• For task 2 for writing, as we don’t know what the topic will be asked,  so I used to read different articles like MEDIA, COMMUNICATON, TELEVISION, FILMS, CAPITAL PUNSIHMENT, CHILDREN AND FAMILY. So it’s good to get a whole list of topics that have come in the previous exams and read articles or essays about them and then you can easily write up to 250 words because you will have enough knowledge by then.

For READING again, I used the British Council learn English reading modules step by step guide and also practiced Cambridge Ielts 1 to 6 series books. I also read newspapers and readers digest whenever I got the time.

I did all this in 15 days only and I have passed with band 8

And last, but not the least all these helpful websites really helped me throughout that period and I am sharing all these with all of you!

ALL THE BEST TO EVERYONE FROM MY SIDE

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER ME IN PRAYERS

HINA

USEFUL LINKS

http://www.ieltshelpnow.com/free_tutorials.html

Download all the tutorials from here

http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-grammar-movies.htm

http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-exams-ielts-intro.htm

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-test-test-your-level.htm

http://www.ielts-worldwide.com/free-study-material-on-ielts.htm

http://www.engvid.com/english-exams/ielts/

http://www.cle.ied.edu.hk/IELTS/IELTS_Main_files/Reading_main.htm

http://www.world-english.org/improve_vocabulary.htm

http://www.rong-chang.com/listen.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/

http://www.rong-chang.com/podcast.htm

http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/study_preparation.html

http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/exams-work/ielts-preparation-articles/article-eight

http://www.dcielts.com/blog/writing-blog-3/sample-ielts-essay-questions

IELTS EXEMPTION
Hey Guys,
Now I would like to tell you about IELTS exemption but decide what you think is best for you….because if you get exempted you might have to take it some time later on if you have to apply for UK visa under Point Based System( TIER SYSTEM)WORK PERMIT, or if you are afraid that you wont get the required score for Plab and it can delay your Plab 1 test booking you can get it exempted and later on after completing both Plabs you can take it if you are going to apply under Point Based Tier System visa, because for that you just need above 6.5 overall, and I dont think thats very difficult.
IMPORTANT UPDATE :From 1st October 2010 the minimum IELTS scores we accept as evidence of English proficiency for the purposes of registration will be 7.0 in each of the areas tested (speaking, listening, reading and writing), and 7.0 overall.
So here goes for those who are eligible for IELTS EXEMPTION ( only for PLAB and GMC registeration purposes)
QUOTED FROM GMC WEBSITE:
Under certain circumstances we will consider evidence other than an IELTS certificate. This will not be considered if you have already taken the IELTS test and failed to achieve the required scores. In these circumstances you must retake the IELTS test and achieve the required scores.
YOU CAN ONLY GET EXEMPTED IF YOU HAVE QUALIFIED WITHIN LAST 12 MONTHS BEFORE APPLYING FOR PLAB 1 OR REGISTRATION:
I am quoting it here:
If you passed your primary medical qualification during the twelve months before applying for registration with a license to practise or to sit Part 1 of the PLAB test and you graduated from an institution where the language of instruction and examination is English then you can provide the alternative evidence of english proficiency.
You have to send 2 documents to GMC Manchester office:
An original letter or certificate from the institution where you qualified confirming that the language of instruction and examination is English and the date you passed your final examination.
And,
A statement that you have not taken the IELTS test before.
About letter 1..Do check that your letter from the University mentions about your Final Year exam date as well as result date, because on the basis of result/qualification date you will get exemption. So, if its 12/april/2009 you will get exempted till 12/april/2011.
The Personal Statement is what you have to write stating that you have not taken IELTS before.It shoud have your name, your contact details and most importantly, your email ID because they will notify through email about exemption.Also, your GMC Reference Number shoud be on the top of the Personal Statement. I’ll tell you how to get this Reference Number later on and how to setup MY GMC account. And last, but not the least SIGN it and DATE it.
Where to send the information?
Please send all documentation to the address below:
General Medical Council
Registration Support Team (IMG)
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
They say normally it takes 3 months to get exemption, but I got it in 5 DAYS and many of my friends got it as well, but to be on safe side start this process ahead of time! Dont keep it for the last minute as it can delay your Plab 1 booking. You cant book Plab 1 without IELTS or IELTS exemption.
Hope tht helps
More details about IELTS exemption please look at the GMC website:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/registration_applications/language_proficiency.asp