IELTS essentials: Everything you need to know

I should start this post by saying that I don’t know anyone who has taken the IELTS exam and said it was easy. Honestly, I can tell that it’s a complex exam that requires preparation and a lot of practice. However, it is not impossible, and I know many Spanish speakers who have achieved very high scores.

Perhaps you are close to  taking the exam for the first time or maybe you have taken it several times already—don’t get discouraged. I took the exam three times, and in the last attempt, I got the score I needed to continue with my educational process, so it is absolutely possible to succeed.

If you read this guide carefully, you’ll discover details you didn’t know before and also receive tips that will increase your chances of raising your score when you take the exam.

What is the IELTS?

It is an exam designed to measure your proficiency in English. IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System and assesses four language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

It is used to evaluate English proficiency in academic, professional, and immigration contexts. It is administered by various committees: one of them is the British Council, which organises exams in many countries; another is IDP Education, based in Australia; and Cambridge Assessment English, which oversees and maintains the standards of the exam.

The IELTS is scored on a scale from 1 to 9, and you can take it at any of the British Council centers around the world.

Why is it important?

Many processes in English-speaking countries require a specific score on this exam. For example, universities use the final score of the exam to progress the admission of students that are applying for higher education.

Governments require the IELTS as a parameter for approving visa applications or granting residency in a particular country. Some companies require it for applying to certain types of jobs.

How many types of IELTS are there?

The exam comes in two variants: the General Training and the Academic.

The General Training test is used for migration processes or non-academic purposes because it involves more everyday English.

The Academic test is used as a requirement for higher education studies or to get a job in an English speaking country. It contains more specialised and specific language. In my opinion, this test has a much higher level of complexity than the General Training one.

How is the exam structured?

As mentioned earlier, the exam assesses four skills, also called bands. Each band is scored from 1 to 9, with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest.

The exam is timed, and you may be able to complete it all on the same day, or the speaking section might be scheduled on a different day.

Let's break down each section so you know what to expect:

Reading

This section evaluates your ability to understand what you read. If you’re taking the Academic IELTS, you’ll encounter long texts with highly technical language followed by multiple-choice questions about the reading. It lasts 60 minutes and is the first part of the exam.

Listening

Here you’ll demonstrate your degree of understanding of spoken English from a recording. This section lasts 30 minutes and evaluates your ability to listen, process, and understand information in different contexts. 

It is divided into four mini-sections with multiple-choice, blank spaces to complete and matching questions.

Writing

In this section, you’ll show how well you can write coherently, organize ideas, and generate arguments on a given topic.

It has two mini-sections. In the General Training IELTS, you must write a formal letter of 150 words in the first part and an essay on a general topic in the second part.

In the Academic IELTS, in the first part, you must analyse a graph, diagram, or table in 150 words and in the second part, you must write a 250-word argumentative essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion, presenting a personal opinion.

Speaking

You can probably guess that this section assesses your ability to communicate ideas in English verbally. It is divided into three parts: a general interview where you’ll be asked about yourself, your work, family, and interests; then you’ll be asked to speak on a specific topic; and the final part is a deeper discussion on that topic.

This part of the exam is short, lasting 15 minutes. It assesses your ability to organize ideas, structure what you say, as well as fluency and pronunciation.

How do I prepare for the exam?

Online

There are numerous free online resources for preparation. There are YouTube channels and websites like the British Council’s site. Just search Google for “IELTS exercises” or “IELTS preparation” to find many pages offering free practice tests and tools.

There are also paid courses on platforms like Udemy or Coursera that offer preparation options for the exam.

Books

Books can be found in libraries across Australia. If you’re in Melbourne, the City Library has very good texts from different publishers, some with CDs for listening practice.

Apps

Over time, apps for practice for the exam have been developed. In my time, these did not exist, so I can’t say if they are 100% effective but here are some to try: “IELTS Prep” by the British Council, “IELTS Test Pro,” and “IELTS Vocabulary Builder.”

Study Groups

You can form a study group with classmates or acquaintances who are also preparing for the IELTS. You can exchange strategies that have worked for you and others, as well as resources. Perhaps some of those members have already taken the exam and can offer more information or insights.

Strategies

Here are some of the best strategies for each section, both for preparation and for taking the exam itself. The success of the exam depends on your preparation and managing your nerves.

Reading

Preparation

Start training by reading and understanding paragraphs from magazines, newspapers, or sources of your interest. Use any free time during your day for this.

Then read texts from IELTS preparation books and try writing in a notebook what you understood from each paragraph in your own words in English.

Try reading those same texts faster, moving your eyes from side to side. Identify key words and extract important information; practice this constantly. Afterward, move on to the IELTS practice exercises, start answering questions, time yourself, and check your answers.

Some people say you don’t need to read the entire text to the letter and should just identify the information you need. I used this strategy, and it worked for me!

During the Exam

Read the questions first to know what information you’re looking for. There are keywords in the paragraphs that guide you.

The texts are on academic topics, such as animals, science, or philosophy. My recommendation is that the more you practice on different materials, the more vocabulary you’ll learn.

Answer directly on the answer sheet. You won’t have time to transfer answers from the booklet to the answer sheet.

Listening

Preparation

First, listen to example recordings on YouTube to understand how the Listening section of the exam works.

This will help you see the exam format and assess your current level. Start practicing with available audio files on the internet, preferably with different accents and speeds. Once you feel more prepared, try simulations.

During the Exam

In the Listening section, you’re given time to read the questions before the recording starts. It’s crucial to read the questions and identify exactly what information is being asked.

You’ll notice that the first part is the least complex, usually involving filling in blanks from a conversation or spelling a surname.

As the level increases, you’ll need to listen carefully to answer questions about something or someone in a specific location. For this, it’s recommended to study prepositions of place such as “behind,” “next to,” “opposite to,” “diagonal to,” “at the left,” and “at the right.”

In this section, you’ll be given extra time to transfer your answers from the booklet to the answer sheet.

Writing

Preparation

Start by selecting a topic and brainstorming. Write down everything that comes to mind about the topic. Note that brainstorming isn’t just about writing down random words; it’s about writing well-formed ideas in a hierarchical order.

Then select one of these important ideas as the main idea. From this main idea, derive two secondary ideas and provide examples. This will form one paragraph!

Practice this several times, look at IELTS texts for ideas on various topics (argumentative, comparative, opinion-based, problem-solving). Once you’re more practiced, write essays. Then compare your essay with the sample in the IELTS book and see what you can improve.

Another strategy is to deconstruct essays found in IELTS books and see how they structure ideas and use appropriate vocabulary. What is the main idea? What are the secondary ideas? How do they start each paragraph?

Another strategy is to ask a native speaker or an IELTS teacher to correct your essays so you can see where you’re making mistakes, such as punctuation, idea selection, or spelling. This way, you’ll know what you need to improve.

During the Exam

You’ll have a set time to write a complete 250-word essay. So practice writing quickly to become more efficient.

Don’t skip any steps when starting this part of the exam. Remember to brainstorm first, then select and organise ideas. Finally, provide examples and your opinion if requested.

As mentioned, there are various essay styles. Read carefully to understand what is being asked in the exam to ensure you answer accordingly.

Since the exam is in pencil, you can make changes, but try not to erase and start over multiple times as you’ll waste time. It’s better to choose your ideas carefully in the first step.

Speaking

Preparation

Find native-speaking friends to practice speaking with and engage in conversations with them. This will help you become more fluent and feel more comfortable speaking English.

This also helps you think more in English, reducing the need to translate from Spanish first. You can record yourself answering one of the questions and then listen to your responses to identify areas for improvement.

During the Exam

The strategy here is to sit confidently. Structure your response in your mind first and then articulate it.

Don’t let the interviewer’s body language affect you. Some may be very friendly, others not so much—try not to let this impact you.

You don’t have to answer immediately after receiving the question. Take a few seconds to organize your thoughts.

Try to pronounce words clearly and as accurately as possible. Believe that you are doing well and that it comes naturally.

Avoid superficial answers and ensure you go into enough depth to neither run out of time nor have too much left.

Recommendations

Preparation

• Try to book your exam well in advance. This will give you time to prepare.

• Decide if you want to hire a private tutor. I recommend studying on your own first, and once you have a better idea of the exam, you can contact someone if needed; otherwise, you may end up needing many classes, which can be more costly.

• The test measures your proficiency in English, but it also assesses how well you know the exam format and how well you’ve prepared.

• Dedicate one notebook solely to IELTS preparation and divide it into four sections.

• Familiarise yourself with the exam format. Learn the different types of questions and how to respond to them.

• Don’t obsess and make sure to take breaks. Studying all the time can overwhelm your mind and slow down the learning process.

• Take online practice tests and always time yourself.

• Set a study schedule. If you can’t stick to it, try to do it later, but make sure to follow through.

• Identify the areas you need to work on more and strengthen them.

On the Exam Day

• Arrive on time. As you know, transport in Australia can be punctual but sometimes not, so leave well in advance. Personally, on my exam day, Melbourne’s tram system collapsed, and I had to find an alternate plan. I managed to reach the exam on time because I left home two hours early.

• Bring your identification document; you won’t be able to take the exam without it. Preferably one with a photo, like a passport.

• Follow the exam center’s rules strictly. You cannot talk to other candidates and must maintain proper behavior during the whole time. 

• Make the most of the time that they give you to listen to or read the questions.

• You can answer in the booklet for the listening section and then have additional time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

• Always pay close attention to where the example of the recording ends and where the questions start.

• Once you’re seated for the exam, you can’t leave. So make sure to use the bathroom beforehand.

• You can bring a pencil and an eraser, but not large sweaters into the exam room. I recommend wearing something warm due to the air conditioning. If you bring a sweater in, you can’t take it off later.

• The difficulty level increases throughout each session. Try to get all the easier questions right first, as they are almost fixed points.

• Don’t use the time you have to scan questions from a new section if you haven’t finished the previous one unless you are 100% sure about what you missed.

Are there other exams similar to the IELTS?

There are other exams that measure English proficiency for academic and immigration purposes, but the format differs.

For example, the most common ones are:

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): This exam is often used for admission to universities and colleges in the United States and Canada. It assesses the same skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—but in a different format.

Cambridge English Exams: This exam includes several levels designed to assess different levels of proficiency.

PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic): Many people say that this exam is easier than the IELTS; It is becoming very popular for migration purposes in Australia. I personally have not tried it but It also measures English communication skills in an academic context.