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IELTS Test Knowledge - Basic Info

IELTS Registration

Every year, thousands of people around the world appear for the IELTS. So you should register for your exam a long time in advance to avoid disappointment and to prevent yourself having to travel to a distant location to obtain the test date most convenient for you.

Before selecting a test date, remember that the exam is a challenging one and ensure that you have sufficient time to prepare adequately. If you are applying to a university or institute of higher learning, bear in mind their deadlines and also make sure you leave enough time for your scores to arrive and be reported to them.

To register for your IELTS exam, do the following:

1.   1. Go to the official IELTS website at www.ielts.org

2.   2. At the top of the page, where it says “Search for an IELTS Test Centre”, scroll down the menu and click on your desired country.

3.   3. Select the desired city.

4.   4. Select the...
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IELTS

IELTS Test Knowledge - Basic Info

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is an English language proficiency exam which measures the ability of test-takers to communicate in the four basic language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

The IELTS is managed by three main institutions: the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). This is important to understand in order to prepare for what is essentially an examination of British and not American English.

Many students who have prepared for or appeared for the TOEFL iBT are surprised when they face difficulties understanding accents and expressions used by British speakers in the IELTS. This is why thorough preparation, at a language school or through self-study, is so essential for success in this exam.

There are two versions of the IELTS exam: general and academic. Test-takers must know in advance which one is needed for their purposes as the scores are not interchangeable. Each test lasts two hours and forty-five minutes.

Broadly speaking, the IELTS is taken by those who wish to study, live, or work in a country...
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IELTS resources and help. Tips for English language learners and students. English grammar resources and ideas. Downloads and tips including podcasts. Ideas for learning.


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Make English Friends

Try to locate a person in your school or area that is a fluent speaker of English, and ask that individual to meet with you on a regular basis in order to practice your English. You will have the chance to ask this native speaker questions about English grammar and pronunciation, while speaking about issues that both of you have an interest in. Bring a pen and a note pad with you so that you can write down any words that are unfamiliar to you. When you return home you can use your English dictionary to look up the meaning of these words, if your English language buddy has not already helped you to understand the meaning of these words. It is a good idea to make the person that you are practicing with someone who does not speak your native language. I know that it is quite tempting to practice English with a person who speaks your language, but this is not the best thing because you want to learn to think in English. It will be harder for you, but also better for you to pick someone who must help you in English only because they do not...
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English as the lingua franca of a new age: Its more powerful than any law

If Congress has its way, English will become the official language of the United States. Thats a bold move. But the World Cup soccer tournament beat them to it.

For the first time, World Cup referees and their assistants will have to show proficiency in written and spoken English in order to be among the 44 officials taking part in soccers global tournament this summer. If any game is international, its football, as its called in most of the world. But when it comes to making tough calls on the field, the 2006 World Cup will have an English accent.

English has become a second language for much of the world, without anyone in Washington, Madison or elsewhere decreeing it must happen. There are somewhere between 380 million and 400 million native speakers of English and at least as many others who speak it as a second language. Within a decade, according to a 2004 report to the British Council, 2 billion people will be studying English and half of the world (about 3 billion people by then) will speak it to one degree or another.

English has become lingua franca, or universal language, for reasons that...
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