What is IELTS? Important Information about IELTS Test in Pakistan in 2023

Whether you are looking to pursue a career abroad or study in a well-accredited university overseas, the first thing you are asked to do is pass an IELTS test 2023. For some reason, just the name itself scares people away. IELTS appears to be like a large titan that is difficult to defeat. However, is IELTS really the monster people perceive it to be? What is IELTS? Who needs to sit for it? How do we prepare for IELTS in Pakistan? When do we get the IELTS results? These and other similar questions seem to drive students crazy.

Contrarily, IELTS is not really such a big rocket science. If only one would take the time to sit down and know exactly what it is and follow the proper guidelines to prepare for it. As usual. We have taken the initiative to compile everything you need to know about IELTS in this single piece of writing. C&W Resources Team works tirelessly to enable every student to accomplish their dream. After all, we are working towards being the driving force behind every student’s bright future!

So get a chilled glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and relax as we reveal the IELTS test-taking process step by step. Below is an outline of what to expect in the article.

What is IELTS?

Before we probe deeper into the technical details of what IELTS consists of, it is worth understanding what IELTS is.

Simply put, IELTS ( International English Language Testing System) is a method used to assess your English communication skills. However, unlike other English proficiency tests, this one covers all areas of communication. IELTS will test your English speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities. After all, simply speaking English is not sufficient to study in the USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, or Denmark. You must be able to read, understand, and write it as well. However, some American or Canadian universities may require you to sit for TOEFL. It is one of the most popular and reputable English proficiency testing systems worldwide. The most renowned bodies such as The British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English collectively administer IELTS.

Similarly, IELTS holds an essential place in Pakistan as well. Why? Because every other Pakistani we meet wishes to travel overseas for one reason or the other. Some dream to enroll in a well-accredited course at a renowned university, while others wish to settle down with a stable professional career abroad. In our case, we shall concentrate on our Pakistani students wanting to study abroad.

 This leads us to our discussion on exactly who needs to take the IELTS test.

Who needs to take the IELTS test?

English has the third-largest number of native speakers, while it ranks as the first most spoken language based on the total number of speakers. Moreover, it is the official and business language of most countries, including the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and many other Asian countries. 

So, everyone that wishes to pursue a professional career by being registered with a professional body or wants to study in an English-speaking country needs to sit for IELTS. Here is a detailed illustration of who needs to prepare for and take the IELTS test 2023.

If your employer or educational institution wants you to prove that you can communicate in English, you will take the IELTS test 2023. However, one may ask, why can’t we take other English-assessing tests? Why specifically IELTS? 

This brings us to our next discussion point.

Why take the IELTS in 2023?

More than 11,000 businesses, colleges, schools, and immigration organizations worldwide accept it, including 3,400 entities in the United States alone. Several institutions in non-English speaking nations that offer their courses in English additionally need an IELTS score.

IELTS aims at evaluating a candidate’s linguistic ability rather than their speciality expertise. Hence why it is widely welcomed worldwide. Unlike other tests, it does not simply assess how clearly you can write essays or the limit of your advanced vocabulary. Rather, it covers all communication areas, including writing, speaking, listening, and reading. 

So, if you are willing to migrate to any native English-speaking country for studies or an institution that offers courses in English,  taking the IELTS test is your ideal option.

Read More: Top 3 reasons to Choose C&W Education Consultants to Study Abroad

What is the format of the IELTS test in 2023?

Finally, let us address the significant issue Pakistani students face during their IELTS preparation. As mentioned earlier, IELTS is not rocket science. The only reason Pakistani students may not succeed in an IELTS test is their lack of proper guidance. Many private tutors scare students by telling them that passing IELTS is a big deal and not everyone can do it. However, if you can fluently speak English, passing IELTS will be a piece of cake for you.

Here is a secret to success! Just understand the format of the assessment and practice accordingly. Here  are a few key points to keep in mind before we discuss the structure:

• All the sections, including speaking, writing, listening, and reading, will be assessed on the same day in one sitting.
• The complete test will last approximately three hours. 
• There will be no breaks in between.
• In some instances, the speaking test can be taken a few before or after the other tests.
• Each part of the test will be timed.
• No extra time will be granted.

As you are now very clear on the fact that your test will be dived into four parts, have a look at the overview of the time each section will take before we go into details.

IELTS is offered in two different categories: Academic and general. To assist students with IELTS preparation in Pakistan, we will solely discuss the Academic version.

Now let us discuss each section briefly.

Listening (30 minutes)

In this section, a  student will listen to four different recordings in native accents and then answer the questions that follow accordingly.

Reading (60 minutes)

There will be 40 questions in the second section, including MCQs, identifying information, recognizing the author’s viewpoints, corresponding information, matching headings, matching characteristics, pairing sentence endings, sentence completion, summary closure, note finalization, table completion, flowchart completion, diagram label completion, and short-answer questions.

Writing test (60 minutes)

The third section will consist of two tasks. In the first one, you will see a graph or a table and the question will ask you to either describe or summarize the information in your own words or explain how a particular process occurs.

Speaking test (11–14 minutes)

The final section is divided into three tasks and assesses your ability to converse in English. In the 1st task, you will answer general questions about yourself. In the 2nd one, you will receive a card with a topic which you will have to talk about. And the last task will probe further questions regarding the topic mentioned in the card.

What are the IELTS test dates?

For IELTS test taking in Pakistan, 17 locations are available including, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Gujrat, Peshawar, Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Mirpur, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mirpur, Jhelum, Sukkur, Sahiwal, and Sialkot.

Nevertheless, the test dates will vary according to your chosen centre. For more details on the test dates and IELTS test results dates, consult the C&W Resources team. Generally, IELTS test results are available thirteen days after the sitting date.

How to register for IELTS in 2023?

The registration is quite simple. Just follow this link, and fill in the information as per the instructions. Or as an alternative, call us at +92 3330007078 to get assistance from a friendly consultant.

How to prepare for IELTS in Pakistan in 2023

Preparing for IELTS in Pakistan is no big deal. And here is some good news. If you need help with IELTS preparations close to Islamabad, then C&W’s IELTS Institute is presented at your service. Our team of highly qualified education consultants and tutors will get you ready for the test in no time. We follow a step-by-step procedure and guide you through the whole process from preparation to taking the test.  So get in touch with us right away for a perfect IELTS preparation session.

How is the IELTS test marked?

IELTS scores are graded on a nine-band scale. They’re designed to be basic and straightforward for easy understanding. Students are rated on a scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest.

Minimum IELTS score to succeed 

The minimum score requirements vary from institute to institute. While some prestigious universities may require a high score as per their high standards, others may accept an average score. If you already have a few options in your mind, use this link to see the minimum score required by your preferred educational institutes.

Finally, we have reached the end of our guide on IELTS. We hope that you have found this article interesting and useful and now understand what IELTS is. If you have any queries or questions in your mind, feel free to leave us a comment or give us a quick call.

Read More: 5 Top Best Education Consultants in Pakistan for Study Abroad 2022