by apples101

I just came back from Singapore to have my 1 month vacation here in the Phils. After two weeks of doing nothing at home, i decided to sign for a month of IELTS review just so i can do something worthwhile. I also registered for an exam come this June 28 because i thought i can do it after a month of review. This was what my aunt did and she passed the IELTS. I heard a lot of positive feedbacks from IELTS saying "its the easiest exam".

After attending 2days of review class, im starting to feel uneasy about it. Im having a hard time on the Writing and Speaking part. With the way the students participate and how the Instructors would teach the ideals of writing and speaking, i am becoming anxious about it. I thought it was easy?

There's also some issues about where should one take the exam saying Manila has a higher "mortality rate" than of Baguio, the "negative examiners" who have high standards and weird questions like "what can you say about Nano Technology?"

Is it really hard to pass IELTS nowadays? Is it THAT complicated? This wasnt what i am expecting. Does anyone here recently took the exam? i just need some clarifications... pls help....

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

they folow there own standard. you cant simply judge that the previous exam is difficult from the presnt exams.

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Hello again!
The IELTS isnt a test of knowledge. Its a test of how well you understand the instructions given to you and how well you can communicate the info/data that you've got.

All IELTS exam are the same! It just comes in different settings or topics but the format is FIXED.

Those review centers are just irritants!
TIP: For Academ-writing 1: memorize the words necessary to describe a graph---ex: Increase,decline,etc...by doing this you will have more time in your Academ-writng 2 wc is a lil bit harder.

http://www.ieltsprepinfo.com/ielts_study_guide.htm
http://www.aippg.com/ielts/strategie...20speaking.htm
Just practice this format and you will be SAFE and also search the web for some practice tests.

I hope this helps---GOODLUCK!

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

I just finished my IELTS exam (to be exact just today). I took some review classes in a review center. This is what I have noticed. There are English instructors who dampens your spirit instead of encouraging you to develop the confidence in speaking. Sad to say many of my classmates "backed-out", because of a very demeaning comment by one our instructors. IELTS is not a contest. It is a proficiency exam. You are not training for a beauty pageant!!!! I always tell my classmates to be positive about improving their command of English.

So far I think I have answered well in my Listening, Reading and Writing subtests. The materials that we are using in the review center are way to hard compare to the materials in the actual exam. I think the key to developing confidence is practice, practice and more practice!!! I'm glad that I encountered other instructors who knows how to motivate students. Also, train your ears not to listen to "horror stories" about IELTS. You know the story of a certain Filipina interviewer who makes the life of the candidates a misery. (I choose not to elaborate). I am so glad to encounter a very charming Old lady as my interviewer. She is a Filipina but she is sooooo nice!!! We were just like talking. You know the casual talk you have with your friend. The whole experience just breezed through so fast, I didn't noticed the time.

Pointers:
1. Practice, practice, practice
2. Stay away from negative people
3. Pray, pray, pray
4. Smile
5. Have fun

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Originally Posted by drez21

Hello again!
The IELTS isnt a test of knowledge. Its a test of how well you understand the instructions given to you and how well you can communicate the info/data that you've got.

All IELTS exam are the same! It just comes in different settings or topics but the format is FIXED.

Those review centers are just irritants!
TIP: For Academ-writing 1: memorize the words necessary to describe a graph---ex: Increase,decline,etc...by doing this you will have more time in your Academ-writng 2 wc is a lil bit harder.

http://www.ieltsprepinfo.com/ielts_study_guide.htm
http://www.aippg.com/ielts/strategie...20speaking.htm
Just practice this format and you will be SAFE and also search the web for some practice tests.

I hope this helps---GOODLUCK!

Thanks for the tip! I should have just enrolled at scottsenglish

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Originally Posted by misspowers

I just finished my IELTS exam (to be exact just today). I took some review classes in a review center. This is what I have noticed. There are English instructors who dampens your spirit instead of encouraging you to develop the confidence in speaking. Sad to say many of my classmates "backed-out", because of a very demeaning comment by one our instructors. IELTS is not a contest. It is a proficiency exam. You are not training for a beauty pageant!!!! I always tell my classmates to be positive about improving their command of English.

So far I think I have answered well in my Listening, Reading and Writing subtests. The materials that we are using in the review center are way to hard compare to the materials in the actual exam. I think the key to developing confidence is practice, practice and more practice!!! I'm glad that I encountered other instructors who knows how to motivate students. Also, train your ears not to listen to "horror stories" about IELTS. You know the story of a certain Filipina interviewer who makes the life of the candidates a misery. (I choose not to elaborate). I am so glad to encounter a very charming Old lady as my interviewer. She is a Filipina but she is sooooo nice!!! We were just like talking. You know the casual talk you have with your friend. The whole experience just breezed through so fast, I didn't noticed the time.

Pointers:
1. Practice, practice, practice
2. Stay away from negative people
3. Pray, pray, pray
4. Smile
5. Have fun

Hi! i appreciate your advice. thanks! Lately ive become so panicky with everything. I only have less than a month to review and the review materials are just so hard to understand. The more i absorb the concepts the more complicated it becomes.

We share the same views with regard to how they make the students speak like we are in a beauty pageant. They keep saying that content is not the top priority when you have your speaking test, it's the delivery. But with the way things are going, It's the opposite. they make me feel as if i am bound for a second take. They dont motivate us, they intimidate us.

Anyway thanks for clearing matters to me. It made me feel better.

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Hi,

I'm currently reviewing for the IELTS. Actually, when we had our diagnostic test, it seems very difficult. But as the real lecture unveils, it quite easier now. But it is really not so easy. Because we Filipinos are more acquainted with the American English. IELTS, however, utilizes a British type of English. That makes it difficult.

God Bless to us!

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Sorry, but using either British English or American English is acceptable on the IELTS exam. The issue becomes one of pronunciation as well as the choice of words.

Am seeing more and more trying to use a vocabulary of words that has not been used in more than 200 years in both the UK as well as the USA and this will not help one in passing of the IELTS speaking section.

If there were not issues with the English being spoken in the Philippines, then there would not be a requirement for the English exams and with the fact that not all are passing the first time, just proves my point.

And if you are taking English review there, make sure that you actually have a foreign-born speaker for your class, not someone that was born in your country as a start. This is the same thing that should be followed no matter the country that you take your classes in.

And I still think that www.scottsenglish.com does the best job of all in preparation and they are based right out of Australia.

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

Sorry, but I didn't emphasize that the difference in American English and British English can be felt on the listening module only, for the same reason that we are more familiar with the American English. And there's no doubt that Filipinos are capable of understanding the language. It's just we are not using it everyday, making it fade (somehow)...

Re: Is IELTS getting harder these days?

But my point is that whether one uses British or American English when they are testing makes no difference at all to the examiner. Actually used to teach English overseas so am well versed in what is required to pass this exam.

And there is still an issue with the number that pass the exam the first time as well as the fact that over 300,000 call center jobs got pulled from the Philippines over the past few years because of difficulties with language skills. This a fact, not something that I just made-up.

Changes in pronunciation of a word or how one hears a word, can prove dangeerous for a patient and that is why the exam is required. Accents can also proved to be a problem, and again cause for concern.

If one prepares properly for the exam, then there should not be an issue with passing it, but those that do not prepare and think that they can just waltz in and ace it are sadly mistaken once they get their results.