PTE/IELTS Nodal Centre

PTE/IELTS Nodal Centre

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is the world's most popular English language test. More than 2 million IELTS tests are taken each year.

Taking IELTS opens doors ' it can help you live, study and work around the world. More than 9,000 organisations worldwide accept IELTS, including government, academic and employment institutions. In fact, IELTS is the only English language test accepted for Immigration Purposes by all countries that require one.

The IELTS test is designed to help you use English in your new life abroad. It effectively assesses all of your English skills, including listening, reading, writing and speaking.

The most effective way of testing your English conversation skills is face-to-face. IELTS is the most widely accepted English language test with a one-on-one speaking test to assess your English language communication skills.

Designed by experts in English language assessment and trusted around the world, you can be sure that IELTS will give a fair and consistent assessment of your English skills.

We will be pleased to assist you to book your exam date as we are the authorized nodal centre.

The IELTS exam consists of 4 components: Listening, Reading, Writing Speaking.

Listening Module-Overview

Test format

IELTS Listening has four sections, each with 10 items (or questions). When the tape ends, ten minutes are allowed for candidates to transfer their answers onto an Answer Sheet.

Timing

Approximately 30 minutes plus 10 minutes transfer time.

Marks

Each question carries one mark, giving a total of 40 marks.

Listening texts

The first two sections are concerned with social needs. The final two sections are concerned with situations related more closely to educational or training contexts.

Recordings

Each section is played ONCE only. The recordings include a range of accents, including British, Australia, New Zealand and American.

Reading Module-Overview

Module format

IELTS Academic Reading has 3 passages and 40 items (questions). Each item is worth one mark.

Answer format

Candidates record their responses on Answer Sheets.

Timing

IELTS reading takes 60 minutes. No extra time is given to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet. The passages used in the test are based on authentic texts, and are taken from sources such as magazines, journals, books and newspapers.

Length

The total word count for 3 passages is between 2000 and 2750 words.

Writing Module-Overview

Test format

There are two tasks. Candidates should spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. Task 2 is worth more marks than Task 1.

Task 1 (General module)

Candidates are asked to write an informal or formal letter of approximately 150 words. Task 1 (Academic) Candidates are asked to summarize the information found in the graph or table or map or pie charts and compare the information where ever it is relevant.

Task 2

Candidates are asked to write a discursive essay of approximately 250 words.

Timing

Candidates are given 60 minutes to complete both tasks Speaking Module-Overview.

General Points

An interview takes place between one examiner and one candidate for between 11 and 14 minutes. The candidate's speaking ability is assessed on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.

Speaking test format

Part 1

Examiner and candidate introduce themselves, candidate answers general questions on familiar topics e.g. family, job, studies, hobbies, likes and dislikes etc.about 4 to 5 minutes.

Part 2

Candidate asked to speak on a given topic (information is written on a task card) for 1-2 minutes. One minute of preparation in which the candidate can make notes, and then give response after the signal.

Part 3

Discussion on more abstract issue related to the chosen topic in part 2 of the test. about 4 to 5 minutes.

Academic or general Module?

The Academic Module is for candidates wishing to study or work in the medium of English at an undergraduate, postgraduate or professional level.

The General Training is suitable for candidates who are going to English speaking countries to complete their secondary education, to undertake work experience or training programmes not at degree level, or for immigration purposes.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to inform the test centre regarding his choice of the test i.e. Academic or General Module. Centres are not responsible for providing this information.

Score:-

You will be given a mark between 0-9 for each of the 4 sub-test. Your Overall Band Score is an average of the 4 sub test band scores with fractional scores rounding up or down to the nearest half / full band. You will receive your results within 2 weeks from the date of the test. If you want to take the examination again you can book in the next available schedule. There is no limit for the number of times you can sit for the IELTS examination. The exam scores are valid for two years.

Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)

PTE Academic is the world's leading computer-based test of English for study abroad and Immigration.

PTE Academic offers fast, flexible English testing. Candidates can schedule their test as little as twenty-four hours in advance, and typically receive their results within five business days. PTE Academic offers flexible testing locations, with test centres in over 50 countries worldwide.

• PTE Academic is accepted by thousands of academic programs worldwide, including prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Yale University.
• PTE Academic is also accepted for visa applications
• Results in five business days
• Schedule tests up to 24 hours in advance.
• Accepted by thousands of universities and colleges worldwide.
• Approved for Australian visa applications.
• You will be sent a letter confirming the details of your test by email.

PEARSON'S TEST PATTERN:

PART 1: SPEAKING & WRITING (77 - 93 minutes)

• Personal Introduction
• Read aloud
• Repeat sentence
• Describe image
• Re-tell lecture
• Answer short question
• One sentence
• Paragraph
• Essay (20 mins)

PART 2: READING (32 - 41 minutes)

• Multiple choice questions (x2)
• Re-order paragraphs
• Fill in the blanks (x2)

A ten minute break is optional

PART 3: LISTENING (45 ' 57 minutes)

• Summarize spoken text
• Multiple choice x2
• Fill the blanks
• Highlight the correct summary
• Select missing word
• Highlight incorrect words
• Write from dictation

5 Surprising Reasons to Take an English Language Exam

This article is sponsored by Cambridge English.

You want to study or work abroad in an English Speaking Country, but English isn't your first language: what do you need to do? You normally need to take an English language exam, which are required by universities, Immigration Departments, professional bodies and employers.

But, aside from formal requirements, there are lots of other reasons why taking English language tests can be good for you.

1. Increase your motivation levels

Before a test, you tend to study harder than ever. Research has shown that this can lead to improved language ability.

Whether you love them or hate them, tests clearly motivate us to get learning. Research has found that students who are given regular tests study the longest and the most regularly. Students who have less frequent tests tend to study just before their test.

2. Learn the right kind of language skills

By taking a focused academic English language exam, you will learn the right kind of skills to succeed in your studies.

Academic English language exams use real-life language, tasks and topics. This means that, in addition to developing real-life English language communication skills, you develop a range of practical academic skills. For example, you will develop the skills to:

• Write essays with a good organizational structure and supporting conclusions
• Follow lectures and ask detailed questions
• Read quickly enough to cope with the demands of an academic course
• Read textbooks and grasp the main topics and ideas
• Give clear presentations.

3. Succeed in your academic studies

Research shows that students who do well in academic English language exams, such as Cambridge English: Advanced, are most likely to perform well academically. One recent research study about who achieves the best academic grades at a UK business school, found that 36% of the difference in grades is due to students' reading and writing test scores.

4. Improve the way you study

Tests and quizzes are really useful study techniques, which can improve how quickly you learn.

When you do an exam, you have to recall and apply what you have learnt. This process greatly improves your chances of remembering information. It also makes future study sessions more productive, by showing what you need to work on next.

In addition, by taking exams, you can improve your ability to apply what you've learned in new contexts. In particular, open-ended assessments (such as essay writing) help our brains to organize information, which produces 'deeper learning' ' so you can retrieve that knowledge flexibly and transfer it to other situations.

5. Get ahead of your peers

Despite clear evidence about the benefits, most students still avoid doing tests wherever possible. This means that the students who do take tests are at an advantage.

One research project asked university students to choose between self-testing or just doing more study. Only 18% of the students chose to self-test. These students were able to find out how much they knew and used their results to guide further study.