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IETLS for PR in Canada - Feedback?

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  • 01-07-2019 3:48pm
    #1
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    I'm currently preparing for the IETLS for PR in Canada. Curious for feedback from anyone that has taken it as a native English speaker from Ireland.

    How much prep did you do? Anything trip you up?

    My plan is to do about an hour a week for about a month, some practise tests and then sit it. Good idea, bad idea?


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    #2
    username2013
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭username2013


    As a native speaker I found it very easy. Almost like Ann and Barry stuff (https://www.cjfallon.ie/nostalgia)

    Looked at a couple of practice tests, saw how basic it was and basically just forgot about it until it was time to do the test. Can’t imagine any native English speaker failing it to be honest.


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    #3
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    Huge wave of Nostalgia there. Thanks!

    That seems to be the trend and feedback I've been getting regarding native speakers. If you don't mind me asking, how did you score? From looking at some videos online of those speaking at a 'Band 7' level, it seems very easy?


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    #4
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,300 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    username2013 wrote: »
    Can’t imagine any native English speaker failing it to be honest.
    Depends on what you're looking for, tbh. Everyone passes the tests, but if you want to get 90% for the extra points, putting the work into it helps.


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    #5
    username2013
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭username2013


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Huge wave of Nostalgia there. Thanks!

    That seems to be the trend and feedback I've been getting regarding native speakers. If you don't mind me asking, how did you score? From looking at some videos online of those speaking at a 'Band 7' level, it seems very easy?

    I got a 9 in each of the sections. I would have been always quite good at English though, read a lot as a kid (and still read a lot) so maybe that is why I found it relatively straight-forward? I think your plan is a good one, always best to do a bit of study, 1 hour per week would be sufficient I'd say, but everyone is different.


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    #6
    username2013
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭username2013


    the_syco wrote: »
    Depends on what you're looking for, tbh. Everyone passes the tests, but if you want to get 90% for the extra points, putting the work into it helps.

    Yeah, that's a good point. I qualified based on the experience class without needing to do this so I never even considered this. But yeah it can help pull your points up quite a bit I believe.


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    #7
    circular flexing
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭circular flexing


    If you are in Canada, I would do CELPIP instead. CELPIP is done all on computer and I believe is easier to score higher because of this. IELTS is all pen and paper (so you have to write instead of type) and sometimes you have to come back a second day to do the spoken part. I wasn't particularly good at English in school, I did check out a few practice questions and I got a mixture of 10/11 scores. Once you get over 9 per ability it doesn't make any difference anyway (for points)


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    #8
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,300 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    circular flexing wrote: »
    If you are in Canada, I would do CELPIP instead.
    How is your accent? I've a thick accent, so did badly in the oral in CELPIP, but did very good in IELTS.

    Something to note; CELPIP is marked by Canadians, but the IELTS is marked by "Common Wealth" people, so phrases that not used in Canada will be marked down in CELPIP, but not marked against in IELTS.
    circular flexing wrote: »
    CELPIP is done all on computer and I believe is easier to score higher because of this. IELTS is all pen and paper (so you have to write instead of type)
    My writing is barely legible, to the point that I had to write caps as opposed to joint handwriting, as my writing really is that bad!

    The computer has a spell check, but writing "form" instead of "from" won't get flagged, so don't depend too heavily on it.
    circular flexing wrote: »
    sometimes you have to come back a second day to do the spoken part.
    I actually found this to be a big plus having it done separately. See below;

    =-=

    CELPIP; 20 people in a room. All typing. Followed by speaking. So you're trying to concentrate on something you're writing, and someone is speaking loudly into a mic (to their computer) nearby can be very off-putting.

    IELTS; 100 people in one room. Near total silence. No talking by other people, only by the recording for the listening section. Then a break, followed by a set time of when you get tested. In my examination centre, there were 5 oral testers, in 5 separate rooms which were not next to each other, doing the oral tests. I found speaking to a human also helped a lot.

    The "next day" oral exam would happen if the first part of your test is done in the PM. If it's done in the AM, the orals get done afterwards. The oral times started 30 minutes after the written section had finished.


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