8 Bands in IELTS: What does it take?
You have finally made up your mind to take up the IELTS and now all you can hear everyone talk about is the ideal 8 Band score. But, what is it anyway and why is it so important? If it’s really something that can help boost your career then, how do you achieve it? For now, all you have to do is keep reading.
To understand why an 8 band score seems to turn heads, you need to know how the IELTS test scores are calculated. The IELTS test basically comprises of four major sections namely, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. A band scale from 1 to 9 is given to each section which determines the score for each of the parts of the test you take up. The average of the all the scores will give you your overall IELTS band score. Take a look at the picture below to know what each band score means.
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect score. These different band levels assess different band scores provide an assessment of your level in the English language. Different universities have different cut-off scores based on their requirements. But, what exactly does a hard-earned 8 band score represent? A band 8 score simply proves that you are a “ very good” user of the English language which inadvertently means that you make very few mistakes while writing or speaking and that you have an extremely good grasp of the language. With the magical number 8, you don’t have to worry about university admissions because they are going to be more than ready to admit you in. If you’re aiming to score an 8, it’s inevitable that you know the critieria based on which the scoring is done.
Writing
For writing, there are four major criteria where each will be given a score from 0-9 and then, the overall average score is taken.
The four criteria are:
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Speaking
The speaking section is also scored based on four important criteria,
- Fluency
- Pronunciation
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Listening
In this section, out of the 40 questions, your score is based on the number of questions you get right.
Reading
The Reading section is similar to the listening section where your score depends on the number of right answers.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Now that you have a good idea of how the scoring is done, it’s time to learn the secret to achieving your desired score. Before you dive into your notes and start burning the midnight oil, make sure you get familiar with the IELTS test pattern. Understanding the various test sections, the duration for each and the type of questions will help you devise your own study strategy to score more. Once that is done, move on to the preparation stage. This is the most important and probably the longest phase which requires all your undivided attention and hard work. The more seeds you sow during this period, the more fruits of success you’ll reap at the end. Gather all the study materials and even test yourself at home by taking online sample tests. Self-assessment can lead to significant improvement in areas where you think you lack. It’s also best if you plan a schedule and stick to it making sure you have no time to waste. Whether you decide to get assistance from a coaching institute or study on your own, you can get that magical 8 band score with perseverance. So, get to work now and go after fulfilling your dream career.