America, aptly quoted as being "The land of opportunities," has given rise to innumerable individuals who have risen from nothing to leaving huge marks in modern society. For this mere fact, people have always gravitated to go there and make something of themselves. But how would they go about it? Well, the easiest way for aspirants is to get a college education there. Basically, you need to fulfill certain prerequisites to gain admission to US universities. And clearing the IELTS exam is one of such requirements at most US institutions.

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is a standardized test that assesses the language proficiency of non-native English speakers who want to study in an English-speaking country. Many universities require the IELTS score, and colleges and institutions assess international students' language skills before they are allowed to enroll in any course or program. There are four sections to the test, namely: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. To pass the exam, the candidate must score the required grades in each section.

In this article, we, at Storm Overseas, ranked among the leading overseas education consultants in Hyderabad for USA, aim to educate you about the IELTS exam so that you are well-informed and equipped to proceed further.

All About IELTS

The stated test will be divided into four phases: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Let's have a look by dissecting each of them:

• Listening: You'll be allotted 30 minutes for this phase. The Listening Test assesses the examinee's ability to understand spoken English. You'll be listening to four recordings, two of which will be monologues, and the remaining two will be conversations between two or more people. The recordings will be about social and academic concepts, and at the end, you have to write answers to questions relating to each of the recordings. The examiners will be looking into whether you've grasped the core concepts, tone, and mood of the conversations.

• Reading: You'll be allotted 60 minutes for this phase. The reading test is divided into two parts: Academic Reading and General Training Reading. The test has 40 questions and is designed to test your reading skills. As the name would suggest, the Academic Reading part is concerned with excerpts from academic reading materials such as books, journals, magazines, etc. The General Training Reading material is taken from advertisements, guidelines, newspapers, etc.

• Speaking: This test lasts 11 to 14 minutes and assesses your spoken English skills. The test is divided into three parts, and everything is recorded. You'll be asked familiar questions about family, home, work, studies, etc. You'll also be provided with a card that'll have a topic on which you have to speak about. Lastly, the interviewers will also ask questions about the topic and other abstract issues.

• Writing: The Writing Test will last 60 minutes, just like the Reading Test. The test is divided into two parts. The first will be Academic Writing, and the second will be General Training Writing. In the Academic Writing Test, you'll have to describe visual statistical infographics and how different processes work. Then you'll have to write an essay in response to an argument in a formal style. The final test is the General Training Writing test, where you'll need to write a letter and an essay.

Benefits of Appearing in the IELTS Exam Before Going to the United States of America

Most educational organizations and institutions in the US and even in many other countries accept the IELTS exam as proof of English language proficiency. No wonder many people want to take the IELTS exam. But they are not sure how it will benefit them. So here, we, at Storm Overseas, are sharing with you some reasons why you should take the IELTS exam:

• You get to have a clear idea about your English level.
• You attain an understanding of what you need to work on and how much time you need for it.
• The IELTS exam can help you to get into your desired university or college abroad.
• The IELTS certificate will be useful for your career development.
• You can use it as evidence of your ability to speak English fluently.

Concluding

America is one such country that has a variety of opportunities in store for people to pursue their dreams. It is a place where you can become anything you want to be. No wonder people come from around the world to live in this nation and make their dreams come true. Having said that, preparation is the key before any journey, and the same is true for your education in the US as well. We, at Storm Overseas, one of the leading overseas education consultants in India for USA, can help you reach your goal in the US by providing you with the best academic support for your IELTS exams. So, look towards the sunshine and plow ahead in life - we are here to give you a push!