The IELTS Exam: Its History, Organisations and Importance
The IELTS Exam: Its History, Organisations and Importance
Many people who want to work, study or migrate abroad take the IELTS exam to demonstrate their English proficiency. In Turkey, too, those enrolling at universities and those who want to enter professions requiring a foreign language apply for the IELTS exam. So how did the history of the IELTS exam begin? Which organisations run it? In this blog post, we answer the most common questions about the IELTS exam.
The IELTS exam was originally developed by the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment and IDP Education Australia. Development began in the 1980s and the exam was first used in 1989. Since then, IELTS has become one of the most widely used English language proficiency tests in the world.
There are three different types of IELTS exam: academic, general, and one designed for employers. Academic IELTS is taken to enrol at university or apply for postgraduate programmes, general IELTS to demonstrate language proficiency for a general licence or when migrating, and the IELTS designed for employers for English language proficiency in the workplace. The formats and structures of the exams differ, but the whole IELTS test consists of four sections: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The greatest advantage of the IELTS exam is that it is recognised worldwide. Official authorities in various countries also accept the IELTS exam. In many countries, such as France, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, India and China, the IELTS proficiency exam is a mandatory exam. In addition, the fact that the IELTS exam is accepted by employers worldwide helps provide mobility for job applications and positions.
The IELTS exam provides an objective assessment of English language proficiency and tests students’ English language skills in a way that reflects real-life situations. Students’ language skills are tested in speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar. In this way, weaknesses in language skills can be identified and students can be guided towards their goals.
In conclusion, owing to its global importance and acceptance, the IELTS exam is an effective exam that proves the English language proficiency of those who want to work, study or migrate abroad. In this article, we have provided information on the history, structure and requirements of the IELTS exam, which tests English proficiency. We remind students that when preparing for the IELTS exam they can choose between the academic, general and employer-oriented exam types, and that they should do their research to make sure the exam is right for them.
