IELTS or PTE?

I keep on hearing this so many times when I talk to candidates aspiring to settle abroad. PTE is supposed to be easier than IELTS or so they have been told. It is easy to get dates. You don't have to book a month in advance as in IELTS. You don't have to go for the Speaking module on a separate day as it happens in IELTS. And to top it all, the PTE results will be available to you within 5 days of taking the test.  

And all those observations are true. There are many conveniences associated with PTE, primarily because it is the latest entrant in English Language Testing unlike IELTS which has been around for a while. 

But, PTE is not like IELTS at all and it tests the candidates in a completely different way. Sure, there are the same 4 modules – Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. However, that’s where the similarities end. And no, it is not easier than IELTS either. It is simply a different kind of test following a different format. And as we know, "different, different hota hai"

IELTS & PTE - in a very real sense - are as "different" from each other as chalk is from cheese. And your choice will be influenced by the answers you get to the following questions:

1.    Are you tech-savvy? Are you comfortable wearing a headset mic and pressing buttons etc?

2.    Do you find it easy to react instantly? To respond at the press of a button or upon hearing a “beep”?

3.    Do you think you have it in you to continue to speak under any circumstances without stopping for more than 3 seconds to gather your thoughts?

If you answer “yes” to the above questions, then don’t wait anymore, plump for PTE. If speaking extempore is not your strong point, then a paper-based test like IELTS may be a better option.

Choose after carefully considering the above questions. And be brutally honest. The sincerity with which you make this self-assessment could indeed be the difference between success and failure in your chosen test.

IELTS	PTE
·         Paper-based	·         Computer-based
·         General Reading paper not so difficult, language & topic-wise	·         The language and the difficulty level of the Reading module is that of IELTS Academic level
·         Reading - No negative marking	·         Reading -  Negative marking in 1 type of question (Multiple choice multiple answers)
·         No partial credits given for partially- correct answers in any module	·         Partial-credits given for some types of questions
·         Time is not such a problem here	·         Time is a big constraint here – it all happens very fast in this test
·         Listening is also comparatively easier	·         Listening has two types of questions which carry negative marking
·         Writing is a lot more difficult – content, structure, vocabulary etc. are marked very strictly	·         Writing is relatively easy – the main issue is that you need to be fast while typing on a desktop keyboard
·         Speaking is easier here by comparison. Human intervention opens doors to influence the assessor with the sheer force of your personality.	·         Speaking is somewhat more difficult. Here a machine evaluates you. You have to think on your feet and make sentences as you go along. Time given to prepare your response is very short indeed

Now sit back, relax and...Happy choosing! 

Post credits: Samit Sengupta
Founder, English Academy
  

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Written business communication classes in Dwarka, highlight the value of conveying message through writing

Developing writing and reading skills is important, but improving the grammar use for academic success helps pursuing further academic studies in foreign countries. Referring to communications skills, the foremost is to concentrate on fluency. Verbal communication or written communication, in both the main purpose is to convey the message. This reveals that a good communication skill means the message should be clear and precise, leaving no room to be unambiguous.
Dwarka, in Delhi, now is giving more importance to English communication. Speaking or communicating in writing without grammar makes no sense. Realizing the importance of grammar, now there are English grammar classes in Dwarka.  These classes are helpful in adding impact to communication. However, modulating voice is helpful. With verbal communication, the low and high pitch should be maintained and there must be required delays between words. There is no need to whisper or shout, but being audible is essential. Your face gestures and expressions must be in accordance to your verbal communication.
Improving communication skills includes having sound language knowledge and grammatical knowledge. Both are important. Especially written business communication classes in Dwarka, are of more significance as they teach you to right properly. In fact, grammatical errors with verbal communication may be tolerated at times as your gestures or voice modulation informs that you wish to convey, but grammatical errors in the written communication may convey wrong.
Knowing grammar well implies you can automatically communicate with fluency. Hesitation is one reason that hinders fluency. So, without any hesitation you may communicate. In case, you make mistakes, analyze or ask a good friend to help you. Remove the faults and soon you will notice you are speaking fluently. English grammar classes in Dwarka teach good communication skills and it means they help you in delivering grammatically right sentences through modulated voice.
The written business communication classes in Dwarka also have a great significance and this is because nowadays most of the communication is electronically delivered or types, yet you must take precise care of the font size, font face and its presentable feature so that it is readable. Focus on the font style and color as they are expressing your communication.

Written communication demands a lot of effort. It requires a long practice and patience. Written communication refers to a creative activity requiring effort and imagination, it is based on conscious effort. There should be a logical order in presenting any business communication. Planning the message is essential so that it is put into reaction, but bear in mind, that written business communication is time consuming and learning it is beneficial.

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Tackling the Monster Called Exams

It is that time of the year again! The Summative Assessment and the Term exams are round the corner, giving many students sleepless nights. How to tackle the papers without messing them up? How to maximize the score in a competitive environment where every half-point matters? Is there any sure-shot way to ensure that you stand a very good chance to score well?
Yes. It is not only simple but it has been practiced regularly in the old days too. Here they are as under. Hope you take back something from them. All the best in your exams!

1. Have you divided your 3 hours properly?
 a. 10 minutes for your revision
 b. 5 minutes “buffer time” – changing pen, tying sheets or (god forbid) rewriting a chunk that you have scratched out unthinkingly
 c.  You have 165 minutes for the paper (not 180). This time is to be divided among the various sections of the paper

2. Put your best foot forward – always begin with the section that you are most thoroughly prepared with. And within each section, the order in which the questions are to be answered must again pass the test of “best foot forward”. Use the 15-minute reading time to determine how you wish to attack the present paper.
It doesn’t matter which section you start with. But you must start with that which you know the best. You HAVE to make the most favourable impression the first time. Often it can make or mar a paper. Teachers, after all, are human beings. And therefore a good initial impression quite often makes them overlook or be lenient towards your few errors at a later stage.

3. Be realistic - no one is interested in your answer as much as you are. Your paper will not receive more than 10-minutes’ attention from the examiner.  Your response needs to be razor-sharp and focused. The answer to the question should be clearly mentioned in the first line or so of your response. The example/s from the text should follow immediately to support your statement/reasoning. Any extra point that you may wish to add in order to differentiate your answer from your peers must be at the very end.

4. Write to the point – be relevant at all times. Read the questions carefully and answer only what is asked. Write only as much as the marks allotted for the question justify. The same question may carry either 1 mark or 5 marks. The length of your answers will vary. You will elaborate more in the 5-mark question. The 1-mark question does not justify an elaborate explanation  

5. The Ideal Writing Style
 a. Simple yet graceful
 b. Flowing without being showy and drawing attention to itself
 c. Good, appropriate English
 d. Short, simple sentences without too many connectors
 e. Avoidance of repetitions – of words, phrases, ideas or even of sounds.

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