IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

Hi everyone

I have a question that I'm hoping you can help me with.... DIAC language requirements state the following:

Competent English - IELTS 6 = 0 points
Proficient English - IELTS 7 = 10 points
Superior English - IELTS 8 = 20 points

... but then in more detail it states that to obtain Superior English (a score of at least 8 in each of the four components of the IELTS test is required).

My question is...do I actually need 8 in each of the four components, or would my 'overall band score' of 8 be the same thing? I'm curious as to the point of stating an 'overall band score' otherwise.

This is my test score (and I need to have 'Superior English' to obtain enough points for immigration), so I'd like to clarify if possible.

Listening = 8.0, Reading = 7.0, Writing = 8.5, Speaking = 9.0 OVERALL BAND SCORE = 8.0

Also, does anyone know (or have experience of) if I'm able to sit just the Reading component by itself (if I do need a score of 8.0)?

I really appreciate your help on this.

Mark

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

My understanding is that you need 8 in EACH component, and that you would have to sit the whole thing again to achieve this.

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

Thanks for your reply PrestonJim. I've just been chatting to IELTS and they basically confirmed this. It's very frustrating, but even with IELTS 7 I should still make 65 points, it just provides no room for error....that's my concern.

I was also told by IELTS that usually an institution will want to look at one Test Report Form therefore they would want all of my Superior English marks to appear on one report (eg. all attained on one exam date). The were also doubtful that they would accept let's say a reading mark from one test date and the other 3 marks from another test date.

So I don't want to resit and end up with lower marks in some of the components :) It would be a very expensive and a bit of a vicious circle.

Best of luck with your application.

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

If you can't understand what is meant by "at least 8 in each of the four components" I doubt you really have "superior" English.

Now please pardon my bitching :p :p :p

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

Whether it's said in a purely dumb sarcastic way or not...if you actually bothered to take the time to read and digest my post, rather than respond to make yourself feel important...then, and only then would you see that I already alluded to the fact that it's probably 'x' score in each of the components etc....but was just attempting to 'confirm' based on that fact that the IELTS result document shows an 'overall' score. It's not particularly obvious that the 'overall' score is NOT used to reach the IELTS level 8 as stated as the requirement.

I really try to steer away from this site these days unless I absolutely need to. I had a genuine question which is the entire reason this website exists....and yet again a resonse from a so called 'experienced' member shows how ignorant many long time/high post rate members have become.

I see this time and time again with premium members, and I can't help but feel that if you're so irked about the 'same-same' type questions and lack patience...then maybe move on to something else! Leave the site to those who are genuine and want to help in a friendly and considerate manner. This isn't a forum for computer nerds discussing the next A+++ game...it's a site where people come for a little support and helpful guidance in regards to one of the biggest decsisions they'll probably make.

So if you have nothing to add, then why stalk these boards?

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

Yet again someone getting arsey & trying to tell others to stop posting. It's rudeness like that which has put people off trying to help. Why bother trying to help someone when you just get attitude back? Goodness knows why you think that being a premium member has anything to do with it. Especially as they're not even listed as a premium member. :rolleyes:

Whether their post was sarcastic or not, they had a point. Which is why I avoided this thread to begin with. You'd answered your own question. I don't see how it could be misinterpreted. DIAC aren't trying to trick people. It's fairly clear.

Read the information. If you have difficulty with that, get an agent.

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

OMG which part of :p :p :p didn't you understand?

:p

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

I think it was the tongue sticking out part.

And OP, you answered your own question by putting in it bold. As others have said, it's not a trick. DIAC has very clearly spelled out that you need 8 in each band to score 20 points.

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

+1. It is crystal clear.

OP you might have used more words in your first post, but you did essentially type something along the lines of:

"DIAC website states that I need 4 in each IELTS component ... do I need 4 in each IELTS component?"

You have to expect a little bit of ribbing don't you? :p

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

Stop sticking your tongue out or you'll be accused of being ignorant. ;)

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

IELTS scores are not only used by DIAC. Different organizations/institutions have different standards. Some are concerned about the overall score, and some would consider only a certain min score in each band. This is the reason IELTS result shows both overall and individual component scores.

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

You don't need to be Einstein to know what :p means but here you go!

http://www.cmdrmark.com/einstein-tongue.gif

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

As expected the old brigade come barging in as a pack (Dorothy, BermudaShorts and MrsGreenstar76...whom I actually had a very polite exchange with on a previous thread... so not quite sure why you also felt the need to pipe up here?).

I always find it interesting (and actually fairly amusing) to see how easy it is to get these types of responses when a non-premium member (like myself) questions how this forum is operated. You're all so very quick to defend (in a mostly biased manner)...and I'm sorry but reading some of the responses from so called experts on here often has an air of arrogance about them. I mean come on, it's a forum that's it....no need to feel so important, it's not like you get paid for 'patrolling' these posts is it!

Also, Mrsgreenstar76...thanks for your response, but I still fail to see when I referred to Commonwealth as an 'expert user'....a so called experienced user based on number of posts maybe...but I can clearly see he's not an expert user. So maybe you should try reading information more clearly yourself. Your comment about getting arsy and rude is so hypocritical based against what I was responding too (the lame sarcasm of Commonwealth being irrelevant of course)...it's forum members such as yourself that stop people wanting to ask questions for fear of belittlement and ridicule...because after all you all know best being 'premium members' and all. I've spoken to many who use (or previously used this site) who have issues with the respondent attitudes towards questions. I'm also unsure of why you think I feel that DIAC are trying to 'trick' people....I simply looked for clarification. My OP didn't even hint at 'trickery? I also didn't ask people to 'stop' posting, I simply made a very obvious and blunt point that stalking posts to add silly comments adds very little value...maybe you should take that one on the chin just like you expect me to with your comments hey!

In regards to answering my own question....which part of 'clarification' do you not quite understand? As stated previously many users feel that the purpose of this forum is to help people make decisions more confidently by learning from facts as well as those with experience and good advice. Yes I can read the DIAC site, but come on... does that mean it makes sense in all cases! I've been through immigration to 2 different countries previously...and no matter how much information is provided for the application process....there is always a level of confusion and uncertainty due to wording and inconsistent approaches (not to mention the constant application changes). So hail you all for being so damn clever. Big slap on the back is what you're looking for I guess. Very sad.

Commonwealth....I don't care in what context you write or how many lame tongue emoticions you use....but starting a post with "If you can't understand what is meant by....", I think is safe to say something that can come across as rude and arrogant to most people. So don't try to back yourself up with lame humor after the fact.

Signing off so the 'Premium Members' can respond and feel important once again...

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

For heavens sake. You quoted the website where it said you needed to get the score in all four components of IELTS.

Why does that need clarification?

How can it be more clear than that?

How can anybody on BE say it more clearly than the quote you yourself posted?

Genuinely baffled.

I am not a premium member. I am just a regular member.

:p

Re: IELTS 'overall band score' clarification.
 

For the love of GOD....beacuse nowhere that I could see did it mention the 'OVERALL BAND SCORE'....which is entirely the point of the damn thread...and I'm only human, so yes absolutely I may well have missed something...so .strike me down for not being a perfect member of this forum! I simply reached out for 'clarity' on what the overall band score actually meant, as like I say DIAC can have conflicting information and context meaning at times. Was it really wrong of me to clarify whether I could use the overall band score to reach what DIAC simply refer to as IELTS level 8 (not 4x8...but just '8').

Seriously, give it a rest and recognise when someone asked a simple and fair question....yes I clearly saw that reference to 8 in each of the 4 components...but also very clearly enquired to the relevance of the 'overall band score'.

You're genuinly baffled...really?