Pollyana

Echo that, you only have to read posts on here from native English speakers to realise its not a walk in the park. We don't grow up learning "correct" exam-standard English, we use it as a living colloquial language, and that isn't necessarily the way to pass an exam in it.

Pollyana

Threads merged to save people having to repeat the answers

msabiransari

Who is saying english as a native language will get you good score in IELTS? Please read through all the pervious posts and get the context of the topic.

For a non-english speaker, in order to pass IELTS s/he needs to learn English first and then learn the tricks and techniques and get used to the pattern of the exam (Most of the graduates dont even need to lean english if they have studied curriculum in english. But they still face hard time in listening and speaking sections because of un-availibility of the environment)

For a native english speaker, in order to pass IELTS s/he does not need to learn English but the tricks and techniques and need to get used to the pattern of the exam.

This is same as a PhD Computer Science cannot score good in GRE Computer Science exam until he really prepares for it and on the other hand, an under-graduate of Computer Science can get an excellent score after preparation.

IELTS is really not a walk in the park. You have to prepare for it first. Many native speakers try to attempt without preparation and after getting low scores they think the level of the English in exam was difficult to understand. But the reality is, English in the IELTS is very easy its just the way the exam is being conducted.

I can tell you if you increase IELTS exam time from 3 hrs to 7 hrs and allow listening section to be repeatable then every native speaker will score 8+.

mrsgreenstar76

You did in a previous post:

I would argue that isn't necessarily the case. Correct use of the English language has deteriorated significantly - even in the UK. Even if they extended the length of the exam, they would still need to have a fairly decent skill in English language comprehension. Not every native speaker would do even remotely well in it, let alone score 8+.

msabiransari

Oh my God. Initially moneypenny quoted me partially and now you did it. I am sure you know that if you remove a sentence from a paragraph it may give you opposite meaning. My statement is not complete and correct until you read till end of the paragraph.

We are discussing here IELTS General exam not Academic, which does not have a difficult level of "Comprehension". It is very easy and does not expect you to write the way professional writers write.

IELTS also has Listening, Reading and Speaking sections. A native english speaker listens english all the day comapred to a non-native english speaker who listens in english only when he is in the school or in front of the television when there is an english program coming.
A native english speaker talks in english for all of his life compared to a non-native person who get chance only in the school during the class where he barely asks a single question.
A native speaker reads english everywhere in the news, flyers, advertisements, bulletin boards, books etc. while a non-native speaker reads english only in the text books (which does not have social material) or english newspaper if it is available in his area.

You have no idea how a non-native speaker struggles to learn english. For people who study their curriculum in English are better in reading and writing but in listening and speaking they always struggle.

English speakers certainly have much higher level of competence then it is required in IELTS.

mrsgreenstar76

It is not necessary to quote in entirety, and if I had left in the other parts of your paragraph it would not have altered your meaning. I will quote the parts that I wish to, and that are relevant.

English comprehension is appropriate for more than just academics and professional writers. Native English speakers may listen, speak and use English all day, every day, but it doesn't follow that they know how to use it correctly. As Moneypenny and Pollyana have pointed out, native English speakers grow up using colloquial English. It doesn't mean that they are any good at using or comprehending English correctly. I appreciate that learning English as a second language must be incredibly hard, but it doesn't mean that a native English speaker will do well at IELTS. That's just an assumption.

msabiransari

I am surprised. What about following statement in your post?

Hope you understand it now.

Your argument about comprehension and level of english competence in IELTS compared to native english speaker would be valid if IELTS has questions from english literature and excerpts from shakespere(sorry about spelling) work. Fortunately IELTS deals with daily life stuff e.g. newspapers, advertisements and topics from everyday english usage. They want to judge if a person can live and work in an english speaking country without problems or not. I did not see any paragraph/scenario/conversation given in the IELTS to be out of that daily life or from literature.

What do you do when you dont get enough score in IELTS? Do you read English Text Books? or IELTS preparation books?

mrsgreenstar76

Your poor selection of quotes doesn't really deal with the fact that your previous paragraph would have been exactly the same if quoted in entirety. English comprehension isn't just about reading literature. Your own point about conversations and newspapers is covered by comprehension. i.e. Can you comprehend the meaning of paragraph x, or conversation y.

msabiransari

It is not necessary to quote in entirety, and if I had left in the other parts of your paragraph it would not have altered your meaning. I will quote the parts that I wish to, and that are relevant.

No offense please.

mrsgreenstar76

All you are doing is proving the point that comprehension is also an essential part of everyday English - not just academic. Another way to look at it is, how would you interpret this:

From my perspective, you are saying that performing well on the IELTS is easy for someone that is a native English speaker. How do you think it should be interpreted?

msabiransari

It should be interpreted as,

You are native english speaker and you dont need to worry about your language skills but need to prepare for IELTS. What is this preparation then?
It is to learn, What are the sections? How they ask questions? What are the question types? What you need to do before section starts? What are the tips to pull the answer from an exceprt? What need to be noted down during listening and what is the best way to do it? and .............. So many books on this in the market.

mrsgreenstar76

Let me give you an example of the opposite being true. When I started my degree as a mature student, I was sat in an introductory lecture with a bunch of 18-19 year olds (of which probably 95% spoke English as a first language). It was necessary for the senior tutor to instruct them in the basics of writing e-mails in a professional capacity (it being a professional course). As she had seen over the years, a number of students writing e-mails to lecturers - highly respected professionals in their fields - in text language. Starting off with 'hi' and writing 'lyk dis cos wot is wrong wiv dat?' That is no word of a lie. Intelligent young people, native English speakers with no clue about correct construction of English. She also pointed out how many of the students had significant difficulties understanding correctly written e-mails. They struggled with comprehension.

There is no doubt that learning English as a second language would be remarkably hard, and the IELTS must be atrocious from that background, but don't assume that native English speakers will find it a walk in the park, because a lot of them won't.

mrsgreenstar76

So, native English speakers (which doesn't equate to being English necessarily, by the way) shouldn't worry about their basic English skills? Knowing what to pull from the excerpts - that would involve comprehension.

I would interpret it as a sweeping statement that any native English speaker will find the IELTS easy. Yet, after that you say:

They appear to be completely opposing points.

msabiransari

Yes, I agree, thats why I started using "native-english speakers" rather "English".

Right that would involve comprehension but its very basic level and it is more of learning the tricks then comprehension.

native English speaker will find the IELTS easy. but there is a string attached to this if you read on. If you dont read after this sentence you will get opposite meaning.

By the way have you ever appeared in the IELTS exam? If yes then what did you score?

msabiransari

Thats very interesting. I have never worked in England I dont know if professionals use 'lyk dis cos wot is wrong wiv dat?' kind of language in conversation. In States, it is very bad here to use this type of language in emails and correspondance. I have never seen such examples in my 5.5 years here in USA. I have worked for 6 different companies here so its not one company experience.