All you need to know about the IELTS test

According to a source on Quora, out of 195 countries in the world, about 50 have English as their native mother tongue (like England) or as their official language (like Nigeria, India, Singapore, etc). In terms of population, around 840 million people speak English on earth. 335 million speak it as their native language while 550 million speak it as their second language. Although these are estimates, still, it is granted that English is an international language. It is most native to an estimated 92% of the United Kingdom's population of 66.4 million people. But the UK is not the country with the highest population of English speakers. Around 314 million Americans speak in English, followed by about 125 million Indians who speak it as their second language.
However, among all those who speak the language, accent, diction, grammar and technical writing can vary sharply. Communication is key to society; hence, if you're wanting to either go to study, work in or migrate to one of the native English-speaking countries and most others where it is used as an official language, they will want to test your level of competence in the use of the language first.

WHAT IS IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is the world’s most popular standardized English language proficiency test for non-native English speakers, used for study, work or migration purposes. The system, established in 1989, is jointly managed and independently organized by The British Council, International Education Specialists (IDP), and Cambridge Assessment English.

In 2017 alone, over 3 million tests were taken in more than 140 countries, up from 2 million tests in 2012, 1.7 million tests in 2011 and 1.4 million tests in 2009. In 2007, IELTS administered more than one million tests in a single 12-month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular English language test for higher education and immigration.

WHERE CAN IELTS TAKE YOU?
Whether its for study, work or migration, here are some of the top destinations in the world where IELTS can take you.

United Kingdom
The world's top destination for world-class education for all, and for work (for medical practitioners, engineers, scientists, etc). IELTS is the only English Language proficiency test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa customers applying from both outside and inside the UK.

Australia 
Well known for the attractions of its large cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, and famous for its natural wonders and wide open spaces, its beaches and deserts, Australia is one of the world's most highly urbanized countries and top destinations for education and work. The Australian economy is dominated by the services sector comprising about 61.1% GDP and employing about 79.2% of the labor force in 2016. If you are into finance, telecoms, real estate, public health, hospitality, pharmacy, etc, IELTS can take you to Australia either for study, work or migration.

Canada
Currently the top immigration destination for most Indians, Chinese, Nigerians and many US citizens, Canada boasts of a very robust and thriving services sector which is home to many engineers, accountants, auditors, legal practitioners, doctors, nurses, IT experts, etc. Also a top destination for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, IELTS is one of the tests acceptable for study, work or immigration visas. According to the monetary policy report issued by the Bank of Canada, inflation in the country is slightly below 2% currently. See the report.

New Zealand
A small island nation home to around 4.5 million people located in the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is famous for its national rugby team, its indigenous Maori culture and its picturesque landscape. Their economy relies heavily on international trade with Australia, the EU, US, China, South Korea and Japan. Their services sector is sizable, but most people are likely to move there for education than for work. In each case however, IELTS is required.

United States of America
Known as the leader of the free world for its many opportunities for boundless self expression and achievement, it is a top destination for many of the world's best Ivy-league universities and others. Also, with a very robust and advanced economy, it makes room for everyone, regardless of the profession. IELTS is also one of the tests acceptable for study, work or migration here.

Others
Find out other countries and organizations worldwide that accept IELTS.

WHAT IS THE IELTS TEST FORMAT?
Basically, the test always comprises of four parts:
Listening - You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.
Reading - The Reading section consists of 40 questions, based on an article provided for you to read, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. The article could be extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, etc.
Writing - You will be required to write two essays on described topics or data.
Speaking - The speaking section is mainly a conversation between you and the IELTS examiner to assess your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.
See more details here.
IELTS results are reported on a 9-band scale; from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). Once issued, the results typically have a 2-year validity period. You should find out from the school, potential employer or visa-issuing office about the required band score you should have in the test and prepare towards that.

WHICH IELTS TEST IS RIGHT FOR ME?
There are two types of the IELTS test: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The IELTS Academic test is for people applying for higher education or professional registration in an English speaking environment. It measures whether your level of English language proficiency is suitable for an academic environment. The IELTS General Training test is for those who are going to English-speaking countries for secondary education, work experience or training programs. It measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. However, the requirements of the respective authority to which you are applying or seeking entry/admission will ultimately determine which of the two types that you should take. See more here.

Furthermore, IELTS can be taken on Paper or Computer. Paper-based IELTS requires test takers to sit at a desk with the question papers and answer sheets for the Reading, Listening and Writing tests in an official IELTS test centre. Test takers will write their answers in either pen or HB-pencils. The Speaking test is carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner. Computer-delivered IELTS requires test takers to sit the Reading, Listening and Writing tests in front of a computer with the questions presented on the screen in an official IELTS test centre. The test takers then submit their answers through the use of a keyboard and a mouse. As is the case in the Paper-based IELTS, the Speaking test is also carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner. See more here.
Also, see sample IELTS test questions here.

HOW CAN I TAKE THE TEST?
If you are in Nigeria, you should take the test through the British Council. For more information regarding when and how you will get your scores after taking the test, as well as mailing charges across the world (for those who need to have it sent to their school, employer or visa office outside Nigeria), please see here for the current information.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR IELTS TEST IN NIGERIA
The process is not difficult. All you need is an active internet service and an international passport. The British Council has 11 official test centre locations across Nigeria where you can take the IELTS test.
1.   Go to the British Council website and select the required test type and see the corresponding fee, then choose a convenient date and location for the test. As of now, the fee for an IELTS Academic or General training test is N75,000. For UKVI, the fee is N97,000.
2.   Once you have identified a convenient date for you, click on "Apply now"and you will be guided on how to complete you online registration.
3.   After completing your online registration form, within the next 5 working days, you have to make the required payment for the test in order to complete your registration. Failure to make payment within this time-frame voids the online registration you have already done. It is often advisable to make payment immediately after your online registration.
4.   The British Council banks with Standard Chartered Bank. To make payment easily, just go to any branch of the Bank and request to make payment for the test. (Be careful to use the correct account number as derived from the format sent to you by the British Council when you completed your online registration). After this, go and submit the blue copy of your payment teller at the office of the British Council in Abuja, Kano, Lagos or Port Harcourt. If you cannot go physically to submit, you can send someone to do that for you, or you can scan the blue copy of the teller and send to them by post.
5.   Following this, the British Council will acknowledge your registration for the test by email.
6.   If you do not want to or cannot go to Standard Chartered Bank to make the payment, you can go to any other bank of your choice and raise a bank draft in favor of the British Council. As in the other case, please follow carefully the instructions on this given when you completed your online registration.

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR IELTS?
In addition to going through these sample questions, I strongly recommend that you watch video tutorials on YouTube. Keep in mind: practice makes perfect. Don't just go through the sample questions; solve them all. Don't just watch the YouTube videos; practice what you learn from them. Practice makes perfect.

I wish you success!!