Horrid IELTS interview

[Stuart and Jill]

I wrote my IELTS test yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. I have read a lot of hype regarding the test and although it was long; it wasn't particularly difficult.

So it was with an air of confidence that I approached the British Consul building in Braamfontein where, while waiting for my interviewer I started chatting with Decent, a very nice man who was our examination moderator earlier in the day. Decent seemed very clued up on current news and politics and lamented that South Africa was bleeding; he said he saw hundreds of qualified people come through the doors hopefully on the way out to another country and a new life. He also lamented that the corrupt government officials were 'like animals at feed' [his words] and that somehow their fighting for change entitled them to help themselves to the coffers of tax-payer's money.

The door opened and I was met by a short dark haired lady who ushered me in to a vast cavernous room and to a little desk near the back. The desk itself looked like something out of Law and Order - bare, small and with a tape-recorder on my end- and she informed me that she would be recording the session. She then started reading from a manuscript and firing off a series of questions that she barely gave me time to finish. At one point she gave me a topic, one minute to think about it and I then had to talk on the topic for two minutes non-stop (which of course I couldn't do). Then I was curtly dismissed and the next interviewee summoned.

All in all I believe I have passed the test - my advise for people is don't panic about it - I had done no preparation prior to it. The listening portion is really easy and the reading and writing are also fine. I did the academic version where you had to read between the lines at times but all modules were very straight forward.

That being said, I wish you all luck with the interview - it was, unfortunately in my experience, not a very pleasant 20 minutes.

Edited March 11, 2007 by Stuart and Jill

[celeste]

I wrote my IELTS test yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. I have read a lot of hype regarding the test and although it was long; it wasn't particularly difficult.

So it was with an air of confidence that I approached the British Consul building in Braamfontein where, while waiting for my interviewer I started chatting with Decent, a very nice man who was our examination moderator earlier in the day. Decent seemed very clued up on current news and politics and lamented that South Africa was bleeding; he said he saw hundreds of qualified people come through the doors hopefully on the way out to another country and a new life. He also lamented that the corrupt government officials were 'like animals at feed' [his words] and that somehow their fighting for change entitled them to help themselves to the coffers of tax-payer's money.

The door opened and I was met by a short dark haired lady who ushered me in to a vast cavernous room and to a little desk near the back. The desk itself looked like something out of Law and Order - bare, small and with a tape-recorder on my end- and she informed me that she would be recording the session. She then started reading from a manuscript and firing off a series of questions that she barely gave me time to finish. At one point she gave me a topic, one minute to think about it and I then had to talk on the topic for two minutes non-stop (which of course I couldn't do). Then I was curtly dismissed and the next interviewee summoned.

Hi Guys

Thanks for the feedback. I'm an english speaking journalist but the thought of a test is making my hand shake even now!! Judging from other posts on the site it doesn't seem so bad and I've been told by our immigration agent that in the 20 years they've been around only one person from SA failed it...so apparently it's nothing to worry about. It's crazy isn't it? We're english first language speakers yet we fret something crazy about a little test! Was it only 20 mins long? I thought it was an hour long? Did you have to write a letter an a short essay?

Thanks - all the best with the rest of your application. I'm starting with the process tomorrow. Finally made up our minds.

Cheers

Hi

All in all I believe I have passed the test - my advise for people is don't panic about it - I had done no preparation prior to it. The listening portion is really easy and the reading and writing are also fine. I did the academic version where you had to read between the lines at times but all modules were very straight forward.

That being said, I wish you all luck with the interview - it was, unfortunately in my experience, not a very pleasant 20 minutes.

[Stuart and Jill]

Hi Lyse

There are 2 parts to the test and the may (or may not) be on the same day.

There is a 2 1/2 to 3 hour written test which consists of a listening module, a reading comprehension module and a writing module. The interview is separate and is 20 minutes; it comprises the oral component of the test.

The test itself is really nothing to write home about, especially considering your profession.

Good luck with everything

[Stuart and Jill]

I guess that it's a bit of a sausage factory for the interviewers, so they don't really spend much time on the niceties during the process!

Hi Cindylou,

I'm sure you are right; they must see hundreds of people a month - however I can't help but feel that being polite really costs nothing. I also had the feeling of being back at school with those awful unprepared speeches.

The other thing that annoyed me a little was the fact that she asked these "deep" and thought provoking questions that put you on a back foot; questions like "what qualities do you think make up a good leader?" and then at the end patronisingly tells me "You needn't have agonised about the answers, we aren't interested in the content of what you said".

It did not engender feelings of happiness and goodwill; think the test was fine but this oral .... well we'll see.

[Cindylou]

Hi Stuart and Jill

I also hated the oral component - I thought that I had done really badly, particularly the "talk about the topic for two minutes". I mean, really, what is this, school? Considering I left school over 20 years ago I was not up to speed on the speech thing! However, despite my misgivings, I was marked at 8.5 for the oral and so was my partner (who had similar misgivings after his interview) so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

I guess that it's a bit of a sausage factory for the interviewers, so they don't really spend much time on the niceties during the process!

Cindylou

[MANDYL]

I was also interviewed by a chap with this absolute blank outlook on his face. Spoke very softly (I nearly landed in his lap trying to hear the questions) He did howeve apologise for the questions asked. Said he was given the questions. Still waiting for the results. Oral done on 23/2/ and the writing on the 24th of Feb.

[Stuart and Jill]

I was also interviewed by a chap with this absolute blank outlook on his face. Spoke very softly (I nearly landed in his lap trying to hear the questions) He did howeve apologise for the questions asked. Said he was given the questions. Still waiting for the results. Oral done on 23/2/ and the writing on the 24th of Feb.

LOL, fantastic!

Nope the lady I had was definitely master of the Jedi Death stare - no apologies there.

Hope everything goes well with the results.

Later,

Stuart