About IELTS preparation courses at Horner School of English – What English level is required ?

IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified English language ability. There is no pass or fail. If you are taking the IELTS examination to enter university, you should contact your university to check which band or score will be required for your chosen course. In most cases you will be required to achieve a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or 6.5.

Access to our IELTS preparation courses starts at B1++ . However we recommend that you achieve a B2 Upper Intermediate level before starting an IELTS preparation Course at Horner School of English. With a B2 Upper Intermediate level you can expect to achieve an IELTS test score somewhere between 5.0 and 7.0 depending on your English ability (within the B2 range). If you are unsure of your English level you can try our online grading test which will provide you with immediate feedback about your level.

IELTS Preparation Courses (for international adults), at Horner School of English- Dublin:

1. Standard + IELTS Course  (26 lessons per week) – 20 morning lessons in general language training + 6 afternoon lessons of IELTS examination training.
2. Full-Time IELTS Preparation Courses (20 lessons per week) – This is our full-time morning IELTS class, which runs all year.

If you would like more help with choosing the correct IELTS course for you, just drop us a line using our online contact form.  We are always happy to help and assist !

The four parts of the IELTS test are as follows: Three examination papers are all taken on the same day. READING, WRITING, LISTENING.  The fourth test, SPEAKING test may be arranged for a different test day, usually a few days before the three other papers.

• Listening: 30 minutes
• Reading: 60 minutes
• Writing: 60 minutes
• Speaking: 11–14 minutes

The test total time is: 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The listening section is 40 questions in 30 minutes, while the speaking section is an 11-14-minute interview with a trained IELTS examiner. The academic reading module includes 40 questions on three different texts, which students are given one hour to complete. Academic writing,  presents two separate writing tasks (a description of visually presented information and an essay on a particular subject).

All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests, while the Reading and Writing tests differ depending on whether the test taker is taking the Academic or General Training versions of the test.

Click here to learn more about the IELTS Test format, for the different sections of the IELTS Examination.

Preparing for the IELTS Examination in Dublin – Which IELTS course should you choose ?

At Horner School of English we offer two different IELTS Preparation Courses, both of these courses are available throughout the year and can be commenced on any Monday.

1. Standard Plus IELTS Course  (26 lessons per week) – 20 morning lessons in general language training + 6 afternoon lessons of IELTS examination training. The Standard Plus IELTS Course,  is an intensive English Course with 26 lessons per week. The 20 morning lessons follow the Standard Course format with a strong focus on improving your overall general language proficiency. The morning course includes some examination related skills work. The afternoon lessons on this course focus exclusively on the specialised training for the IELTS Academic Examination, with tips and strategies for success in the examination.

1. Full-Time IELTS Preparation Courses (20 lessons per week) – This is our full-time morning IELTS class, which runs all year round and can be commenced on any Monday. Our full-time IELTS courses provide 20 morning lessons per week. Integrating all four parts of the IELTS exam with a specialist curriculum to develop key language skills for the IELTS Academic Examination. Students study together with a common goal to achieve their target IELTS score.

Whichever of the above courses that you choose, you can rest assured that your lesson plan will focus on a range of exam techniques such as practice tests, analysing past papers, identifying strategies and tips for the successful completion of the exam. Your teacher will give constant feedback on your progress throughout the duration of the course.

• IELTS Examination Courses operate all year round.
• Commence these course every Monday.
• Consistently High Success Rates.
• Exam Techniques and IELTS Study Skills are covered in both courses. 

Our friendly administration team can help you with the application process for the IELTS examination.

The IELTS exam can be taken at a number of convenient locations in Dublin City Centre. Please contact the school for IELTS exam dates and registration details.