IELTS listening 7.5 vs 8.0 big difference in CRS score!

[snowflake78]

Folks,

Need some input here. I recently took IELTS and my scores are as below: L 7.5, R7.5, W 9.0 and S: 8.5. Overall band is 8.5. When I plug these scores in the CRS tool, I get the score of 370. However, when I increase the score of listening to 8.0 (from 7.5) then CRS score jumps by 50 points to 420! Is this for real or some bug in the system? How can a 0.5 increase could cause such a huge difference? Is this something others experienced here before? Appreciate any advice/inputs.

 

[DelPiero07]

That's because with that .5 you would have CLB 9 in all sections, this is no bug.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/grid-crs.asp#a1
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/language/charts.asp

 

[21Goose]

Take the IELTS again and max it out. This is the easiest way to increase your CRS score, especially if you're reasonably fluent in English. Your writing and speaking scores are pretty good, you probably just need to concentrate a wee bit more in the listening and reading sections and you'll be done.

Aim for a CLB 10. You're really close.

 

[snowflake78]

Thanks! Yes, I think I need to concentrate more during listening. I had trouble during the conversation part...where those two bastards where going back and forth on the options and I couldn't catch the answers on time. It was bit hard for me to focus on the answers and also listen for questions.

Any tips on how to do better here? What are good sources for practice tests? Is it hard to crack 8.0 on listening? I hope to sustain my performance in other sections. I am not a native speaker, but living in the united states for the last 15 years.

 

[Maverick28]

Thanks! Yes, I think I need to concentrate more during listening. I had trouble during the conversation part...where those two *censored word* where going back and forth on the options and I couldn't catch the answers on time. It was bit hard for me to focus on the answers and also listen for questions.

Any tips on how to do better here? What are good sources for practice tests? Is it hard to crack 8.0 on listening? I hope to sustain my performance in other sections. I am not a native speaker, but living in the united states for the last 15 years.

Use this to get help with practice tests:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/ielts-international-english-language-testing-system-b53.0/

Its not that hard to score 8.0 in Listening. You just need to practice the tests more. Spend some time to know the types of questions and how you should approach to answering them while Listening to the audio.

My tip for listening:
During the test, when you get some time to read the questions, read them and underline some important keywords associated with those questions. When you hear those keywords, you will know that you can expect to hear the answers next. Also,you can use the time during which the instructions are being played to read the questions. And also use shorthand to write the answers on the question paper while listening. In this way, you will not get distracted.

 

[21Goose]

Getting a 9 in the reading should be easy for you. Just do a bunch of practice tests online. You could also try doing a few reading comprehension tests from the GMAT/GRE, those are typically more difficult and therefore will make the IELTS seem easy.

For listening, try practicing active listening. There are many Youtube videos that tell you what to do. A good way to practice is to listen to the news on the radio (NPR is the best for this) for 10 minutes, and then try and write a summary of what you heard. Doesn't need to be detailed, bullet points will do. If you do this for a week, you'll find yourself picking out the essentials and discarding the chaff. You'll know which words and phrases to focus on. It's best to listen to a conversation (the interviews in All Things Considered and Morning Edition are good examples), as this is a close parallel to what you hear in the IELTS

You're already at a high level, a couple of weeks of this and you'll easily max it.

 

[snowflake78]

Thanks. My reading was actually 8.5 (it was a typo on my original post). I fell short in listening by 0.5. Thanks for the tips. It is a bummer that I need to take the whole test again. The answer to this question is probably no, but if I submit multiple tests do they take highest score for each section across all tests or highest score from a test across all tests? I.e. If my Writing or speaking scores fall a bit in the next test and listening goes up, can I mix and match sections from tests ?

 

[DelPiero07]

Thanks. My reading was actually 8.5 (it was a typo on my original post). I fell short in listening by 0.5. Thanks for the tips. It is a bummer that I need to take the whole test again. The answer to this question is probably no, but if I submit multiple tests do they take highest score for each section across all tests or highest score from a test across all tests? I.e. If my Writing or speaking scores fall a bit in the next test and listening goes up, can I mix and match sections from tests ?

No you cannot mix and match.

 

[snowflake78]

When I recall the test this is where I stumbled I think. For questions with multiple options, I was reading through the options to pick the correct one...and then I missed parts of the conversation to answer the next question. I fell bit behind and couldn't recover for one section.

I know I need to practice but, one is essentially doing bit multitasking here trying to read long questions and options and figuring out which is the correct answer. Just wanted to see how IELTS champs here handled this. Thanks for your input and tips.

 

[Vaibhav.goel85]

Do academic reading have different passage as compared to GT.

How is difficulty level in GT as compared to academic reading.

I am asking this because band score is different based on correct answers in Cam 1-11 I am scoring 7 band with 32 correct answers.

 

[DelPiero07]

Do academic reading have different passage as compared to GT.

How is difficulty level in GT as compared to academic reading.

I am asking this because band score is different based on correct answers in Cam 1-11 I am scoring 7 band with 32 correct answers.

GT is easier than academic.

 

[xpressentry]

It's not a bug. Achieving a clb 9 or 10 in all bands is like hitting the CRS jackpot. You need 8 in listening and 7 in he rest. Because of this jackpot, I took the test 5 times. My score jumped from 412 to 472. I entered the pool and 6 days later there was an ITA.

 

[puff123]

Hey guys!
I did the test for the second time, my scores are better this time. Unfortunately when I calculate my CRS, it is lower than the last time!!!
Any idea why this is happening?
My CLB is 8 this time.

 

[xpressentry]

Hey guys!
I did the test for the second time, my scores are better this time. Unfortunately when I calculate my CRS, it is lower than the last time!!!
Any idea why this is happening?
My CLB is 8 this time.

Your scores are lower cos you didn't get a clb 9 and above. Now why you are stuck on clb 8 is a reason best known to you.

 

[puff123]

Your scores are lower cos you didn't get a clb 9 and above. Now why you are stuck on clb 8 is a reason best known to you.

My friend with the same score, same degree, 5 years younger than me is getting 440