Got my ielts results...

[Guest Shmaggle]

...9 in everything except writing, only 7.5 for that! Which means overall 8.5 apparently. However that 7.5 means I am just 'proficient' in English and not an expert, so fewer visa points I think. Off to read the DIAC site again...!

 

How I managed to get two degrees without being able to write very well I will never know!

[Guest maxLIFE]

Hey my wife had the same. She did Academic (because I registered her in the wrong test!) then a General. She found the writing easier in Academic but I guess it all depends on the day. Some tests just are harder, it's your luck.

 

Hope you have enough points. Do you now it's been reduced to 60 now? Was a fab surprise for us or my wife would end up doing a 3rd IELTS!

 

maxLIFE

[Guest Shmaggle]

Hi max ice, yes, just been having a browse! I did the academic, had a horrible writing question about whether money is the greatest motivation for people in doing a job! My husband had a much nicer question, he got 8.5 for his. Oh well. Glad your wife didn't end up doing 3!

[Guest Chris_J]

Can you ask for it to be re-marked?

[Guest Shmaggle]

I hadn't thought of that, my friend is an ielts examiner, I am going go text her right now and ask that question! Thanks

[Guest Shmaggle]

TO text her. Oh dear, maybe my English actually is very poor

[Guest jplaysguitar]

...9 in everything except writing, only 7.5 for that! Which means overall 8.5 apparently. However that 7.5 means I am just 'proficient' in English and not an expert, so fewer visa points I think. Off to read the DIAC site again...!

 

How I managed to get two degrees without being able to write very well I will never know!

 

This is why you didn't get a higher score:

9 in everything except writing, (that comma should be a semi-colon) only 7.5 for that! (you shouldn't start a sentence with which; this should be a subordinate clause of the last sentence) Which means overall 8.5 apparently. However (a comma or semicolon would normally follow "however", in this context) that 7.5 means I am just 'proficient' in English and not an expert, so fewer visa points I think. Off to read the DIAC site again...!

 

How I managed to get two degrees without being able to write very well I will never know!

 

Amazingly, I have no degree, just a couple of English A levels and a rain-man memory! Seriously; I'm not knocking you, I'm just saying that it's an awkward language, full of contradictory rules and that your command of it is not directly proportional to your academic capabilities. Some of the cleverest people I know are really poor at English. I'm just really lucky to have had a decent English teacher and a good memory. Try reading "Eats Shoots and Leaves" - it's really helped some of my "mega clever but a bit bobbins with grammar" friends.

[Guest Helchops]

This is why you didn't get a higher score:

9 in everything except writing, (that comma should be a semi-colon) only 7.5 for that! (you shouldn't start a sentence with which; this should be a subordinate clause of the last sentence) Which means overall 8.5 apparently. However (a comma or semicolon would normally follow "however", in this context) that 7.5 means I am just 'proficient' in English and not an expert, so fewer visa points I think. Off to read the DIAC site again...!

 

How I managed to get two degrees without being able to write very well I will never know!

 

Amazingly, I have no degree, just a couple of English A levels and a rain-man memory! Seriously; I'm not knocking you, I'm just saying that it's an awkward language, full of contradictory rules and that your command of it is not directly proportional to your academic capabilities. Some of the cleverest people I know are really poor at English. I'm just really lucky to have had a decent English teacher and a good memory. Try reading "Eats Shoots and Leaves" - it's really helped some of my "mega clever but a bit bobbins with grammar" friends.

 

 

That post is so condescending its not even funny. This is a colloquial forum; not a place to dissect the linguistic skills of members.

Edited July 21, 2012 by snifter

[Guest jplaysguitar]

That post is so condescending its not even funny. This is a colloquial forum; not a place to dissect the linguistic skills of members.

 

Condescending, really? My whole point was that command of the English language is not a reflection of one's intelligence, in contrast to gaining two degrees. I was highlighting that I don't have one degree, never mind two, and that because English is a highly irregular language, its been my memory, not my intelligence, which has helped me remember the often conflicting grammatical rule of the language. The original comment seemed to reflect a loss of confidence in the poster's intelligence. I was merely reassuring that not being a master of spelling and grammar doesn't equal stupidity. That's condescending how? Like I said, cleverer people than me have a worse command of English but the test is about being good at English. What a horrible person I was to recommend a book that would help someone remember the contradictory rules which apply to the use of our language!

[Lazy Cow]

The original comment seemed to reflect a loss of confidence in the poster's intelligence. I was merely reassuring that not being a master of spelling and grammar doesn't equal stupidity. That's condescending how?

 

I think Shmaggle's post was more from frustration and, possibly, in the hope someone might have had a similar experience or, like Chris J., offer a brilliant suggestion rather than any loss of confidence in her abilities. In addition, I think might have been seen as rather patronising and unnecessary to disect the post line by line.

 

I have to agree with Helchops, people should be able to post without worrying whether they have used paragraphs, grammar or puntuation appropriately. As long as we can comprehend what the poster is trying to say, I think that should be enough. If we don't understand we can always ask .

 

I am sure your intentions were good-hearted. Words can be open to individual interpretation which can be really funny - for example, the way kids snicker if the teacher says,"rubber" when they mean,"eraser" - or sad, if as I suspect is in this case, they are not taken the way the author intended.

 

BTW, I loved 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' but didn't enjoy her other books as much (although I have only read four others so perhaps I was just unlucky with my choices?) Have you read any of them and, if so, any recommendations?

 

LC

Edited July 22, 2012 by Lazy Cow
Forgot the comma in the book title! Well...it was really late/early in the morning!

[Guest Guest75]

I think Shmaggle's post was more from frustration and, possibly, in the hope someone might have had a similar experience or, like Chris J., offer a brilliant suggestion rather than any loss of confidence in her abilities. In addition, I think might have been seen as rather patronising and unnecessary to disect the post line by line.

 

I have to agree with Helchops, people should be able to post without worrying whether they have used paragraphs, grammar or puntuation appropriately. As long as we can comprehend what the poster is trying to say, I think that should be enough. If we don't understand we can always ask .

 

I am sure your intentions were good-hearted. Words can be open to individual interpretation which can be really funny - for example, the way kids snicker if the teacher says,"rubber" when they mean,"eraser" - or sad, if as I suspect is in this case, they are not taken the way the author intended.

 

BTW, I loved 'Eats Shoots and Leaves' but didn't enjoy her other books as much (although I have only read four others so perhaps I was just unlucky with my choices?) Have you read any of them and, if so, any recommendations?

 

LC

 

I was going to be condescending twith you LC but you do such a great job on your own.

 

Reckon I'd not pass the IELTS with my direct approach and broad Yorks accent!!

 

Shame on that 7.5 Shmaggle but it don't make you less of a person.

 

No doubt a pedantic grammar fairy will have a go but I got my point across!!!

[Lazy Cow]

I was going to be condescending twith you LC but you do such a great job on your own.

 

Reckon I'd not pass the IELTS with my direct approach and broad Yorks accent!!

 

Shame on that 7.5 Shmaggle but it don't make you less of a person.

 

No doubt a pedantic grammar fairy will have a go but I got my point across!!!

 

1. Did my post seem condescending? Really wasn't meant to be!

 

2. You could always try the IELTS for English as a Foreign Language. (if there is one! I think the IELTS was introduced after we left the UK)

 

3. ?!?

 

4. How do you know you got the point across? You'd have to check our individual understanding - I mean, look at the way you apparently misunderstood mine?

 

LC xx

[Guest Guest75]

1. Did my post seem condescending? Really wasn't meant to be!

 

2. You could always try the IELTS for English as a Foreign Language. (if there is one! I think the IELTS was introduced after we left the UK)

 

3. ?!?

 

4. How do you know you got the point across? You'd have to check our individual understanding - I mean, look at the way you apparently misunderstood mine?

 

LC xx

 

Suppose I could always reduce down to sign language......................

[Guest Helchops]

Suppose I could always reduce down to sign language......................

 

Apparently I just point and grunt most of the time nowadays! I'm guessing the speaking examiner wouldn't like that - it's probably for the best that my partner handled that side of the migration!!

[Guest Chris_J]

I thought most of Cannock only point and grunt I'm only jesting as I'm from Rugeley.

 

When do you go to Aus, Helchops?

[Guest Chris_J]

Anyhow, Shmaggle did your friend reply to you?

[Guest Helchops]

We're flying in 3 days!!!

 

Crazy. I'm currently realising the truth behind the statement you can't choose your in laws!!!

[Guest Chris_J]

Are they constantly there or just giving you a hard time?

 

What's the difference between in-laws and outlaws? Outlaws are wanted

[Guest TheBirdsIOM]

Hi, I know exactly whre you are coming from, so near but yet so far and all that, my husband has sat his IELTS twice now the last one in April, he got 9 on his speaking, 9 on his listening, 8.5 on his reading and then 7.5 for the writing! he needed 8's to be able to apply for the State Sponsored Visa (65 points). We decided to send it back for remark but it came back after 10 weeks with the decision "remains the same"! Enrolled him on the next available test last Monday which is in Liverpool on 1st September so another 6 weeks wait, found out 2 days later that there was a regional visa which he is ony required to have 60 points for so we can apply for this visa on the marks he already has if he doesn't make his 8's next time round which takes the pressure off. All I can say is I feel really sorry for all you guys that have to sit these tests some of the topics you have to write on are unbelievably hard and in all honesty i wouldn't know where to start with on some of them so hats off to all of you :0)

 

We are looking to move to Adelaide and are now starting to do some research on schools etc as we can start the visa application process however I have just read a article on 100 things you should know about Oz and 99 of them seemed to be about bugs and creatures getting in to and jumping out of various places, I am not good with bugs and creatures, please tell me its not that bad lol :0)

[wrussell]

This is why you didn't get a higher score:

9 in everything except writing, (that comma should be a semi-colon) only 7.5 for that! (you shouldn't start a sentence with which; this should be a subordinate clause of the last sentence) Which means overall 8.5 apparently. However (a comma or semicolon would normally follow "however", in this context) that 7.5 means I am just 'proficient' in English and not an expert, so fewer visa points I think. Off to read the DIAC site again...!

 

How I managed to get two degrees without being able to write very well I will never know!

 

Amazingly, I have no degree, just a couple of English A levels and a rain-man memory! Seriously; I'm not knocking you, I'm just saying that it's an awkward language, full of contradictory rules and that your command of it is not directly proportional to your academic capabilities. Some of the cleverest people I know are really poor at English. I'm just really lucky to have had a decent English teacher and a good memory. Try reading "Eats Shoots and Leaves" - it's really helped some of my "mega clever but a bit bobbins with grammar" friends.

 

A WOMBAT eats roots and leaves, in that order.

 

From Wikipedia

[h=4]Preposition at the end of a clause[/h] That an English clause should not end with a preposition – that a preposition should not be "stranded" – was a "rule" long propounded by prescriptivist grammarians. It was routinely shown up as a fiction not only in conversation but also in literature; it appears to have been invented in 1672 by John Dryden and uncritically repeated thereafter.^[6]

Winston Churchill is often attributed with some variant of the phrase, "this is the kind of tedious nonsense up with which I will not put", in response to a hypercorrective memo. However, it is likely apocryphal, as The Churchill Centre describes the attribution as "an invented phrase put in Churchill's mouth."^[7][8] The remark is a parody: the writer went beyond grammatical correctness to mock the refusal to end a clause in a preposition; he treated not only with but also up as a preposition, an analysis accepted by linguists in the 21st century but not accepted in the 1940s.^[9] Both up and with would at that time have been considered part of the "phrasal verb" put up with; whether they are adverbs/particles or prepositions, their placement before the verb "does not demonstrate the absurdity of using [prepositional phrase] fronting instead of stranding; it merely illustrates the ungrammaticality resulting from fronting something that is not a constituent."^[6][9

 

 

 

[h=4][/h]