We have already known TOEFL as Test of English as Foreign Language, but now The International English language Testing System is a standard of English as well. Instead of listening, structure and reading comprehension, IELTS devide the test into: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. From zero to nine, the score of IELTS is average of that test sessions. For example, I’ve got 6.0 band (overall) that consist scores of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking: 5.5, 6.0, 6.0, and 6.0 consecutively.

The range between each band is only 0.5, so we never heard IELTS score 5.25. IELTS gave a name for each band 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 as:

1. : Non User
2. : Intermittent User
3. : Extremely Limited User
4. : Limited User
5. : Modest User
6. : Competent User
7. : Good User
8. : Very Good User
9. : Expert User

The band 5.5 is called Nearly Competent User with word “Nearly”. If you want to study abroad, you must take IELTS Academic Test instead of General Test. For the social studies e.g. Law, Language, Nursery, Medical, Farmacy, and so on, you must reach band 7.0 in most universites, but for engineering sometimes band 5.5 is allowed, but becareful, the administrator also see the band for each sesion test. It is save if you got writing and speaking sessions at least 6.0 because some universities, e.g. University of Technology Sydney, gave the requirements IELTS band 5.5 but score for Writing and Speaking no less then 6.0.

After filling a portofolio form of lecturer certification, I feel free now. I took a trip around Yogyakarta, and after buying a lot of book at gramedia Yogyakarta, I try to enhance my writing skill in in English. It is about pencil, the oldest tool for modern writing. You have used it when studying at elementary school.

In nineteen century, the philosophers  David Henry Thoreou developed pencil by his family manufacture. He separate pencil according to hardness and carbon contain in number 2, 3, 4, and so on. But the production stopped when England had found a big graphite resources which is a main component of pencils.

One advantage in using pencil is we can erase if we have an error on our writing. Of course we can use eraser for pen, but it leaves a stain in the paper, and sometime can break the paper. The pencil is appropriate for children who learn writing. It also has no dangerous liquid in ink as a mixture.

Now I always use pencil when taking an IELTS course at PPB UGM Yogyakarta. I do not know why I love pencil now. When I write something using a pencil, I can express my emotion and of course I use it for TOEFL and IELTS exam.