Here are some effective ways to improve your grammar and sentence structure for the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN):
At CELBANPrep University’s virtual campus we offer more than you can imagine. That is why this 2-minute video is about 3 things you might not know about preparing for CELBAN writing through CPU.
I’ve been reading your “Dear Kim” blog articles less than a year. I’ve contemplating to do my bridging program for RN in [province]. I procrastinated though, due to my fear of not passing the IELTS.
[My city] is such a nice place, it’s growing so fast. Sometimes, I like it. Sometimes, I don’t. I came here to Canada 5 years ago as an LPN from the Philippines. I used to be an RN back home. I am currently working in a busy floor, it’s a combination of Labour and Delivery, Postpartum Unit and Gastrointestinal Surgery. Once in a while we also get the not so very young. I have a permanent resident status and just recently submitted my citizenship application.
I love what I do, I know that I was born to be a nurse. Lately, our LPN scope of practice in Alberta has expanded. There are only 3 things an LPN in our unit can’t do. Be an Obstetrical Nurse, spike a blood bag and be a charge nurse. Other that than, LPNs do everything. However, we get paid less. Less than $20/hour.
I want to be honest with you, I want more. I want to get paid more on how good I am.
Does this make me a less nurse? I hope not.
I have a long history with IELTS. Back in 2007, I started taking up the test in Manila for my New Zealand application. They were requiring a band score of 7 on each modules. I took the test 9 times! You know why? Because my writing was always a band score of 6.5. So, I gave up.
I took the plunged again. I sat for IELTS exam. Even though, at the back of my mind, I should’ve taken CELBAN. My test score was L: 8.5 R: 7.5 W: 6.5 S: 7.5 Overall Band Score: 7.5. I was broken-hearted. I was 0.5 away, again.
I speak English everyday at work. I am well-read. I follow CNN newsfeed on social media and loves watching documentaries. I love travelling. I can speak with confidence and smitten anyone with my charming genuine smile, but I suck on writing.
After checking the CELBAN site that test dates and locations will be posted soon, I decided to seek your help. I promised to work hard. I borrowed all the IELTS materials I could borrow from our public library. But, I have nightmares on writing. So, could you please help me prepare for the test? I need your guidance.
Thank you for your time and I hope to talk to you soon.
As you may have known me, I’m K, from Philippines….I have been following your blog for quite some time now. … I’d like to let you know a bit of myself. I’m a BSN, and currently a registered nurse. I worked in a tertiary hospital here for only 14 months. Since then, I stopped practicing my profession because I’m actually looking for a greener pasture. Otherwise, I wouldn’t flourish knowing that wages here are very, very low and can’t compensate for your wants, needs, and assistance to your very own loved ones. Based on this, maybe you will have an idea that I’m a man with big dreams, and eagerly relentless on pursuing them. =)
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I believe in the saying that, “success starts with IELTS.” However unfortunately, I already took the IELTS twice (April and July this year), but never found the luck especially in my Writing. Taking the exam twice in a row, I always got 6.0 bandscore in my Writing while the rest of the components L, R and S were okay. My writing sucks, isn’t it? I usually practiced my writing part before like 2x a week. But I admit I almost gave up knowing that I’ve had the same mistakes and no matter how hard I tried to improve my writing skills, I fairly didn’t have the chance of getting 7 especially during my practices. In my mind I believe that writing skill takes a talent, which I obviously don’t have. I’d like to think that I didn’t get a score of 7 because of the technicality of the IELTS writing topics and the topics themselves are difficult to be explained explicitly, to the point that I ran out of ideas, or no ideas to be input at all 😦
However, sooner, I will be reviewing and sitting for the CELBAN may be early next year if everything goes well. Right now, I have this ambivalent feeling, again. To be honest, I really don’t have any ideas right now what CELBAN is all about except its meaning, Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. I have with me again this feeling of fear, completely mixed emotions because I don’t know how difficult the CELBAN exam is, or if I can make it with just one take. Although a lot of IENs from the agency where I have applied as student visa for Canada took and passed the exam with just one sit, still I’ve lessened down my expectations to make it….How do I improve IELTS or CELBAN writing? Ielts writing topics are getting more difficult than the ones established few years ago.
Thanks for the welcome message. I’d like to ask if its possible to take celban test and pass first prior to NNAS application. I’m not pretty confident to pass the english test and registering for NNAS is very expensive and it has an expiration. Financial resources is very limited as well. Please advise.
I don’t know where to start my CELBAN Writing report for Task 2. Are you going to give me a topic and send you 250-500 words report? I’m confused. Please send me the step-by-step process because i don’t have any idea, and i’m not expert with the online process of study. Please help me. Thank you
Every once in a while I post a report written by an IEN for CELBAN Writing during the CELBANPrep Writing one-on-one coaching (sold separately). Today I am posting this sample to show you that it is possible to write a complete, detailed and organized report in 20 minutes. This one was posted with only one small error. Here is my comment:
Wow, R! … Perfect! How was the timing? She replied:
Dear Kim
Horaaaaaaaaay, I did it in 20 minutes… I hope that I can do it in a real exam.
Check out the report she wrote! Notice how complete it is. Can you write a report like this, and have it this organized, in 20 minutes or less? ~Kim
First of all, I would like to thank you for the helpful info that you have given others which I have browsed in your sites. I, too, have similar situations and concerns like many IENS here in Canada trying to pursue their nursing profession.
I am from the Philippines. I am registered nurse back home with clinical experience of about 4 years. I arrived here in Calgary last January of this year, together with my family.
Yes, I have recently taken the CLBPT. My scores are as follow: (7)listening, (8) speaking, (8) reading, (7) writing.
I have not taken any english exams before (IELTS/CELBAN). I plan to take CELBAN very soon. I would just like to know if I can take my CELBAN first, then once I successfully have my results, I plan to apply for the NNAS. As with the NNAS, its about a year period that I must complete the process so as to avoid additional fees for extension. And the CELBAN score is part of its requirements.
I am looking forward to any valuable info from you that can assist me in my test taking CELBAN. I am just like the many that you have encountered who are at the starting point in Canada with not so much resources and finances, but with very big dreams to fulfill here in Canada. I love it here for sure!
Dear Kim 