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IELTS | Test Takers - Test format

IELTS is available in two test formats:

Academic or General Training. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking modules but different Reading and Writing modules.

Listening, Reading and Writing must be completed in one day. Depending on your test centre, the Speaking test may be offered on

the same day or up to a w eek before or after the other parts.

You have a choice of two versions of IELTS: Academic or General Training:

Everybody takes the same Listening and Speaking components. It is the Reading and Writing components that differ.

The test of four English language skillsListening

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening30 minutes

You w ill listen to four recorded texts, monologues and conversations by a range of native speakers, and w rite your answ ers to a seriesof questions.

These include questions w hich test your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information, ability to understand theopinions and attitudes of speakers, ability to understand the purpose of an utterance and the ablity to follow the development of ideas.

A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used and each section is heard only once.

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Section 1A conversation betw een tw o people set in an everyday social context.

Section 2A monologue set in an everyday social context e.g. a speech about local facilities.

Section 3A conversation betw een up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing anassignment.

Section 4A monologue on an academic subject e.g. a university lecture. Back to top

Reading60 minutes

The Reading component consists of 40 questions. A variety of question types is used in order to test a w ide range of reading skills.These including reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, recognising w riters'opinions, attitudes and purpose.

IELTS AcademicThe Academic version includes three long texts w hich range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The textsare authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and new spapers. These have been selected for a non-specialist audiencebut are appropriate for candidates entering university courses or seeking professional registration.

IELTS General TrainingThe General Training version requires candidates to read extracts from books, magazines, new spapers, notices, advertisements,company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English speaking environment. Back to top

Writing 60 minutes

IELTS AcademicThe Writing component of IELTS Academic includes tw o tasks. Topics are of general interest to, and suitable for candidates enteringundergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration. Task 1You w ill be presented w ith a graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your ow nw ords. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something w orks or describe an objector event.

Task 2You w ill be asked to w rite an essay in response to a point of view , argument or problem. Responses to both tasks must be in a formalstyle. IELTS General TrainingThe Writing component of IELTS General Training includes tw o tasks w hich are based on topics of general interest. Task 1You w ill be presented w ith a situation and asked to w rite a letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter may bepersonal, semi-formal or formal in style. Task 2You w ill be asked to w rite an essay in response to a point of view , argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal instyle than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay. Back to top

Speaking

11 to 14 minutes

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The Speaking component assesses your use of spoken English, and takes betw een 11 and 14 minutes to complete. Every test isrecorded. The Speaking component is delivered in such a w ay that does not allow candidates to rehearse set responses beforehand. Part 1You w ill answ er general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, w ork, studies and interests. Thispart lasts betw een four and f ive minutes. Part 2You w ill be given a card w hich asks you to talk about a particular topic. You w ill have one minute to prepare before speaking for up totw o minutes. The examiner w ill then ask one or tw o qiestions on the same topic to f inish this part of the test. Part 3You w ill be asked further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions w ill give you the opportunity to discuss moreabstract ideas and issue. The part of the test lasts betw een four and f ive minutes.