All about IELTS exam
IELTS training is more than just an English course.
To be successful in attaining IELTS band requirement it’s surely more than just high-quality English communication skills. IELTS has a typical exam format and it requires techniques to approach these different questions. The online questions and contents are somehow exactly the same as that of paper-based versions for the Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking test modules. We will teach the fundamental skills in tackling the questions by sharing tips, short tricks and the hidden strategies to prepare you for the test and to boost confidence among the students.
Understand the IELTS test format
Test takers who understand the format of IELTS is at an advantage. Make sure you’re familiar with how IELTS testing works.
There are two versions of the test, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Both tests are graded in exactly the same way.
You’ll take the first three parts of the test on the same day, in the following order:
- Listening*
- Reading
- Writing
There are no breaks between these tests.
Your Speaking test will be held either on the same day or 7 days before or after that, depending on local arrangements.
*Remember that in the Listening test, there will be a range of native-speaker accents (North American, Australian, New Zealand and British). All standard varieties of English are accepted during the test.
| IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
| IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and tests are accessible to all test takers, irrespective of their subject focus. | IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and tests reflect both workplace and social situations. |
| Listening* (30 minutes, plus 10 minutes extra to transfer your answer to your answer sheet)
Four recorded monologues and conversations. |
Listening* (30 minutes, plus 10 minutes extra to transfer your answer to your answer sheet)
Four recorded monologues and conversations. |
| Reading (60 minutes)
· Three long reading passages with tasks · Texts range from descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical · Includes non-verbal material such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations · Texts are authentic (e.g. taken from books, journals and newspapers) |
Reading (60 minutes)
· Three reading passages with tasks · Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts · Section 2 includes two short, work-related, factual texts · Section 3 contains one longer text on a topic of general interest · Texts are authentic (e.g. taken from books, journals and newspapers) |
| Writing (60 minutes)
· Writing task of at least 150 words where the test taker must summarise, describe or explain a table, graph, chart or diagram · Short essay task of at least 250 words |
Writing (60 minutes)
· Letter writing task of at least 150 words · Short essay task of at least 250 words |
| Speaking* (11 to 14 minutes)
· Face-to-face interview · Includes short questions, speaking at length about a familiar topic and a structured decision |
Speaking* (11 to 14 minutes)
· Face-to-face interview · Includes short questions, speaking at length about a familiar topic and a structured decision |
| * Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both versions of the test | |
Source: British Council