About IELTS
What is the IELTS test?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a test designed to assess the English language proficiency of non-native English speakers. The test measures four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. It is used for various purposes such as immigration, study abroad, and employment opportunities.
What is the test format?
The IELTS test has 4 parts:
Listening Test
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There are 4 parts with a total of 40 questions. The first two parts are related to social topics, while the last two are related to academic topics.
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There are several question types.
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The recording is played over 30 minutes. You have some additional time to transfer answers to the answer sheet (written test only).
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The listening test is the same for the general and academic test.
Reading Test
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There are 3 sections with 40 questions total.
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The test lasts 1 hour.
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The general test often has more than one passage in sections 1 and 2, but they are short.
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The academic test only has 1 long passage in each section.
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The academic test passages cover more academic topics.
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There are several question types, which are the same for both tests.
Speaking Test
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The speaking test has 3 parts.
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The test lasts approximately 14 minutes.
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In part 1 the examiner asks questions about your everyday life, hobbies, work, studies etc. Short answers are expected.
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In part 2, you must speak on your own about a topic for 1 - 2 minutes.
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In part 3, the examiner will ask you follow up questions about the topic in part 2. Longer answers are needed.
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The speaking test is the same for the academic and general training test.
Writing Test
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The writing test has 2 parts.
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The test lasts 1 hour.
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Part 1 is worth one third of the marks, and part 2, two thirds.
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Part 1 is a letter writing task for the general training test (minimum 150 words).
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Part 1 is a chart description task for the academic test (minimum 150 words).
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Part 2 is a formal essay task for both tests (minimum 250 words).
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The questions in part 2 of the academic test tend to be about more academic style subjects but the question types are very similar.
For more detailed information on each part, including the question types for each section, click below:
Where is it used?
The IELTS test was developed by the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment, and IDP Education Australia. Originally designed as a test for international students, today the IELTS test is used by over 10,000 organisations, with universities, employers, and professional bodies using it in more than 140 countries and used for immigration purposes in Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Each organisation or county sets its own IELTS score requirements depending on where you plan to study or work, or the type of visa you are applying for.
How do IELTS scores compare to other tests?
IELTS scores can be compared to other English proficiency grading systems for example, the scores align with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in the following way:
Common European Framework (CEFR)
IELTS band 4.0 - 4.5: CEFR level A2
IELTS band 5.0 - 5.5: CEFR level B1
IELTS band 6.0 - 6.5: CEFR level B2
IELTS band 7.0 - 7.5: CEFR level C1
IELTS band 8.0 - 9.0: CEFR level C2
And with TOEFL:
IELTS band 6.0: TOEFL score 60 - 78
IELTS band 7.0: TOEFL score 94 - 101
IELTS band 8.0: TOEFL score 110 - 114
IELTS band 9.0: TOEFL score 118 - 120
Where can I take the IELTS on computer test?
If you’re taking the IELTS Academic test for higher education you can now take it online in the following countries: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In other countries or if you’re taking the test for visa or immigration purposes you should take the test in an authorised IELTS test centre. There are thousands of test centres in cities around the world. To check where the nearest test centre is in your country and to book a test you can go to: Book a test (ielts.org)