All You Need to Know About IELTS
Do you want to study at a prestigious institution abroad? Or, are you aiming to work in an English speaking country? If yes, then it's time to buckle up and prepare to prove your English language proficiency. To the point, you need to prepare for IELTS examination to fulfil one of the top requirements to be eligible to study or work in English speaking nations. IELTS scores are measured in bands which range from 0 to 9.
Scoring high bands in IELTS can be a difficult task. It requires much dedication and hard work. This is the reason why most of the IELTS candidates prepare for their examination with the best IELTS coaching in Delhi.
Keeping the importance of the IELTS examination in mind, you must know all about IELTS before going forward with the examination. Therefore, here’s a guide on all you need to know about IELTS.
Who Sponsors IELTS?
The IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System which is accepted and recognized around the world. It is designed by the Cambridge university and sponsored or managed jointly by two organizations i.e. British Council and IDP. The exam assesses language ability in four sections namely: Listening, Writing, Reading and Speaking.
Why Two Formats of IELTS?
A candidate can choose between IELTS Academic and IELTS General based on his/her requirements. The IELTS Academic is ideal for individuals who wish to pursue higher studies in an English-speaking institution abroad. Admission to UG and PG courses is dependent upon the Academic test scores. IELTS Academic scores may also be required by a professional organization.
The IELTS General is basically for work and immigration. Format of the General Training test focuses on basic survival skills in the workplace and broad social contexts. People seeking immigration to Canada, Australia and New Zealand must give a General Training test.
Every organization or institution sets its own criteria for the entry. For certain cases, they can acknowledge both versions of IELTS.
IELTS IELTS Academic vs. General Training
IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training both have the same Speaking and Listening sections. Academic consists of long educational passages and on the other hand, IELTS General has several shorter daily-life and work-related passages with a single long passage. For the Writing section, both General and Academic have a personal opinion essay. However, IELTS General includes a letter-writing assignment as Task 1, whereas IELTS Academic Writing asks candidates to write a description of a chart, table, or another infographic as Task 1. IELTS Academic and General both have a slight difference in its scoring systems.
IELTS Structure: Overview
Below is a brief description of the tasks, questions and time limits for each IELTS section.
Listening (IELTS Academic and IELTS General)
4 audio tracks
10 questions per passage
40 questions total
30 minutes to complete
10 minutes to transfer questions to the answer sheet
IELTS Academic Reading
3 Subsections
3 passages
12-14 questions per passage
40 questions total
60-minute time limit
IELTS General Reading
3 subsections
5 passages
12-14 questions per subsection
40 questions total
60-minute time limit
Writing (IELTS Academic and IELTS General)
Two writing tasks
Academic and GT have different Task 1s
Task 2 is the same for both types of test
60-minute time in total
Self-paced
Speaking (IELTS Academic and IELTS General)
Formatted as an interview
3 parts
Parts 1 and 3, no fixed amount of questions
Part 2 is a short speech given by the test-taker
No strict time limit
Lasts 11-14 minutes
Administered separately
Why You Must Join the Best IELTS Coaching
You should join the Best IELTS coaching to get an accurate assessment of IELTS tasks. IELTS classes come with a cost that is affordable and helpful in avoiding the cost and pain of retaking the IELTS examination. We also provide a short term course if you want to know. You can contact us.