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.
You will take the Listening, Reading and Writing tests all on the same day one after the other, with no breaks
in between them.
Your Speaking test will either be after a break on the same day as the other three tests, or up to seven days
before or after that. This will depend on your test centre.

Understandingtheformatofeachsection

Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking

Listening
30minutes
Youwilllistentofourrecordedtexts,monologuesandconversationsbyarangeofnativespeakers,andwriteyour
answerstoaseriesofquestions.
Theseincludequestionswhichtestyourabilitytounderstandmainideasanddetailedfactualinformation,abilityto
understandtheopinionsandattitudesofspeakers,abilitytounderstandthepurposeofanutteranceandtheabilityto
followthedevelopmentofideas.
Avarietyofvoicesandnativespeakeraccentsareusedandeachsectionisheardonlyonce.
Section1
Aconversationbetweentwopeoplesetinaneverydaysocialcontext.
Section2
Amonologuesetinaneverydaysocialcontexte.g.aspeechaboutlocalfacilities.
Section3
Aconversationbetweenuptofourpeoplesetinaneducationalortrainingcontext,e.g.auniversitytutorandastudent
discussinganassignment.
Section4
Amonologueonanacademicsubjecte.g.auniversitylecture.

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Reading

60minutes
TheReadingcomponentconsistsof40questions.Avarietyofquestiontypesisusedinordertotestawiderangeof
readingskills.Theseincludingreadingforgist,readingformainideas,readingfordetail,skimming,understanding
logicalargument,recognisingwriters'opinions,attitudesandpurpose.
IELTSAcademic
TheAcademicversionincludesthreelongtextswhichrangefromthedescriptiveandfactualtothediscursiveand
analytical.Thetextsareauthenticandaretakenfrombooks,journals,magazinesandnewspapers.Thesehavebeen
selectedforanonspecialistaudiencebutareappropriateforcandidatesenteringuniversitycoursesorseeking
professionalregistration.
IELTSGeneralTraining
TheGeneralTrainingversionrequirescandidatestoreadextractsfrombooks,magazines,newspapers,notices,
advertisements,companyhandbooksandguidelines.Thesearematerialsyouarelikelytoencounteronadailybasisin
anEnglishspeakingenvironment.

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Writing
60minutes
IELTSAcademic
TheWritingcomponentofIELTSAcademicincludestwotasks.Topicsareofgeneralinterestto,andsuitablefor
candidatesenteringundergraduateandpostgraduatestudiesorseekingprofessionalregistration.

Task1
Youwillbepresentedwithagraph,table,chartordiagramandaskedtodescribe,summariseorexplaintheinformation
inyourownwords.Youmaybeaskedtodescribeandexplaindata,describethestagesofaprocess,howsomething
worksordescribeanobjectorevent.
Task2
Youwillbeaskedtowriteanessayinresponsetoapointofview,argumentorproblem.Responsestobothtasksmustbe
inaformalstyle.

IELTSGeneralTraining
TheWritingcomponentofIELTSGeneralTrainingincludestwotaskswhicharebasedontopicsofgeneralinterest.

Task1
Youwillbepresentedwithasituationandaskedtowritealetterrequestinginformation,orexplainingthesituation.The
lettermaybepersonal,semiformalorformalinstyle.

Task2
Youwillbeaskedtowriteanessayinresponsetoapointofview,argumentorproblem.Theessaycanbeslightlymore
personalinstylethantheAcademicWritingTask2essay.

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Speaking
11to14minutes
TheSpeakingcomponentassessesyouruseofspokenEnglish,andtakesbetween11and14minutestocomplete.Every
testisrecorded.TheSpeakingcomponentisdeliveredinsuchawaythatitdoesnotallowcandidatestorehearseset
responsesbeforehand.

Part1
TheExaminerwillaskyougeneralquestionsaboutyourselfandarangeoffamiliartopics,suchashome,family,work,
studiesandinterests.Thispartlastsbetweenfourandfiveminutes.

Part2
Youwillbegivenacardwhichasksyoutotalkaboutaparticulartopic.Youwillhaveoneminutetopreparebefore
speakingforuptotwominutes.Theexaminerwillthenaskoneortwoquestionsonthesametopictofinishthispartof
thetest.

Part3
YouwillbeaskedfurtherquestionsconnectedtothetopicinPart2.Thesequestionswillgiveyoutheopportunityto
discussmoreabstractideasandissue.Thepartofthetestlastsbetweenfourandfiveminutes.