IELTS is a short for International English Language Testing System. Owing to its international recognition for both authenticity and reliability, over three million people across the globe take this test every year in two categories, Academic and General.
1. IELTS Academic
Academic test is taken by people who are willing to move to English speaking countries for higher studies or any other training course.
2. IELTS General
General test is taken by people who are planning to work or migrate to English speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK or USA.
Format
Whichsover reason you opt IELTS for, the understanding of the format for both tests is fundamental towards achieving the best possible outcomes.
So let's start breaking the big thing into bits and fragments in order to make it understandable.
IELTS is designed to test your English language competency in four different strands, i.e. Listening, Reading, Writing and Seaking. These four strands can be further clubbed into two units, i.e. Receptive Skills, and Productive Skills.
Listening, reading and writing tests are conducted on the same day at a stretch witihin time frame of 160 minutes. Speaking test, on the other hand, may be be conducted on the same day or within seven days before or after the listening, reading and writing test. Speaking test is the shortest and is conducted within 11 to 14 minutes. Here is the snapshot of time frame (in minutes) for all strands:
Listening: 40 min
Reading: 60 min
Writing: 60 min
Speaking: 11-14 min
Once you have registered with British Council, keep track of the time schedule you have been given for your exam.
Listening
Your IELTS test starts with Listening. You have 40 minutes for this test. There are four sections in this test set in the order of difficulty.Within the fisrt 30 minutes you are required to mark your answers on the Question Booklet simultaneously as you listen to the audio. However, at the end of this listening activity, you are given 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the Question Booklet to your Answer sheets.
Listening test is the same for both General and Academic.
Reading
Reading test is different for General and Academic categories. However, in each cateogry, reading test consists of three sections, and the candidates are required to answer 40 questions in all on the same answer sheet provided to you. No extra time is given to transfer your answers to an extra answer sheet, as provided in the listening test.
For General reading, each of the three sections consists of one or two passages based on which you are required to answer 40 questions. These questions are set in the order of difficulty i.e. from easy to difficult.
For Academic writing, there is one long passage given in each section, based on which you are required to answer 40 questions set in the order of difficulty, i.e. from easy to difficult.
Writing
Writing test is also a little different for General and Academic categories, unlike listening and speaking, which are just the same. However, in each category i.e. Academic or General, writing test consists of two writing tasks (Task 1 and Task 2) to be accomplished within 60 minutes.
For General writing, you will have a letter to write in Task 1. This letter could be formal, semi formal or infromal. You have only 20 minutes for Task 1. You must write at least 150 words in this part of the test.
Task 2 in General writing requires you to write an essay within 40 minutes. The minimum word limit is 250 words. However, there is no upper limit.
For Academic writing, Task 1 consists of a summary question based on an image which could be a chart, graph or a diagram. You will have 20 minutes for this Task and will have to write at least 150 words.
Task 2 in Academic writing is an essay question to be written in 40 minutes, consisting of no less than 250 words. However, there is no upper limit here too.
Speaking
As stated earlier, speaking, just like listening, is same for both Academic and General tests. It is a brief, one on one, inetraction between the candidate and the examiner. The conversation is recorded. This test lasts from 11 to 14 minutes. There are three sections in it.
Section 1 comprises of a brief introduction followed by a short question and answer session.
Section 2 is all about individual speaking. You will be given a topic on which you are required to speak uninterrupted for one or two minutes. However, before speaking, you will have a minute to prepare and arrange your thoughts around the given topic.
Section 3 is all about discussion based on the topic given in section 2.
So, this is all you need to know about the format of IELTS. Wish you a brilliant success in your test.
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