What is IELTS?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration. IELTS is designed to help you work, study or migrate to a country where English is the native language. More than three million tests taken only last year. Governments in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom use IELTS to process immigration applications.
Your ability to listen, read, write and speak in English will be assessed during the test. IELTS is graded on a scale of 1-9. You can choose to take your IELTS test either on paper or computer, depending on your convenience. There is no difference in the content, format or level of difficulty between the two options. Remember, you will have to carefully choose which module you wish to take – IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training, depending on the purpose of your taking the test.
IELTS Test Formats
IELTS Listening Test
(30 minutes)
You will have to listen to four recordings and then answer the questions asked. The recordings are of native English speakers and the duration of the test is 30 minutes.
IELTS Reading Test
(60 minutes)
The IELTS Reading test requires you to answer 40 questions and is designed to test you on an array of reading skills. You would have to read for gist, main ideas, details, logical arguments, skimming, and figuring out the writers’ attitudes, opinions and intentions.
IELTS Writing Test
(60 minutes)
The IELTS writing test requires you to complete two tasks and covers topics of general interest based on the module you are taking.
IELTS Speaking Test
(11-14 minutes)
The IELTS Speaking test assesses your spoken English skills. The test is recorded and conducted in three parts.
Choosing the right IELTS test for you?
There are two IELTS tests available – IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training. The test you choose should be based on what it is you want to do. However, to study in the UK, you’ll have to take the IELTS test approved for UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI).
IELTS Academic – measures whether your level of English language proficiency is suitable for an academic environment. It reflects aspects of academic language and evaluates whether you’re ready to begin training or studying. So, If you plan to study in higher education or seek professional registration in an English-speaking country, you might need to take an IELTS Academic test.
IELTS General Training – measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and tests reflect both workplace and social situations. So, If you plan to study in secondary education (in an English-speaking high school), move abroad for work or migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, you might need to take an IELTS General Training test.
Understanding the IELTS Score
On the IELTS Test Report Form, you’ll find the overall band score and the results your students achieved in each part of the test.
Individual test scores
Scores for each of the four skills are equally weighted. The overall band scores are calculated by taking the mean result for each part of the test.
The overall band score
Overall band scores are calculated to the nearest whole or half band. If the average score across the four skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking – ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band.
If it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.
Difference Between IELTS vs TOEFL?
TOEFL exam questions are multiple choice, whereas IELTS requires you to respond to a range of different question types such as short answer, gap-filling and short essay tasks. The IELTS is significantly shorter than the TOEFL exam, taking approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes versus four hours to complete. TOEFL generally requires that you only use either US English or UK English during your examination and not mix the two, whereas IELTS seems to be a bit more flexible.
So which test should you take? This is an important consideration because if the schools you’re interested in don’t accept the scores of the test you take, no other factors will matter. Both the TOEFL and IELTS are widely accepted at undergraduate and graduate schools around the world.
The TOEFL is more commonly accepted by American institutions, while the IELTS is more commonly accepted overseas, but many schools accept scores from either exam. However, a school may have a preference about which test you take.