International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Is A Global Standardized Test To Check The Proficiency In the English Language. University Of Cambridge ESOL examinations, The British Council IDP Education Pvt Ltd Jointly Manages IELTS. IELTS has Two Editions: Academic Edition Is Intended For Those Who Are Looking For Education Abroad In Professional Courses And The Second Edition Is General Training Meant For Non-Academic Training Or For Work Experience Or For Immigration. The IELTS is Very Well Recognized By The Majority Of Educational Institutions Across Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa And The United States.
IELTS OVERVIEW:
- Full Form: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Year Started: 1980 AD
- Score / Grade Range: 0 to 9 at increment of 0.5 band multiple.
- Test Score/Grade Validity: 2 Years
- Total Test Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes.
- Test official authorities: British Council and IDP
- Countries / Regions: More than 1,200 test centers in over 140 countries.
What is IELTS?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language test. It is developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment and evaluates all of your English skills — reading, writing, listening and speaking. English is the third most spoken language in the world, with 379 million speakers worldwide. 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.
IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English. If you are looking to work, live or study in an English-speaking country, then you must be able to demonstrate a high level of English language ability.
IELTS is the most popular test for those looking to migrate to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. It is globally recognized by more than 11,000 employers, universities, schools and immigration bodies including 3,400 institutions in the USA.
IELTS test types
IELTS has two types: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Both tests assess your English language skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking.
IELTS Academic
The IELTS Academic test is suitable for those wanting to study in an English-speaking environment or university (higher education). You can also take IELTS Academic for professional registration purposes.
IELTS General Training
The IELTS General Training test is suitable for those applying to study below degree level. This includes an English-speaking school or college. It can also be taken for work experience or other employment training.
IELTS General Training is also required for migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. The test features everyday English language skills that you will need in social and workplace environments.
IELTS Test Format:
LISTENING SECTION:
The IELTS listening test will take about 30 minutes, and you will have an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. The listening test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training modules.
READING SECTION
The IELTS reading test will take about 60 minutes. It consists of 40 questions. A variety of question types is used in order to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, and understanding logical argument, recognizing writers’ opinions, attitudes and purpose.
SPEAKING SECTION
Speaking Skills test will take 11 to 14 minutes (the speaking test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training). IELTS Speaking test is a face-to-face interview, which will take about 11 to 14 minutes. The Speaking test is designed to assess your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.
WRITING SECTION
The IELTS Writing test will take 60 minutes. This section consists of two tasks. The Academic and General Training variants of IELTS differ slightly here. For academic training students, the first task is report-writing whereas for general training students, the first task is a letter writing task. In both cases, the second task is a general essay which is to be written basing on your knowledge and experience. However, the topics in academic module are likely to be academically oriented, but the general essay for general training module are usually of general interest.