IELTS

International English Language Testing System 

This evaluates your English on the basis of Receptive skills and Productive skills

RECEPTIVE SKILLS- Listening, Reading 

PRODUCTIVE SKILLS-Writing, Speaking 

There are two categories of IELTS

 # Academics 

 #General Test 

       General tests need to be taken by people who are moving to the English speaking countries for the purpose of PRs or jobs whereas Academics has to be taken by people who are moving to the English speaking countries for the purpose of higher studies or any other course. PLEASE check which exam you are supposed to write before you register for the exam. 

Listening, which is your first test, is going to about 40 minutes.

Reading, for 60 minutes. 

Writing will be for 60 minutes. 

Speaking for 11-14 minutes. 

       Listening, Reading and Writing are gonna take place on one day at a stretch. That means for 2 hrs and 40 minutes, you won't have any break in between the tests, whereas Speaking is gonna take place either on the same day or in the span of seven days before or after listening, reading, and writing tests. This depends on the schedule that you get from IDP or British Council depending upon whoever you register with. 

        LISTENING

 # These sections are in the order of difficulties. 

Listening has four sections. The first section is gonna be the easiest whereas the fourth section is gonna be the most difficult one. PLEASE make sure that you write the answers into the question booklet. It is a simultaneous process of listening and writing. You need to answer these 40 questions whilst you listen to the audio at the end of the test. You will get 10 minutes to transfer the answers from the question booklet to an answer sheet which will be provided to you.

        READING

Reading is different for general and academic tests unlike listening and speaking that are the same for general and academic. Reading has three sections for both general and academics. General tests will have one or two texts based upon which you need to answer 40 questions. These are in the order of difficulties that means section 1 is going to be the easiest whereas section 3 is going to be  little difficult. This is to say that the passage can be a little difficult. On the other hand, you will have one long passage each section based upon which you need to answer 40 questions. Make sure that you write the answers straight into the answer sheet because you don't get here any extra time to transfer the answers from the question booklet to any other answer sheet.

 

       WRITING

Even though this section is a little different for both general and academic both writing will have two tasks- Task-1 and Task-2. In general, you will have a letter in Task-1 and an essay in Task-2. In academic tests, you’ll have to summarise a text and in task-2 you have an essay. This letter could be formal, informal, or semi-formal. But this summary here in academics will be on the basis of the image that could be in the form of charts, graphs, or diagrams. In both the tests you will have 20 minutes for task-1 and 40 minutes for task-2. For task-1  let it be general or academic you must write at least 150 words and 250 words at least in task-2. This is to say that there is a minimum threshold of word limit if you write below that you will get a penalty. There is no upper limit.

      SPEAKING 

Speaking is basically between one-to-one interaction between the examiner and the candidate which is recorded. Speaking has three sections in all. Section one has a brief introduction which will be followed by a short question and answer conversation but  section two will be an individual speaking. In this the examiner will give you a topic just to speak on which you will have to speak on one to two minutes. But don't worry you will have a minute to prepare. The examiner will not interrupt at all whilst you speak but section 3 is discussion. HERE, the examiner will ask you about five to six questions based upon the topic that was given to you in section 2. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU RELAX and speak as much as you can.