IELTS Preparation Guide

Should you need to study or work in a country where English is the main language of communication, there are certain tests that you must take. These assessment tests are done to evaluate the language ability of a person. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world's proven test, accepted by more than 8,000 organizations in over 135 countries. More than 700 universities and institutions in the US accept IELTS, including seven 'Ivy League' universities, CGFNS and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

To put it simply, IELTS is an internationally recognized test of competence in the English language. There will be an assessment of the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking abilities of candidates. The test comes in two modules: the General Training Module and the Academic Module. The General Training Module is for people who want to migrate for work, while those who want to pursue an academic course in English require the Academic Module. Both modules cover all four parts: listening, writing, reading and speaking skills.

The British Council, IDP Education Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) jointly conduct the IELTS test.

Students applying for study in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US need IELTS assessment. Medical professionals planning to go for further studies or work in the UK, Australia or the USA require the IELTS test. It is also required by people planning to migrate to Canada, Australia or New Zealand.

There is no minimum qualification for taking the IELTS test. Anyone literate in English can appear for the exam. Individual institutions and faculties set score level requirements according to the specific language needs of the course, study or work program. The IELTS score is valid for two years; at the time of admission to an educational institute, the latest IELTS score is considered.

There are four sub-tests in the IELTS test: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, and one must sit all four. For General and Academic candidates, the Listening and Speaking tests are the same, but there are different Reading and Writing tests. The total test time is two hours and 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are assessed in one sitting; the Speaking test can be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.

The IELTS Listening test lasts 30 minutes and consists of four parts, in order of increasing difficulty. Each part is a monologue or dialogue; the audio is played once only, and the questions for each section must be answered while listening.

The IELTS Reading test is 60 minutes. Both the Academic and General Training Reading tests have three sections, in order of increasing difficulty.

The IELTS Writing test is also 60 minutes. For both Academic and General Writing, candidates must perform two writing tasks which require different styles of writing. There are no options of question topics.

A specially trained examiner conducts the IELTS Speaking test in a one-to-one interview, assessing your fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.